Forests are one of the most valuable natural resources and human assets, giving us inexplicable life for many years. We should know we are slowly losing the greatest biological treasure of earth.” Rainforests once covered 14% of the earth's land surface; now they cover a mere 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years” (Taylor).
Amazon, one of the largest rainforests in the world, supplies more than 2% of the world's oxygen, so it's known as "Lungs of our Planet" (Taylor). According to environmental researchers, more than half of the world's plants, animals, insects and one-fifth of the world's freshwaters are in the Amazon Basin. "The U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants that are active against cancer cells. 70% of these plants are found in the rainforest" (Taylor). Unfortunately, human intervention and pressure on the ecosystem has increased dramatically in recent years. “Since 1980, the global economy has tripled in size"(Taylor). This makes the use of forest capital uninterrupted.
Researchers estimate that "the Amazon alone disappears 20,000 square miles per year. If nothing is done to restrain this process, the entire Amazon may be destroyed within fifty years "( Taylor). Therefore, this problem must be investigated in a quantitative and dynamic manner. In fact, this pervasive problem, which affects the whole world, cannot be solved except with a persistent and compassionate global effort such as; reduce the paper and wood consumption, hold businesses accountable and support rainforest action network.
In order to clearly understand the problem of rainforests, especially in the Amazon, we need to perceive the reasons behind this phenomenon. The first major reason deforestation aims at expanding agriculture and turning it into farms and pastures. Unfortunately, large portions of the forests are converted into farmland for daily livelihoods, farmers and ranchers turn the forests into pastures for their livestock. Environmental studies have shown, “Poverty does drive people to migrate to forest frontiers, where they engage in slash and burn forest clearing for subsistence” (Causes of Deforestation). Another important factor is expanding infrastructure, road construction and urban development. This expansion is intended to make it easier to transport goods to remote areas, thus allowing roads to enter previously unreachable forest areas. Ultimately, road construction will provide settlements, and this disaster will surely increase deforestation. Further, large-scale commercial activities play an important role in deforestation. Specifically in the Amazon, livestock and industrial-scale soybean production is a major contributor to the loss of this natural capital for global markets. Finally, “State policies to encourage economic development, such as road and railway expansion projects, have caused significant, unintentional deforestation in the Amazon and Central America” (Causes of Deforestation). Therefore, it can be concluded that there is rarely a direct cause of deforestation. Most of the time, several processes work simultaneously or sequentially to cause deforestation. Overall, it is necessary to examine the reasons for the loss of global capital such as the Amazon rainforest.
The first recommendation to resolve the serious problem of Amazon deforestation is to reduce the consumption of paper and wood. We can do this by taking simple measures and reduce the use of wood and paper, resulting in the reduction of pressure on the remaining forests and to prevent deforestation. For example, use both sides of a paper, use cloth bags at the grocery store, use cloth and towels instead of paper towels. In addition, other solutions that can be thought of collectively or as a family. According to environmental researchers, more than 70 percent of the Amazon forests are used to provide the wood needed by logging companies to make wood and paper products (What can…). If we believe that every single step we can take to reduce the consumption of wood and paper products can affect the process of deforestation, we will undoubtedly focus on solutions. For instance, when purchasing paper products, you can choose from paperless options when possible. “Tree-free paper is made from agricultural products like waste straw, kenaf, and hemp, so not a single tree is cut down for its production!” (What can…). Generally, our individual approach to reducing the use of wood and paper products can play a decisive role in preserving Amazon's global capital.
The second critical step to combat the destruction of forests is hold businesses accountable. Each of us must be held accountable for commercial actions that cause social and environmental damage. Companies need to know that public opinion is aware of their destructive and illegal business that is solely for their own personal gain and benefit. Whenever we feel that a company is not environmentally sound, we can send a letter of concern to the relevant authorities asking them to reconsider their work. At first it may seem like an unusual move because none of us have ever done it, but when it comes to preserving the global capital, the forests, it is a common practice, and in the long run Inhibiting deforestation will have a positive effect. For example, “Boise sells wood products from the world's most endangered forests, including the tropical rainforests of the Amazon and Southeast Asia and the temperate rainforests of Chile. Boise is also the country's largest logger of U. S. public lands” (What can…). We can ask the company to minimize the distribution of old wood to protect the environment. It’s obvious that this is not an easy task, but when taken publicly, it can undoubtedly play a significant role in saving the rainforests and the Amazon.
The third major measure to control the destruction of rainforests and the Amazon is support rainforest action network. “Rainforest Action Network is an effective, hard-hitting organization. In 1985, RAN launched a nationwide boycott of Burger King, which was importing cheap beef from tropical rainforest countries” (What can…). Finally, after two years of efforts, the company was forced to cancel its cattle import contract. In another effective move, the network, after a two-year campaign, forced "Top Home and Nations Retailers and Biggest Home Builders" to cancel contracts for the sale and use of endangered forests, particularly Amazon (What can…). Members of this network consider themselves responsible and committed to protecting environmental capital, so they will continue their efforts to achieve their goals. This extensive network operates with more than one hundred and fifty associations supporting land rights and rainforest protection, especially the Amazon. In general, each of us can be a small member of this massive global campaign and support the Friends of Amazon Watch.
In conclusion, Deforestation and the decline of our environmental capital in the jungles are very worrying. One of the most important rainforests on the verge of extinction is the massive Amazon forest. Worrying about saving the Amazon is not something that can be easily countered because the Amazon is an unnecessary asset to our planet. We must not only fight to save the Amazon and the rainforest, but we must strive to preserve it for future generations. Rainforests are rapidly disappearing, not because of natural disasters, but because of the profits for governments, multinational companies and landowners. The best way to help this crisis is to change people's lifestyles and move away from the idea of accumulating capital and personal gain. We deliberately or unconsciously harm our own capital to achieve our own interests and regardless of the values that the land holds for us. We, as a human beings, are also supposed to think about the life of the next generation, so we must work together to preserve the land capital.
Works Cited
“Causes of Deforestation: Direct Causes.” Earth Observatory. Mar 30, 2007.
Taylor, Leslie. “Rainforest Facts: The Disappearing Rainforests.” Raintree. 2019.
“What Can I Do to Help the Amazon Rainforest?” Rainforest Action Network.2019.
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