Saving the Amazon rainforest was all over pop culture when I was growing up. I had a Save the Rainforest poster in my room, my 5th grade teacher assigned the topic to the entire class, Fern Gully won the hearts of thousands of children, and Medicine Man did the same for adults. But even though it is intricately tied to the climate with its carbon-trapping potential, the Amazon rainforest doesn’t get nearly the press it used to.
Here’s the good news. Part of why there isn’t as much press is because a lot of it has been saved. All that work to raise awareness and ‘save the rainforest’ was effective. Deforestation has plummeted, according to a Bloomburg story. Thanks to the decrease of slash and burn agriculture and forest harvesting, Brazil is ahead of its 2020 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Fires and deforestation of the Amazon / NASA
Covering over 1 billion acres of land in South America, the vast Amazon forest helps stabilize the planet’s climate by holding onto a massive amount of carbon. In addition, rare plants and animals as well as indigenous people call it home. It even regulates weather. Millions of acres of this precious resource are now protected.
My elementary school self is jumping for joy in her homemade tie-dyed shirt and temporary tattoo of the earth.
But maybe our eleven-year-old selves shouldn’t let our present selves off the hook just yet. As we’ve seen in our own backyard, the political tide can shift, bringing new policies that may prove detrimental to progress made. And there is cause for worry in Brazil, the country that contains the majority of the Amazon. Economic woes, corruption scandals, and now a new political force are all threats to the continued health of the forest, and maybe our entire planet.
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The fact that Brazil has come so far in protecting the Amazon should go down in history as a victory. And yet, this good news was barely mentioned by any of the candidates during the recent national election. In fact, the candidate ahead in the election, Jair Bolsonaro, has campaigned on opening up the forest to mineral and agricultural development and even discussed running a highway through it. There are bills working their way through Brazil’s congress as we speak that threaten the Amazon.
So pull out your tie-dye kit and re-watch Fern Gully for inspiration. Celebrate what has been accomplished so far in the Amazon — but keep an eye on the future.
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I would like to be polite but why we have so much ignorance and lack of sympathy around Maybe only the law is going to stop that? Bad news
STOP KILLING trees they give us the AIR we breath they make oxygen Kill them and eventually you kill man and lifeforms Oh never mind you won’t be here when it happens but the children will be and their children So how do you feel now..?
Thanks for this article.
Stop destroying our rain forest for the sake of greed. Look at the big picture for a change.
Never have I been so dismayed the the pure lax advise style of humans we are breeding on the plate . Purely for gain chances you won’t remain.
Let see… trees make oxygen. Kill the trees ….remove the oxygen. People and planet dies. Save the trees… makes more oxygen. People and planet lives. Hmmm seems real simple to me!
I keep signing, and I’ll keep trying along with everyone else to help stop the suffering of animals or save the rain forests.
I just want our planet and all sentient beings living on it to be safe
My views entirely pity everyone doesn’t feel the same because of power greed and money a selfish world at times
Please save the rain forests.
We need to keep our rain forrests safe.
We need to keep our rain forrests safe.