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The rainforests are one of our
most precious resources. Rainforests are very dense and wet and
are home to millions of plants and animals. Although rainforests
take up very little space, less than 2% of the Earth's surface, they
house nearly 10 million species of plants and animals and more species
are being found daily. It is estimated that over 50% of the
world's wildlife resides in rainforests. They also
play a major role in maintaining weather patterns and help to restore
the oxygen that we need to survive. In addition rainforests have
many plants that are used in pharmaceuticals to treat disease and
sickness. Rainforests recycle and clean water that we need for
life, remove carbon dioxide from the air and therefore slow the
greenhouse effect, combat pollution, and are the home to many indigenous
tribes in Brazil and southern Venezuela.
Unfortunately, the rainforests
are disappearing at an alarming rate. Although there was
originally 8 million square miles of rainforests, there is now only 3.4
million square miles of rainforest worldwide, meaning we have already
lost over 50% of what once was and we are losing more daily. It is
believed that we lose an acre every second and that by the year 2030, if
something is not done, and quickly, we will no longer have any
rainforests at all.
The reasons that
rainforests are being destroyed is pretty simple. Farming, logging
and ranching are the major reasons for rainforest destruction.
Poor farmers who cannot afford to buy their own land will clear space in
the rainforests for their farming needs. Problems with this are
not only because the forests are precious and need to be preserved, but
also that crops do not grow well in rainforest soil. The soil
found in rainforests generally only grows rainforests well.
Therefore, since the yield from rainforest crops is so low and the land
cannot be used again the following year, more space is cleared to ensure
that the farmers grow enough food for their needs. Once the crops
have been harvested, the soil is so depleted, it is unlikely that the
rainforests can be replenished once the farmers are gone. If these
people had land of their own, they might not clear the forests.
Ranchers also clear land in rainforests because the land is cheap and
therefore they can make more money off of the cattle that they sell.
Logging is also a big issue for the rainforests. Loggers chop down
the trees for paper products such as newspapers and magazines, logs for
lumber used in home building and also for making furniture. As the
population grows, more and more land will be cleared in rainforests to
fill the "needs" of the masses. The more people there
are, the more "stuff" we "need."
Please visit the following
websites to find out ways that you can help stop the destruction of the
rainforests! |
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