Looking back to my post two weeks ago, we discussed the quickly disappearing rainforests, and the effects that this phenomenon has on our Earth. It is truly overwhelming how many trees are being cut down each day (150 acres to be exact) and how little is being done to stop it. How can we hope to stop such a global problem? Well, there are actually many things we can do to help save the rainforests, even from the comfort of our own communities. You do not have to travel halfway across the globe to help. By slightly changing the products we buy, which companies we support, and what food we consume, we can make a huge difference in the fight to save our rainforests.
Changing the Products We Buy
The products we purchase every day have a huge impact on the amount of deforestation that occurs, specifically in rainforests. I should mention that the first few solutions talked about in this post were previously discussed in my previous post about deforestation, so I will go over them quickly. If you would like to check out that post and learn more, you can click here. Anyway, there are two main ingredients/types of products that you should avoid purchasing if you would like to help preserve the rainforests. These are:
Palm Oil: As discussed in my last post about deforestation, the palm oil industry is the worst perpetrator of rainforest deforestation. They cut down hundreds of acres of rainforest to build their plantations, and harvest the palm oil incredibly unsustainably (I know this is extremely vague, but I discussed it before and I would like to keep this post as short as possible). If the destruction of rainforests isn't enough of a reason to quit it, palm oil is also incredibly unhealthy. It is very high in saturated fat, which has been linked to heart disease. Because of both of these reasons, palm oil is most certainly a product that should be avoided.
Paper products that are sourced unsustainably: While it may not seem like it, many of the paper products we see on our shelves (lumber, paper towels, tissue paper, etc.) are sourced unsustainably. Essentially, what this means is that the company creating those products are either: cutting down trees at a pace that cannot be sustained, or they are not replacing the trees they cut down with other plants. It goes without saying that any paper products should be avoided if possible, as cutting down trees is never good, however some companies do it much worse than others. If we are going to support companies that make these products, we might as well support the ones that are doing it right.
How to Avoid These Products
So now that you know a little bit about what these negative products are, you may be wondering how exactly you can distinguish them from products that ARE sustainably sourced. Here are a few tips as to how you can avoid these harmful products:
(Big thanks to Gaiam.com for providing the information used in this section. They have some awesome information on palm oil, so check them out if you can)
Palm Oil
This goes without saying, but any product with palm oil in the ingredients section should be avoided. Less than 7% of palm is sourced "sustainably" and that title in the industry has even been disputed as to its honesty.
Choose products that have clearly labeled oils, like 100% sunflower oil, corn oil, etc.
Sometimes, palm oil in products can also be called "vegetable oil". If you see that in a product, you should avoid it.
If a product's fat content is more than 40% saturated fat, it is VERY likely palm oil was used to make the product.
Many prepackaged snack foods by large companies (Like Nestle, etc.) contain palm oil.
Finally, if none of these tips helps to identify if the product has palm oil or not, you can find out usually by typing the product name followed by the words "palm oil" in a Google search.
Unsustainably Sourced Paper Products
The Forest Stewardship Council- talked about in my last deforestation post, the Forest Stewardship Council is an organization that certifies companies that create paper products based on the sustainable methods that were used to make them.
The logo, pictured to the right, is normally found on the top-right corner of the product you are purchasing.
Any product without the logo should be avoided if possible, as you cannot be sure if the product was made sustainably without it.
Sharing Stories
One of the easier ways to help protect the rainforests is to share stories about them. While this may not seem like it would have much of an effect, stories can help to generate sympathy and care in people who would otherwise be apathetic to the problem. If more people know about these problems, and want to help, we are exponentially more likely to reach a solution. If you would like to share a story, there is one here that is very well written. You can share these stories through social media, or even through word of mouth. Either way works, and helps to generate more care and respect for the rainforests that need to be protected.
Creating a Bird Bath or Feeder
Again, while it may not seem like it, creating a bird bath or feeder can actually help improve the state of many rainforests. Many different species of birds migrate to rainforests in Central and South America, and they can only make the journey with both food and water. It can sometimes be hard for them to get all the nutrients they need, so putting out extra feed outside your house can be a huge help to them. By setting up a bird feeder, it makes it much easier for birds to get food, thus they have more energy. The same goes for a bird bath. Because of this, more birds each year can make the journey down south, and the rainforests ecosystems are strengthened.
Conclusion
Obviously, there are many more things you can do to help protect the rainforests. I chose the ones I thought would make the most change, but there are still many more that can help a lot. Unfortunately, as with nearly every other post I have written, there is just not enough space to talk about them all here. I would suggest going to this website if you would like to learn more about what you can do, as it has some great information and really helped me when doing research for this post. If we all work to incorporate these simple changes to our lifestyles, the rainforests, and many other forests throughout the world, can be saved. Thanks for reading.
All credit for information used in this post goes to:
http://www.rainforestfoundation.org/10-things-you-can-do-save-the-rainforest/
https://www.gaiam.com/blogs/discover/6-ways-to-avoid-palm-oil-and-why-you-should
Images:
http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/Rain-Forest-Destruction.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8myYyMg1fFE
http://www.newhope.com/news/earth-balance-announces-responsible-palm-oil-initiative
http://www.palmoilinvestigations.org/about-palm-oil.html
http://www.gorenown.com/renown_paper_products.asp
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Palm-Oil-New-Trans-Fat-4939277
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Forest_Stewardship_Council_(logo).svg
http://demonstration.engagementhq.com/stories
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2891432/Carbon-dioxide-emissions-help-tropical-rainforests-grow-faster-Study-shows-trees-absorb-greenhouse-gas-expected.html
https://www.backyardchirper.com/bird-house-184859.html
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