Dayanne Stutzman

10/25/2015
English 112-54

Amazon
In the movie "Into the wild," Jon makes clear his feelings
toward society and how the human race has turned into a
capitalist, money-sucking world. And he is right. We humans are
willing to kill and destroy anything in front us in order to get what
we want. The results of these selfish acts have become a major
issue, deforestation being one of the worst ones. Our rainforests
are rapidly shrinking. These deforestation comes in many forms,
including fires, clear-cutting for agriculture, ranching and
development, unsustainable logging for timber, and degradation
due to climate change. One rainforest in particular has taken a
major hit. Amazon is one of the largest rainforests in the world,
covering over a billion acres, encompassing areas in Brazil,
Venezuela, Colombia and the Eastern Andean region of Ecuador
and Peru. Destruction since European settlers arrived in Brazil has
been catastrophic; however, the intensity of destruction has
increased dramatically in the last few decades. The results of this
destruction have affected more than just the Amazon itself.
Hundreds of native Indian families that live in the Amazon have
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Dayanne Stutzman
10/25/2015
English 112-54

been destroyed as well. Animals and insects have been extinct or

killed. The outcome is not just local. We are feeling it throughout
the globe. The carbon dioxide going up and Weather become
extremely unpredictable and unstable.
If the Amazon Rainforest were a country it would be the
ninth largest in the world. The major effects of this, according to
think Global Green, is that rainforests once covered 14% of the
earth's land surface; are now a mere 6% and experts estimate
that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in less than
40 years. In result, our CO2 has taken a major hit. Accounting for
nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than all of
the worlds cars, buses and planes combined. A quarter of all
medicines are sourced from plants found deep in the rainforests.
Rainforests are also home to thousands of unique animals that
depend on the protection of the rainforest for their survival. In
consequence of deforestation, our planet is dying and many
animals are extinct or are close it.
In Brazil alone the European colonists have destroyed more
than 90 indigenous tribes since the 1900's (Amazon.org).
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Dayanne Stutzman
10/25/2015
English 112-54

However, the intensity of destruction has increased dramatically

in the last few decades. The Amazon Rainforest as many experts
has described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because its
continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. More than 20%
of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.
Experts estimates that we are losing 137 plant, animal, and insect
species every single day due to deforestation. That equates to
50,000 species a year. According to the Rainforest facts, there
were also once upon a time an estimated ten million Indians living
in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are
less than 200,000. However, there are many ways we can still
save our rainforests, thus save our planet, our children future.
Teach kids about the importance of rainforests to the health of our
planet. Empower them to make responsible choices. Help them
make the connection between choosing foods without palm oil or
conserving fossil fuels and protecting the rainforest. Here are
some ways according to Deforestation/Collage; Furnish wisely;
avoid furniture and other products made from threatened
rainforest woods like such as; Mahogany, Rosewood and Ebony.
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Dayanne Stutzman
10/25/2015
English 112-54

More than half of the world's timber and 72% of paper is

consumed by 22% of the world's population (the United States,
Europe, and Japan). Worldwide, industrialized countries consume
over twelve times more wood products per person than nonindustrialized countries (Rainforestweb.org). So, by minimizing
use of these lumbers will help significantly. Travel Green; Ride
your bike, take mass transit or carpool to work. Every little bit
helps. If you travel to a rainforest area, make sure your tourist
dollars support local communities who protect the local
environment.
These are only a few examples that can have a major impact
to save our rainforests. It is important that we start making
changes. Half the worlds tropical forests have been cleared or degraded. Every
hour, at least 4,500 acres of forest fall to chain saws, machetes, flames, or
bulldozers. Population growth, poverty, and unequal access to land are among the
major causes of deforestation (Forestry Department Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations). But there is still time and the time is
now. But we are running out of time, if something doesnt change
immediately. When resources that come from our rainforest
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Dayanne Stutzman
10/25/2015
English 112-54

vanish, so do the resources that people need to thrive and so

does the habitat that wildlife needs to survive. Our planet cannot
take it anymore. It is crying for help. Our lives and our childrens
lives depend on it. Lets make a conscious effort to respect
Mother Nature or the price we will pay will be unimaginable.