Did you know?

•         In the next 24 hours, deforestation will release as much CO2 into the atmosphere as 8 million people flying from New York to London. Deforestation causes 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and is now being recognized as one of the main causes of climate change. (independent.co.uk)
•         Almost half of the world's oxygen is produced from rainforests, which is why they are often called the planet's lungs. More than 20 percent of the world's oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest alone.(rain-tree.com)
•         30-37 million acres of forest are lost each year, the equivalent of one foot-ball field every second. (RAN.org)

Deforestation

Rainforests provide habitats for more than half of the plants, animals and insects on Earth as well as homes for Indigenous communities. Additionally, rainforests serve as one of our key defenses against global warming by storing massive amounts of carbon. The largest remaining areas of intact rainforests are found in Brazil, Indonesia, and the Congo Basin. Industrial agribusiness, resource extraction, poor governance, global warming, illegal logging and the failure to recognize and respect the rights of forest peoples all threaten their continued existence. (RAN.org)  For more information on rainforests and deforestation in the United States visit: http://rainforests.mongabay.com/0801.htm and http://www.saveamericasforests.org/crisis.htm
 

Take Action!

Quick and Easy

·     Reduce your paper use.Print on both sides of the paper, pay bills online, switch your magazine and newspaper subscriptions to online, and stop receiving junk mail www.dmachoice.org.

·     Recycle any cardboard or paper you do use. Or use reusable products more often. Better yet, go paperless!

·     Purchase sustainable paper products. Paper towels, toilet paper, notebooks, printing paper, and post-its all come in recycled form. Buy rainforest-safe material.

·     Avoid palm oil. Approximately 85% of palm oil is grown in tropical countries on industrial plantations that have severe impacts on the environment, forest peoples, and the climate. In the U.S. it is found in more than half of all packaged goods.For more info go to www.TheProblemWithPalmOil.org.Cargill buys more palm oil than any other company, let them know you care at: http://act.ran.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2673

·     Sign a petition to end America’s dependence on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels like coal and oil are a major threat to rainforests and rainforest communities alike; oil extraction and transport often causes deforestation.http://act.ran.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=4389

Extra Effort

·     Raise consciousness and money to support forest peoples. http://www.rainforestfoundation.org/our-work, http://rainforestheroes.ran.org/protect-an-acre/

·     Leave no trace.When visiting natural environments, especially forests, leave them as you found them for the next visitors to enjoy. http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php

·     Become a tree steward. Join the MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps, they need your help to keep street trees healthy and green. Attend a workshop to receive free training, tools, and a Parks permit to work on street trees. http://www.milliontreesnyc.org/html/programs/stewardship_corps.shtml

Big Changes

·        Buy furniture and cabinetry made from certified renewable forests. Build green. If you are considering remodeling or building a home, use environmentally responsible building materials. http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/, www.ecofriendlyflooring.com, http://www.notsobig.com/, www.greennest.com.Look for FSC certified wood and wood products. http://www.fscus.org/

·        Eat less meat. Many forests are cleared to graze cattle. The livestock sector is responsible for 70% of forests cleared in the Amazon. (FAO UN Report) For info and recipes go to http://www.vrg.orgor http://www.vegetariantimes.com

Look! (videos)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3YBBPzXF3k&feature=player_profilepage

For more information:

Rainforest Action Network:

http://ran.org/

Greenpeace:

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/forests/

Visit My Forest:

http://www.visitmyforest.org/

The Nature Conservancy:

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/habitats/forests/

Natural Resource Defense Council:

http://www.nrdc.org