The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest, and almost undoubtedly the most crucial to our entire planet. The Amazon rainforest produces roughly one fifth of the oxygen for the Earth. It is also widely believed and highly likely that the cure for cancer will be found in the Amazon, along with many other diseases. In 2004, the Brazilian government claimed half of its Amazon basin as a national park, which has drastically reduced the amount of slash and burn and other deforestation methods in that region. This is very substantial due to the fact that the majority of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil. Whether or not the rest of the country will follow suit is yet to be seen.
The effects of deforestation up until this point in the planet's life is irreversible, but efforts like this to change the way that we do things in the world is crucial to the future of our species as a whole, along with the rest of the species on the planet. If we truly are the only forms of life in this entire universe (or multiverse, depending on your beliefs) then we need to be much more careful with how we treat our home. If we kill off our own species, then there may never be another life form to come along and do whatever it was that humans were supposed to do. On a side note, there is no chance that we are the only lifeforms in all of creation, something is out there. But I digress, that is not the point. We do need to continue to be more conscientious about how we interact with our surroundings, and taking action against those who aren't.
The main reason that Brazil got so into deforestation was because they needed to clear room for cattle ranches and farm plantations. This is no surprise, as it is the way that most countries get their start in world economics. The US did the exact same thing when the original pilgrims came over, which is the reason that less than 4% of the original forests of America still exist. It's truly quite hypocritical of us as a country to go around criticizing other countries for their negative environmental actions, when we are the poster child of deforestation. However we are just doing whatever we can to save other countries for the terrible outcome we have reached (as far as the environment goes). The problem is that it is the same type of situation as when parents tell their children not to do something, then the child goes and does it anyways. Many countries are going to play with fire, and get burned as a result, and that is the only way that they will learn the lesson we are trying to warn them about.
The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest, and almost undoubtedly the most crucial to our entire planet. The Amazon rainforest produces roughly one fifth of the oxygen for the Earth. It is also widely believed and highly likely that the cure for cancer will be found in the Amazon, along with many other diseases. In 2004, the Brazilian government claimed half of its Amazon basin as a national park, which has drastically reduced the amount of slash and burn and other deforestation methods in that region. This is very substantial due to the fact that the majority of the Amazon rainforest is located in Brazil. Whether or not the rest of the country will follow suit is yet to be seen.
The effects of deforestation up until this point in the planet's life is irreversible, but efforts like this to change the way that we do things in the world is crucial to the future of our species as a whole, along with the rest of the species on the planet. If we truly are the only forms of life in this entire universe (or multiverse, depending on your beliefs) then we need to be much more careful with how we treat our home. If we kill off our own species, then there may never be another life form to come along and do whatever it was that humans were supposed to do. On a side note, there is no chance that we are the only lifeforms in all of creation, something is out there. But I digress, that is not the point. We do need to continue to be more conscientious about how we interact with our surroundings, and taking action against those who aren't.
The main reason that Brazil got so into deforestation was because they needed to clear room for cattle ranches and farm plantations. This is no surprise, as it is the way that most countries get their start in world economics. The US did the exact same thing when the original pilgrims came over, which is the reason that less than 4% of the original forests of America still exist. It's truly quite hypocritical of us as a country to go around criticizing other countries for their negative environmental actions, when we are the poster child of deforestation. However we are just doing whatever we can to save other countries for the terrible outcome we have reached (as far as the environment goes). The problem is that it is the same type of situation as when parents tell their children not to do something, then the child goes and does it anyways. Many countries are going to play with fire, and get burned as a result, and that is the only way that they will learn the lesson we are trying to warn them about.