how does this affect me and why should I care?
I have heard several comments like this on several different occasions:
"How does this impact me? I don't live in the Amazon. Peruvians should be responsible for taking care of their resources."
"Why are you so worried about saving the rainforest, when we have plenty of little children who need saving right here, in our country. Forget the plants, and focus on the people."
So why save the rainforest? Because...
1. Everything is connected.
2. The Amazon rainforest directly affects weather and climate in the both hemispheres.
3. The Amazon is home to 80% of the life on earth.
4. The Amazon is beautiful and complex and we want future generations to enjoy it.
5. The more trees on the planet, the more absorption of carbon dioxide, the less quickly our planet continues to warm up.
6. We are expected to be good stewards of our planet and home and thus need to care for this precious resource.
Out of all of these reasons, I want to focus on how the Amazon affects us in the United States. First of all, you must understand that the Amazon is a very special and significant watershed. The rivers and tributaries of the Amazon make up 20% of all the world's fresh water. That is a lot of fresh water. Each day, the Amazon goest through the water cycle, dumping 500 billion cubic feet of water in the Atlantic. That is enough freshwater for New York City for 9 years. You could swim out 125 miles out to sea before the freshwater would mix with the salt water. This much water impacts our world in a big way.
In the water cycle, the sun is our driving energy force. The sun heats up water in liquid form, until it evaporates into water vapor, or condensation in the form of clouds. When those clouds condense and cool, the water vapor changes states and returns to a liquid, falling down to the ground because of gravity. Some water, about 25% is run off. But rest of the water is trapped in a perpetual Amazon water cycle, either absorbed by the soil and plants, or it eventually evaporates and the process starts all over again. If you do understand the water cycle, then you can also understand this. Not only can water on land evaporate, but water in leaves can evaporate and we call that transpiration. The more trees you have, the more transpiration you have. Because there are so many trees in the Amazon, there is more transpiration, which in turn goes through the water cycle, producing clouds and rain. The amount of numerous trees and sun cause the Amazon to create it's own weather.
How does this affect America? Directly. If we cut down more trees in the Amazon, we have less transpiration, which means less condensation and precipitation. Thus, the Amazon watershed is so significant, it has the ability to affect precipitation in South America as well as much of the Northern Hemisphere.
The other reason I really want to focus on why to save the rainforest is, global warming. When we burn anything, it releases carbon in the atmosphere in the form of Carbon Dioxide. CO2 is an important and crucial gas in our world. However, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. When we burn large amounts of carbon, like burning fossil fuels, we release more and more CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 and other gases form a protective layer of gas around the earth. We need this layer, none as the ozone layer to protect us from harmful UV rays. However, as we continue to release CO2 into the atmosphere our protective layer thickens up. This traps more heat from the sun, like a blanket, causing temperature to rise. A simple 2 degrees rise in the ocean has killed the Great Barrier Reef and coral across the globe in 2016. Ice caps are melting causing sea levels to rise. Animals are losing their homes, we are losing land.
However, we have a solution!
1)Reduce the burning of fossil fuels, and turn to alternative energy sources instead.
2) Plant more trees and save the ones we already have.
Humans breathe in Oxygen that gets taken in by our lugs and enters our blood which helps us live. Humans and all animals, then release Carbon Dioxide as a waste. Plants do the reverse. Plants take in Carbon Dioxide and release Oxygen as a waste. (Plants make sugar, C6h12O6. Within the photosynthetic formula, sun + H2O + CO2 = CHO (Sugar) There is extra oxygen in this equation and isn't needed to make sugar, so O2 is released as waste. And then animals take in that O2. The Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen Cycle. So important.
Well, if plants take in CO2 and we are releasing too much CO2 into the atmosphere, then we should plant more plants and save the ones we have, so they can take in that CO2 as best as possible!
"How does this impact me? I don't live in the Amazon. Peruvians should be responsible for taking care of their resources."
"Why are you so worried about saving the rainforest, when we have plenty of little children who need saving right here, in our country. Forget the plants, and focus on the people."
So why save the rainforest? Because...
1. Everything is connected.
2. The Amazon rainforest directly affects weather and climate in the both hemispheres.
3. The Amazon is home to 80% of the life on earth.
4. The Amazon is beautiful and complex and we want future generations to enjoy it.
5. The more trees on the planet, the more absorption of carbon dioxide, the less quickly our planet continues to warm up.
6. We are expected to be good stewards of our planet and home and thus need to care for this precious resource.
Out of all of these reasons, I want to focus on how the Amazon affects us in the United States. First of all, you must understand that the Amazon is a very special and significant watershed. The rivers and tributaries of the Amazon make up 20% of all the world's fresh water. That is a lot of fresh water. Each day, the Amazon goest through the water cycle, dumping 500 billion cubic feet of water in the Atlantic. That is enough freshwater for New York City for 9 years. You could swim out 125 miles out to sea before the freshwater would mix with the salt water. This much water impacts our world in a big way.
In the water cycle, the sun is our driving energy force. The sun heats up water in liquid form, until it evaporates into water vapor, or condensation in the form of clouds. When those clouds condense and cool, the water vapor changes states and returns to a liquid, falling down to the ground because of gravity. Some water, about 25% is run off. But rest of the water is trapped in a perpetual Amazon water cycle, either absorbed by the soil and plants, or it eventually evaporates and the process starts all over again. If you do understand the water cycle, then you can also understand this. Not only can water on land evaporate, but water in leaves can evaporate and we call that transpiration. The more trees you have, the more transpiration you have. Because there are so many trees in the Amazon, there is more transpiration, which in turn goes through the water cycle, producing clouds and rain. The amount of numerous trees and sun cause the Amazon to create it's own weather.
How does this affect America? Directly. If we cut down more trees in the Amazon, we have less transpiration, which means less condensation and precipitation. Thus, the Amazon watershed is so significant, it has the ability to affect precipitation in South America as well as much of the Northern Hemisphere.
The other reason I really want to focus on why to save the rainforest is, global warming. When we burn anything, it releases carbon in the atmosphere in the form of Carbon Dioxide. CO2 is an important and crucial gas in our world. However, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. When we burn large amounts of carbon, like burning fossil fuels, we release more and more CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 and other gases form a protective layer of gas around the earth. We need this layer, none as the ozone layer to protect us from harmful UV rays. However, as we continue to release CO2 into the atmosphere our protective layer thickens up. This traps more heat from the sun, like a blanket, causing temperature to rise. A simple 2 degrees rise in the ocean has killed the Great Barrier Reef and coral across the globe in 2016. Ice caps are melting causing sea levels to rise. Animals are losing their homes, we are losing land.
However, we have a solution!
1)Reduce the burning of fossil fuels, and turn to alternative energy sources instead.
2) Plant more trees and save the ones we already have.
Humans breathe in Oxygen that gets taken in by our lugs and enters our blood which helps us live. Humans and all animals, then release Carbon Dioxide as a waste. Plants do the reverse. Plants take in Carbon Dioxide and release Oxygen as a waste. (Plants make sugar, C6h12O6. Within the photosynthetic formula, sun + H2O + CO2 = CHO (Sugar) There is extra oxygen in this equation and isn't needed to make sugar, so O2 is released as waste. And then animals take in that O2. The Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen Cycle. So important.
Well, if plants take in CO2 and we are releasing too much CO2 into the atmosphere, then we should plant more plants and save the ones we have, so they can take in that CO2 as best as possible!
What can I do to help?
Think about what you are buying. Consumerism is one of the biggest issues to address when thinking about eviornmentalism.
So, what are you buying?
1) Do you drink coffee? Make sure you buy shade-grown coffee. Shade-grown coffee means that no primary forests were cut down to then grow a field of all coffee plants in a secondary forest, thus the coffee is grown in the shade, with many developed trees around it. This is an enviromentally effective way to support those who are growing coffee the right way.
2) Fleece- are you buying fleece? If so wash it rarely and try not to buy too much of it. When you wash fleece it releases bad gases in the air.
3) Conserve energy. Try to get your family on board and have a goal. Try to lower your bill each month. For an incentive for kids, any money that your child saves you goes into a savings account for your child, for them to use to go to National Parks, an outdoor camp or outing, College, or books.
4) Avoid Palm Oils. Palm oils are in all sorts of products: shampoos, cereals, makeups. This is killing the rainforest of Asia. We need to not support this industry whatsoever. Often times, palm oil in the ingredients of goods only reads as "oil". This makes it hard to know what type of oil is in your product. Therefore, shop at places who do the research for you, like Whole Foods, or write to your public officials for the need for better labels on your plant products. We need to know where our products are coming from and how they are grown. We have these regulations for our food, as the public demanded it with the organic craze. We need labels that tell us if this has palm oil in it or not. We don't have the detail in our labels as we should when it comes to plant products other than produce.
5) Lumber- buy consciously. What is the biggest reason for deforstation? America's desire for beautiful wood in homes. American's are the biggest industry and cause for the illegal exportation of timber. We are the ones at fault for supporting this industry. We do need wood that's true, but we need to know how and where we are getting our lumber. Again, we don't have the labels that we need. Much of what we buy at Home Depot may be illegal timber or plants from secondary forests or the cause of deforestation in areas. There are some places that have stamp or seal of forest stewardship on their wood that was grown and harvested properly. Look for that!
6) Don't use straws. Always ask your server for NO straw. It's a total waste of plastic.
7) No plastic bags or paper bags. Use recyclable bags when you go to the grocery store. Many cities are making a stand and now allowing plastic bags, like Austin.
8) Buy a hybrid car, or limit or driving, use public transportation as much as possible, ride your bike, turn off your car when you are waiting- don't sit their idling. Decrease your carbon footprint.
9) Don't waste your food. Eat everything that is on your plate, or save what you don't eat.
10) Buy local beff and vegetables. Go to farmer's markets.
11) Shop at local stores as much as possible. Try to steer clear of the Walmarts of the world. They are cheap, but they also destroy local businesses and may not know where their products are coming from.
12) Support ecotourism. See the world, not just to see it, but to learn from it, to save it and to grow. Go on a vacation where you are learning about where you are visiting, and be involved in humanitarian tourism (working with a service group to help others and our environment).
13) Support your national parks. You don't have to go far to see beautiful natural scenes. One of the best things America has given the world is her National Parks. Buy a National Park's map and see how many you can check off the list.
14) Support CONOPAC through: Adopt-A-School, Clean Water for Comunities, or Amazon Library.
Support The Amazon Medical PRoject (AMP) and the Yanamono Clinic.
So, what are you buying?
1) Do you drink coffee? Make sure you buy shade-grown coffee. Shade-grown coffee means that no primary forests were cut down to then grow a field of all coffee plants in a secondary forest, thus the coffee is grown in the shade, with many developed trees around it. This is an enviromentally effective way to support those who are growing coffee the right way.
2) Fleece- are you buying fleece? If so wash it rarely and try not to buy too much of it. When you wash fleece it releases bad gases in the air.
3) Conserve energy. Try to get your family on board and have a goal. Try to lower your bill each month. For an incentive for kids, any money that your child saves you goes into a savings account for your child, for them to use to go to National Parks, an outdoor camp or outing, College, or books.
4) Avoid Palm Oils. Palm oils are in all sorts of products: shampoos, cereals, makeups. This is killing the rainforest of Asia. We need to not support this industry whatsoever. Often times, palm oil in the ingredients of goods only reads as "oil". This makes it hard to know what type of oil is in your product. Therefore, shop at places who do the research for you, like Whole Foods, or write to your public officials for the need for better labels on your plant products. We need to know where our products are coming from and how they are grown. We have these regulations for our food, as the public demanded it with the organic craze. We need labels that tell us if this has palm oil in it or not. We don't have the detail in our labels as we should when it comes to plant products other than produce.
5) Lumber- buy consciously. What is the biggest reason for deforstation? America's desire for beautiful wood in homes. American's are the biggest industry and cause for the illegal exportation of timber. We are the ones at fault for supporting this industry. We do need wood that's true, but we need to know how and where we are getting our lumber. Again, we don't have the labels that we need. Much of what we buy at Home Depot may be illegal timber or plants from secondary forests or the cause of deforestation in areas. There are some places that have stamp or seal of forest stewardship on their wood that was grown and harvested properly. Look for that!
6) Don't use straws. Always ask your server for NO straw. It's a total waste of plastic.
7) No plastic bags or paper bags. Use recyclable bags when you go to the grocery store. Many cities are making a stand and now allowing plastic bags, like Austin.
8) Buy a hybrid car, or limit or driving, use public transportation as much as possible, ride your bike, turn off your car when you are waiting- don't sit their idling. Decrease your carbon footprint.
9) Don't waste your food. Eat everything that is on your plate, or save what you don't eat.
10) Buy local beff and vegetables. Go to farmer's markets.
11) Shop at local stores as much as possible. Try to steer clear of the Walmarts of the world. They are cheap, but they also destroy local businesses and may not know where their products are coming from.
12) Support ecotourism. See the world, not just to see it, but to learn from it, to save it and to grow. Go on a vacation where you are learning about where you are visiting, and be involved in humanitarian tourism (working with a service group to help others and our environment).
13) Support your national parks. You don't have to go far to see beautiful natural scenes. One of the best things America has given the world is her National Parks. Buy a National Park's map and see how many you can check off the list.
14) Support CONOPAC through: Adopt-A-School, Clean Water for Comunities, or Amazon Library.
Support The Amazon Medical PRoject (AMP) and the Yanamono Clinic.