“At first I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees, then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon Rainforest. Now I realize I am fighting for humanity” – Chico Mendes. If we do not fight to help the Amazon soon, it won’t be saveable, and many things on Earth will fall apart. The Amazon is located in part or most of the countries of Guyana, French Guiana, Ecuador Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Perú, Bolivia, and Suriname. Many, many people live in or near the Amazon. Even more people depend on its resources. According to WWF, “It also houses at least 10% of the world’s known biodiversity, and its rivers contain the largest number of freshwater fish species in the world.” The Amazon is one of the longest rivers in the world. It flows well over 6000 km. Believe it or not, Swamps, grasslands, and more landforms are actually in the Amazon. The Amazon was the most biodiverse region in the world, but all the deforestation, trade, and unsustainable cattle ranching has permanently harmed the Amazon.
For example, the Amazon is getting destroyed by deforestation. The Amazon is important for slowing global warming. According to WWF, “The Amazonian trees hold 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon.” Without this stored carbon, global warming would happen faster. Trees also help the water cycle. When trees are chopped down, this reduces the water cycle effectiveness. According to WWF, “New highways that provide access to settlers and loggers into the heart of the Amazon Basin are causing widespread fragmentation of rainforests. Fragmented areas are more vulnerable to droughts and fires and negatively affect a wide variety of animal species.” Some creatures become extinct or severely endangered because of the destruction of their habitat. Soon, most species in the Amazon will have disappeared from the Earth forever. More poverty happens because of less resources usually gathered from trees and other plant life. This causes less money because the resources that people sell for money are not able to grow. Trees in most areas are destroyed, so no fruit can grow.
Along with deforestation, trade has harmed the Amazon in its own way. According to WWF, “To satisfy its industrial needs, China is involved in mining projects in the eastern Amazon, ranging from aluminium and steel to nickel and copper.” People need wood and the Amazon is one of the biggest forests in the world. Therefore, deforestation happens. According to WWF, “Brazil’s beef exports are closely linked to financial markets and the strength of the Real. When the real devaluated, the price of beef in real approximately doubled, creating a huge incentive for ranchers to expand their pasture area.” This helps destroy the Amazon Rainforest even more. If Amazon animals keep being exported, it can destroy the food web and the natural balance of life. Things will fall apart. Water gets polluted and unsafe to drink and affect the food quality when humans mine for minerals in the Amazon.
Even though it seems like there can’t be any more problems in the Amazon, unsustainable cattle ranching is the third and final big one. According to WWF, “Cattle pastures increase the risk of fire and are a significant degrader of aquatic ecosystems, causing soil erosion, river siltation and contamination with organic matter. Trends indicate that livestock production is expanding in the Amazon.” This destroys the ecosystem quickly. Cattle Ranchers move farther into the Amazon for cattle ranching when big soy companies take over their land. According to Greenpeace.org, “Cattle ranching is now the biggest cause of deforestation in the Amazon, and nearly 80 percent of deforested areas in Brazil are now used for pasture. The cattle industry has ballooned since the 1970s, giving Brazil the largest commercial cattle herd in the world. Also, since 2003, Brazil has also topped the world’s beef export charts and the government plans to double its share of the market by 2018.”
To conclude, the Amazon Rainforest is facing devastating effects caused by deforestation, trading, and unsustainable cattle ranching. If we don’t help, the Amazon will be gone forever, along with all the creatures it provides a home for. According to Adventure Life, “You can save the Amazon by reducing your paper and wood consumption because logging companies are cutting down some of the most endangered forests on the planet to make wood and paper products such as office paper, phone books, toilet paper, window trim, lawn furniture, and 2 x 4’s.” If less wooden items need to be produced, there is not a big need to chop down trees, and so it would keep the Amazon from being destroyed. According to srl.caltech.edu, you can save the Amazon by “Recycling and reusing whenever possible, and help keep the earth green and healthy.”This lessens the need of new materials, and keeps the Amazon from shrinking. According to srl.caltech.edu, you can save the Amazon by “Supporting companies and programs that make a commitment to safe environmental practices.” If cattle ranchers hear this and realize they help destroy the rainforests, they may stop expanding and use their land wisely. According to Mongabay, “Emerging trends suggest there is reason to believe the Amazon can avoid the worst. In a future beset with uncertainty over the looming impact of global warming and massive shifts in the international economy, it is these same drivers that could hold the key to the Amazon’s salvation.”