The Amazon Rainforest covers around 5 million square kilometres and extends into nine different countries in South America. It is thought that around 33 million people live within the Amazon river basin area and it is also home to an infinite number of different plant and animal species. The Amazon is a vital resource for cleaning the atmosphere, cycling water and nutrients, and storing carbon in its stems and leaves. Without the rainforest, our climate would become unregulated and the earth would be much warmer than it is today.
Sadly, deforestation is endangering the Amazon Rainforest. Trees are cut down to make way for farmland to graze cattle and grow monoculture crops such as maize, soya and palm oil. The land is also rich with minerals and coal which are mined out of the ground, destroying thousands of trees in the process. Large scale projects also involve building lots of roads to connect areas together, and this leads to further deforestation and soil erosion.
So what can we do? Amazon Day is all about celebrating the wonderful things that the Amazon Rainforest gives us but it also raises awareness of how we can protect it. Here are some things you can do to help look after the rainforest:
🌳 Avoid palm oil - it is in many more products than you might think including fast food, confectionary and toiletries... always check the label!
🌳 Meat-free Mondays - reducing your meat intake may help protect the Amazon as sometimes the meat or even the cattle or chicken feed may come from the Amazon... try to buy British or local!
🌳 Use your voice - the UK government is considering new laws that would ban imported wood from areas such as the Amazon.... look for campaigns or sign petitions to be heard!
🌳 Plant a tree - there are hundreds of tree planting charities both in the UK and around the world... find a charity that you feel happy donating to, some of them only ask for £1 to plant a tree!
🌳 Follow campaigns - Greenpeace and the WWF are always campaigning for environmental protection of the Amazon.... sign up to receive updates about what is happening and how you can help
