Rainforests - Part Two

In our last post (which you can read HERE), we talked about why the rainforest is so important to our lives and how it's survival is in jeopardy. Today we're going to talk about how we can help.

If you've watched the news lately, you've probably seen reports on the drug wars in Mexico. Authorities say that as long as there is a market for drugs, the situation will continue to escalate. Not long ago I watched a program about car manufacturers and how, typically, they haven't been too concerned about environmentally efficient cars. The message was the same ... as long as there is a market for large, gas guzzling cars ... they will produce them. The point, here, is not to blame the consumer, but rather to show that we have a powerful voice ... one that, through our purchases, is loud and clear.

Here is an alarming fact: The greatest factor in the loss of tropical forests is logging for timber. 70-90% of that timber is logged for export with the U.S. being the number one destination.

Here's another alarming fact: 70% of tropical deforestation due to agricultural clearing is precipitated by logging and mining roads. This is how it works ... roads are bulldozed by loggers (mostly illegal), who intend to sell the highly valued rainforest wood. This begins the chain of destruction. Next, people who otherwise wouldn't have access to the interior portions of the forest, can now move in to clear land ... usually for farming activities. Thus, the deforestation process is completed.

If there were no market for tropical hardwoods, then logging wouldn't be profitable ... which means there wouldn't be logging roads ... which means that farmers wouldn't be able to clear as much land ... which means less deforestation. So, if you are like me ... you're probably thinking ... no problem ... I won't buy Mahogany. And, like me, you might be surprised to find out that we're talking about many varieties of wood which are used for many, surprising things.

From the Rainforest Relief site, here are just a few woods which should be avoided:

• Mahogany (South American and Africa), used for furniture and decorative pieces.

• Ipê ("Brazilian walnut"), used for boardwalks (NY is one of the largest importers), truck flooring, decking and benches.

• Jatoba ("Brazilian cherry"), used for furniture and cabinets.
  

• Ramin and Nyatoh, used for furniture, doors, coffins, boardwalks, decking, plywood, and flooring.
  

• Lauan, an inexpensive plywood, imported in volume from southeast Asia and used for paneling, cabinets, and furniture.

• Okoumé and African Mahogany, used in a marine grade plywood for use in boat building and for the flooring of trucks and shipping containers.

• Spanish Cedar (Cedro) used for outdoor furniture, musical instruments and cigar boxes.

• African Teak (Iroko) used for veneer and furniture.

• Jelutong, from Indonesia and Malaysia, used for pencils and picture frames.

The above list shows just a few types of wood ... tropical wood. There are other types which come from the Temperate and Boreal rainforests located in Canada, Russia, the Northwestern part of the U.S, etc. While most people focus on the tropical forests, both the temperate and boreal rainforests are in trouble, as well. For a more complete list of all rainforest wood to avoid, including the name of the wood, it's origin, it's appearance and common use, click HERE.

When I started this article, I was first shocked to find out how many types of trees are in danger. Then, I was shocked to find out how many products we use, every day, which are made with these woods. So, with firm resolve, I marched off to the local hardware store to see where wood products come from. And guess what ... finding out where wood comes from is not easy. There isn't a label that says "Imported from Brazil" or "Made in the Amazon". So, what can we do? Read on:

• Whenever possible, buy reclaimed or salvaged wood for building. This is wood that has been salvaged from existing structures, submerged logs or mill scraps.

• Shopping for furniture? Consider used pieces or antiques instead of new. If you decide to buy new, consider pieces made out of second growth woods such as walnut, maple or Douglas Fir ... or consider furniture made out of metal.

• Looking for patio furniture? Consider recycled plastic lumber or metal. For wood furniture, look for second growth varieties such as northern cedar, second growth redwood or juniper.

• For that special artwork, use frames made of metal or second growth wood such as birch or maple.

• Instead of teak wooden spoons and salad bowls, choose varieties made out of these beautiful woods: olive, almond or beech.

• For new building materials, look for woods carrying independent certification by an organization accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council. They'll be tagged like this:

I've read that, according to some scientists and experts, the rainforest is beyond saving ... that it's destruction is now on an unalterable course. This may be true. But I would hate to think that we lost these precious forests because we didn't try or because we simply didn't know what to do. Admittedly, choosing wood products that don't contribute to the destruction of the rainforest isn't easy ... but we have to try.

Next up ... we'll continue the discussion of products to avoid and some alternative choices.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Rainforests - Part One

This is the first in a series of posts on the Rainforest, an expansive subject. Most of us know that rainforests are important and they are in serious trouble. But perhaps we don't know exactly why they are important or how we, especially those of us who live no where near them, can help. Let's start with why they are important ... here are a few facts:

• Tropical rainforests are the single greatest terrestrial source of air that we breathe (they generate over 20% of the world's oxygen). They take in vast quantities of carbon dioxide and, through the process of photosynthesis, convert it into clean, breathable air. This also helps prevent global warming.
  

• They are home to between 50 and 70 million different life forms ... two-thirds of all the living species on the planet.

• Nearly half the medicinal compounds we use every day come from plants endemic to the tropical rainforest. That means that if we are to find a cure for such diseases as AIDS or cancer, it'll probably come from the tropical rainforests.
  

• Almost half of all the world's rain falls on these forests. Vegetation traps the water in the soil and slowly releases it back into the air where it evaporates. This causes clouds to form and rain to fall ... filling rivers and streams ... and supporting life. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.

• Rainforests regulate world temperatures and weather patterns. Trees are like big air conditioners. They lower the temperature, filter air, remove carbon dioxide, and absorb storm water. Fewer trees equate to higher temperatures everywhere.
  

• Indigenous people live in the rainforest. From a moral standpoint, it is wrong to destroy their home ... and in the process their lives. With the loss of indigenous people, we lose valuable information on sustainable practices ... practices that, we are now realizing, will ultimately save our lives and the earth.
  

OK ... so the air we breathe, the food we eat, the clean water we enjoy, the medicine we need, the knowledge on sustainable practices that we require and our weather all have origins and/or links to the rainforest. They are important and their survival affects every single one of us. Their survival, however, is in serious jeopardy. Read on:

• Worldwide, rainforests are being lost at the rate of an acre-and-a-half every second.

• It is estimated that accessible rainforests will be completely wiped out in 45 years.
  

• The earth is losing more than 400 species to extinction each day. This is a greater rate of species extinction than occurred 65 million years ago when an asteroid hit earth. When the rainforests are gone, 90% of earth's unique life forms (the majority of which have not yet been identified) will be lost forever.

What will happen to humans if the rainforests are lost? Some say that it is unlikely that we will survive because life is entirely dependent upon the integrity of the world’s biological fabric. Not everyone agrees with this analysis ... but all agree that life, as we know it, will drastically change for the worse.

There are many reasons why rainforests are disappearing ... agriculture, logging, mining ... to name just a few. Solutions are hard to find and, quite frankly, need to come from government leaders and policy makers to have the kind of impact required to save these precious resources. But we can help. Once again, there is power in our choices and our purchases. As long as we, the consumer, continue to buy and use products which negatively affect the rainforest ... and as long as those products continue to be big business ... we will continue to see the current rate of demise. Here is a list of products that, in coming posts, we'll take a look at:

• Rainforest wood
• Petroleum
• Bananas
• Aluminum
• Paper
• Gold
• Steel
• Beef
• Coffee
• Chocolate
• Rayon
• Flowers
• Palm Oil
• Soy

Saving rainforests, throughout the world, is crucial to our lives. We can help by knowing where products come from and refusing to purchase products that contribute to deforestation and destruction of, possibly, our most valuable resource.

Stay tuned for our next post ... Rainforest Wood.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!