Human Impacts
What can we do to stop the destruction?
Goal:
Goal:
As noted above, humans use rainforests for many things that aid in our daily lives. We consume a wide variety of rainforest products every day, including oranges, pineapples, bananas, cocoa, sugarcane, cashews, teak, mahogany, and rubber trees. Even more useful products are likely be discovered in the future, such as ones used for medicinal purposes. While harvesting items from rainforests is useful to humans, it is often destructive to the rainforests themselves. Read the text below and answer the corresponding questions.
Sadly, humans pose a large threat to the survival of the Earth’s rainforests. With an increased worldwide demand for beef, there is a need to clear more land for farming and ranching. Some of the Amazon rainforest has already been cleared for this reason. Although it is possible to remove parts of the rainforest through the use of heavy machinery and save wood for lumber, one of the easiest ways to remove it is by burning it. Not only does this kill all organisms in the area but it also releases excess carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. This excess carbon dioxide can lead to global warming which can negatively affect all ecosystems. It is estimated that if this trend continues, by the year 2030, 25% of the Amazon will be treeless. Not only would that bring great destruction to the plant and animal life that lives there but it would also inhibit the ability of the rainforest to recycle water.
Humans have already destroyed millions of rainforest acres by cutting trees for lumber, building highways where there was once a forest, building villages for people who once lived in the forest, and clearing land for farming and ranching. Knowing this, it is possible to help protect the rainforests from our own homes: Do not buy products made of tropical wood and avoid buying beef that is produced from cleared rainforest farms. With a lower demand for rainforest products, this forest ecosystem can be saved. Rainforests affect much of our daily lives, from the air we breathe to the food we eat, so let’s work together to keep them in the best shape possible!
What can humans do to help protect the rainforest? (Select all that apply.)
- avoid buying tropical woods
- avoid buying rainforest cleared beef
- avoid buying rainforest paraphernalia
- avoid buying medicine
Humans can avoid buying products made of tropical woods and avoid buying beef that is produced from cleared rainforest farms.
Humans can avoid buying products made of tropical woods and avoid buying beef that is produced from cleared rainforest farms.
Humans can avoid buying products made of tropical woods and avoid buying beef that is produced from cleared rainforest farms.
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
Why is it estimated that 25% of the Amazon rainforest will be treeless by 2030?
| Your Responses | Answer |
|---|---|
| Humans have removed areas of rainforests for farming, and ranching. This has been done using machinery and burning the forests. If this trend continues, much of the Earth's rainforests will be destroyed. | |