The South American rainforest, which used to be called the "lungs of the world", now contributes to global warming because of human activity.

Date:   6/17/2005 4:05:34 PM ( 19 y ago)

I read in the newspaper today that 10,000 acres of Brazilian rainforest was destroyed last year. 10,000 acres. Over the past 25 years, South American rainforest acreage the size of the state of California has been clearcut. Every year during the dry season, after trees have been clearcut from a rainforest region, farmers burn the stumps and vegetation that is left to make the ground ready for crop planting or cattle grazing. The air during the "burn season" is so thick with CO2 (carbon dioxide, for those of us who are "chemically challenged")from the fires that it makes the children of the region sick, and it has put Brazil on the map as a key country adding to global-warming.

I cried and cried when I read this article. The pain I feel for what we are doing to the planet is unbelievable. I moped around for awhile, feeling helpless, and then remembered the name of an organization that has been working for 20 years to help save the rainforests: Rainforest Action Network (RAN).

From their website, RAN states: "Since it was founded in 1985, the Rainforest Action Network has been working to protect rainforests and the human rights of those living in and around those forests. Rainforest Action Network campaigns for the forests, their inhabitants and the natural systems that sustain life by transforming the global marketplace through grassroots organizing, education and non-violent direct action."

I went to RAN's ACTION center and signed 10 e-letters to go out to various governmental/industry officials regarding different environmental issues. It took me just minutes to do. Ten, count 'em, 10 e-letters in less than three minutes of my time.

A friend of mine told me I was "proselytzing" by sending out the ECO-Action alerts that I do. I was offended by the word. Then I thought, so what? So I'm going to get on my high horse and my soapbox. If this is proselytzing, so be it.

WHY DON'T MORE PEOPLE SIGN THESE PETITIONS? I just don't get it. It takes very little time and there is no obligation to donate money. It helps more than you think it does, as getting hundreds, maybe thousands of e-letters from people all over the world DOES help influence government and industry leaders to change their policies to be more eco-friendly, as they know they are being watched by constituency/consumer groups.

THE SQUEEKY WHEEL GETS THE GREESE.

So let's squeek and squawk loud and clear!

Sign some e-letters or e-petitions today!

The Earth will thank you for it, and so will your children, and your children's children, unto the 10th generation.

Love,

Liora Leah


Read more about Rainforest Action Network: http://www.ran.org/about_ran/mission.html

Go to RAN's e-mail Action webpage: http://action.ran.org/action/

Teacher and children's webpage: http://www.ran.org/info_center/teacherstudent.html

More ECO-Action alerts:

Save the Rainforests for Free! http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=309&i=55

Save the Heart of the Boreal Forest in Canada: http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=309&i=12 (National Resources Defense Council Biogems petition campaign)

NRDC SPONSORS 11 OTHER BIOGEM PETITION CAMPAIGNS! GO TO http://www.savebiogems.org/about/nrdc.asp , FIND "VISIT ALL THE BIOGEMS AND TAKE ACTION" AT THE UPPER LEFT OF THE WEBPAGE, AND CLICK ON "PICK A BIOGEM" TO TAKE ACTION ON ALL 12 CAMPAIGNS! IT'S FAST AND EASY!

Save Endangered Species: http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=309&i=14 (Petition Campaign by Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund)

Save the Whales; Four Eco-Action Campaigns to help save these magnificant creatures of the sea: http://curezone.com/blogs/m.asp?f=309&i=21




 

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