It’s impossible not to catch wind of what’s been happening in the Amazon Rainforest for the past month. The Rainforest has been in flames and it’s destroying the homes of indigenous tribes and threatening millions of animal species. The smoke caused by the fires can be seen from space and carbon monoxide levels have drastically risen to the point where the damage done might be irreversible. So what can we do to help?

1. Rethink your consumption

The Amazon has been deforested to clear land for agricultural reasons over the past few decades. The main purposes are to hold livestock and to cultivate soybeans, which are used to feed the cattle. The meat demand was impossible to cover with the land available, so new land was cleared for the cattle to graze. Reducing or completely renouncing beef and cattle byproducts such as milk is one of the most important factors contributing to saving the rainforest. Even domestic cattle in Switzerland are being fed with soybeans from Brazil und thus contributing to the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest.

2. Check your brands

Livestock isn’t the only cause of deforestation: Palm oil, tea and coffee beans are other examples. There are several organizations which aim to compare whether companies are either harmful to the environment or sustainable. www.Forest500.org is a great source to see which companies contribute to deforestation. They regularly update their list of the 500 most environmentally harmful companies. Meanwhile, The Rainforest Alliance certifies products that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. A list of those brands can be found on www.rainforest-alliance.org. By educating ourselves and others, changing our daily habits and switching to brands and products that don’t harm the environment, we can have a lasting impact on the economy, and in time, the Earth.

3. Donate

There are many establishments that aim to help the environment and several of them are focused on providing aid to the indigenous tribes and wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest. By donating to these organizations you can help support these projects. Velocity has dedicated two rides to the Rain Forest Alliance organization and you riders made it possible for us to donate 850 USD!

References:

https://earthsky.org/earth/amazon-rainforest-fires-burning-4-reasons-why