When you search ‘Amazon fire’ on Google, a wide range of Amazon tablets and fire sticks come up, likely on some kind of ‘sale.’ Even as you type ‘Amazon fire’ in the search bar, you’ll likely only see suggestions related to the trillion-dollar company. This is not a good look on Google’s part and really puts things into perspective. Remember those fires that were ravaging the Amazon Rainforest last year? Well…..they are still burning.
In our fast-paced culture, every story has its fifteen minutes of fame, regardless of how important or unimportant it may be. We see an issue, feel sad for a bit, give a like here, a retweet there, then be on our way. The problem then usually sorts itself out after a while. Sadly, environmental issues don’t exactly work like that. They don’t just fizzle out with time. As a matter of fact, without any proper attention or action, things usually get worse.
Not too long after the media covered the horrendous Amazon fires, were we greeted with yet another crisis. The Australia wildfires began in 2019 and led into 2020, kicking off what has proven to be one of the most disruptive years in modern history. Estimates place the number of animals killed or displaced in the Billions. That’s with a B. About 90,000 people were also displaced from their homes, as the most destructive wildfire the nation had ever faced, ravaged through the continent. 12.6 million hectares. That’s the amount of land that burned in Australia, an area roughly one quarter the size of the country; and if you’ve ever picked up an atlas, you’ll know that Australia is no small country.
Take a look at the above image. No, that isn’t a beautiful sunset, or a an eclipse about to take place. That my friend, is one September morning in California; no filters, no special effects. I imagine that anyone would be slightly terrified waking up to this. I know I would be, and I would be prepared to make some changes in order to avoid any such future occurrence.
This not-so-lovely sight was caused by the record-breaking wildfires, as of this writing, taking place in California. Sometimes its hard to see the consequences of our actions, especially if it’s not very direct; but as we say here in T&T, ‘even a blind man could see that.’ When Climate activist, Greta Thunberg, said we needed to act as though ‘our house was on fire,’ I didn’t realize she meant it so literally.
So what can we do about it?
Fires like these are often caused by corporations wanting to clear land for commercial uses, especially in the Amazon. If not, then it is naturally-occurring wildfires that are fueled by immense heatwaves exacerbated by Climate Change. In other words, these uncontrollable blazes are by and large, our fault.
Here are three of the biggest contributors to deforestation in the Amazon as well as other parts of the world:
Logging – Logging, much of which is done illegally is responsible for huge swaths of forest disappearing at a time. Organized criminals make off with billions in profits and broken ecosystems in their wake.
Tip:
Save paper by using digital mediums,
(eg. email, social media advertising, note apps) and buy products made with recycled paper.
Push for paper recycling outlets at your work or school. (25% of US landfills are filled with paper, that’s a lot of good recyclable material)
Agriculture – Demand for ubiquitous products like palm oil and soybeans are driving deforestation at a ridiculous speed.
Tip:
I know for a fact that palm oil would prove to be quite tough to avoid as it's in almost everything. I would just advise anyone to do the best they can and look for more natural products, from sustainable businesses.
It’s better for everyone involved. Well, everyone besides the big corporations. As for Soy, that leads into my third point.
Livestock Ranching – Livestock farming, namely cattle, is the chief destroyer of the rainforest, accounting for 80% of deforestation rates. Apart from the actual land needed for the cattle to graze, more land is deforested to make way for soy crops. A whopping 70% of all soy grown is fed to livestock.
Tip:
Lessen your meat intake, mainly beef, if nothing else. Avoiding beef related products such as milk, cheese and even leather would be great as well. If you can’t do without one, try to give up the other. I would always say, don’t do nothing because you can’t do everything.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, however, and not from another wildfire. Today marks the beginning of Climate Week in New York City. Last year, millions came out from every corner of the globe to the climate strikes, demanding change with some quite creative signs. I’ve never protested for anything in my life, but this was one thing I wouldn’t miss. Here are some photos from last year’s strike, right here in Trinidad & Tobago.
“If you think you're too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito” - Dalai Lama
This is exactly the mindset we must possess, knowing that every one of us can inspire change, as we head into a pivotal decade in human history.
Sources
https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Does_Recycling_Paper_Help_Landfills#:~:text=Unnecessary%20Waste%20Paper%20Sent%20to%20Landfills&text=According%20to%20the%20EPA%2C%20a,all%20office%20paper%20is%20recycled.&text=Virtually%20all%20communities%20in%20the,not%20all%20paper%20gets%20recycled.
http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-soybean-oil-and-palm-oil