For decades, mankind has been deforesting the rainforests everywhere on the planet. So far it has appeared to be an immense challenge to put these actions to a halt. However, the method the Norwegian Rainforest Foundation uses could be a turning point in this problem that affects all of us.
Just cutting down some trees?
Not exactly. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other, rather egocentric purposes. It´s happening anywhere around the world and by the time you have finished reading this as much as 60 football fields of forest will have been razed to the ground. Rainforests are affected the most, and the North American Space Association (NASA) predicts that, if current deforestation levels proceed, the world’s rainforests may be completely gone in as little as 100 years.
Many causes of deforestation can be found. It is estimated that half of the trees being removed are used as fuel, however, urbanization and creating space for cattle ranching add their fair shares as well. Items such as paper and clothing are just two of many everyday consumer products that rely heavily on trees being smashed to the ground.
But what about the lives that are being destroyed?
It has become clear to us that they who are destroying the rainforests are far from concerned about the lives they threaten in doing so. The consequences of their activities appear rather oblivious to them. Erosion of soil, the loss of species and most importantly, global climate change, are a few examples of the results of their harvesting. Native human inhabitants of the rainforests are among the threatened likewise.
For that reason, the Norwegian Rainforest Foundation has chosen an approach in which they give back the rightful ownership of the property to the natives. In doing this, they are making it impossible for anyone to rightfully cut down the trees.
TV-Aksjon: it´s your shoulders we rely on!
As an annually recurring event in Norway, the next TV-aksjon fundraising will take place on Sunday October 18th. In line with the urgency, this year´s fund to be supported is the Rainforest Foundation. In various ways an attempt will be made to raise at least 200 million Norwegian crowns. Auctions, flea markets and bøssebærer form only a small group of undertaken initiatives to reach this ambitious target.
The footage from the rainforest is from Regnskogfondet, www.Blimed.no.
