At the current rate of deforestation, most of the worlds rainforests will be gone by 2050. It seems as though we see the rainforests as nothing more than a source of timber. In our greed we fail to notice the magic and beauty hidden among us. For thousands of years people and animals alike have depended on the rainforest for food, shelter, and medicine. Yes, medicine. As a matter of fact, many of the medicines that we use to treat illnesses such as heart disease are derived from rainforest plants. When we destroy the rainforests, we also destroy mankind's last hope of finding a cure to life threatening diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Our rainforests are also home to millons of species, each possessing their own unique traits. How can we even think of laying waste to such wonderful variety of creatures?! The simple truth is this: THE RAINFORESTS ARE DYING. But it is not too late. By making a small donation to the Tropical Rainforest Coalition, you can save one acre of rainforest. To find out more, go to www.rainforest.org. It has facts on the rainforest as well as a list of recommended reading and links to other cool rainforest sites. Check it out!
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It's true that in losing the rainforests we would lose incredible amounts of beauty and resources that we could use for medicinal reasons, etc. However, one of the most serious concerns about losing the rainforest is the loss of oxygen. The Amazon Rainforest alone produces 20% of the world's oxygen. That's a HUGE percentage! Without the Amazon Rainforest, we'll be in a lot of trouble. That CO2 won't be converted into the lovely stuff we breathe and take for granted.
I don't know about you, but I would still like plenty of clean air to breathe in another 30 years!