Saving the Plants and Animals

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Introduction

Because humans are the smartest creatures on Earth, we do pretty much what we want.  If we decide to kill other animals for their fur and skin, there is a little that can stop us.  If we want to cut down a forest to create a farm or a city, the decision is pretty much up to us.

We are beginning to that what we want to do isn't necessarily good for the Earth--and its citizens.  For example:
 

• We cut down millions of acres of rainforests each year, mostly to create farmland for raising beef.  Some of the wood is turned into lumber, but most is simply burned.  Because trees are natural storehouses of carbon dioxide, cutting down and burning trees releases CO₂ into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming.
• Cutting down the rainforests destroys thousands of plants, animals, and insects that can help humans.  Scientists estimate that between 5 million and 80 million species live in rainforests.  As many as 6,000 species are forever lost every year because of logging.
• Many other species around the world are endangered, mostly due to human activity, such as building roads and cities.  Some are threatened because we consider them valuable or attractive.  Elephants are killed for their tusks; whales are hunted for the oils in their flesh.  Some plants are threatened when they are taken from the wild and sold to plant lovers.  If these species are not protected, they can become extinct.  Extinction is natural--since the beginning of time, millions of species have disappeared.  But since humans appeared on earth (we are relative latecomers), the rate of extinction has speeded up.

 

What Can You Do?

First, you can encourage your parents not to buy furs, ivory, corals, and other products made from endangered species.  You can also avoid certain pets that were bred in captivity.  Investigate the rest of this site to learn how to adopt an endangered animal and other ways to get involved.

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