VOICES FROM THE RAINFORESTS
The most common cause of endangerment is habitat loss.
As human population and consumption increase, wildlife habitat is converted to houses and highways. Forests are cut down for building materials, fuel, and paper.
Tropical rainforests are home to more than half of the world’s ten million species of plants, animals and insects. Deforestation, loss of habitat and pollution of the atmosphere are responsible for the disappearance of many species.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Recycle aluminum cans. Bauxite is the source of aluminum and this mineral is extracted from the ground in tropical countries.
Investigate the source of the wood if you are building your house to determine whether it was grown in a sustainable manner.
Avoid purchasing furniture made from plywood. In many cases it is logged illegally but marked as legal.
Buy products certified not by governments but by international organizations (such as the Rainforest Alliance).
