Lately the cry for help that planet Earth is sending us seems constant.
Bowed by climate change, by the improper exploitation of resources, by neglect towards it, it seems to be passing through a critical phase. One of those that goes far beyond what man has ever seen.
Especially because, unfortunately, all this happens precisely because of man himself.
You will have heard it repeated hundreds and hundreds of times, on social media, on television and on every medium that can carry a voice: the environmental risk is enormous and real.
It is an extremely serious topic which, even if it goes beyond our normal topics, we cannot help but take to heart, as it is not only about preserving the environment but also about the future of all of us.
So let’s look at one of the most relevant facts and, above all, let’s try to understand its context and what it could entail. Perhaps by realizing the impact that certain situations have on our lives we will also perceive in a more concrete way what danger we are facing.
THE AMAZON FOREST
The most recent news to hit the news concerns this very famous forest.
We all certainly know the Amazon Forest at least from “hearsay”.
Maybe we imagine it as a heavenly place, green, full of birds ready to chirp at any time of the day and with colorful flowers that we have never seen before.
And in fact there is some reason in all this, but let’s go beyond fantasy, after all in this article it is better to pay close attention to reality.
What is it really? The Amazon Forest is the great green lung of the Earth, and by saying “large” we are certainly not exaggerating, in fact it occupies approximately 5.5 million km2, approximately 200 times the size of Italy. It has an enviable biodiversity, it is estimated that around 2.5 million species of insects, 3,000 species of fish, 1,294 species of birds, 427 species of mammals, 378 species of amphibians and 378 species of reptiles live inside. Not to mention the approximately 60,000 species of plants. What else? Ah yes, a number between 96,669 and 12,843 species of invertebrates.
DESFORESTATION
The great problem of deforestation is well known, in fact it is no mystery that since the 1940s the forest has undergone great changes due to sale of his timber and the need to do space for livestock. The situation on that front has, in general, improved thanks to some rules that have come into force since 2004, but this is absolutely not enough. Also because deforestation does not take place with large chainsaws or who knows what advanced technologies, but with the oldest weapon man has at his disposal: fire.
Doesn’t that sound incredible? In 2019, for the most part, such an unstable, uncontrollable and harmful medium is still used!
OXYGEN
We have already talked about this issue during the article on chlorophyll photosynthesis, but we propose it again given its importance.
The Amazon Forest (like all forests) it does a huge job of absorbing carbon dioxide and, at the same time, releasing oxygen. Its acres and acres of trees, bushes and shrubs are constantly working to make our environment more livable: through sunlight and water they manage to start chlorophyll photosynthesis which absorbs harmful carbon dioxide and then releases the precious oxygen.
If light is not a problem, water is, which must reach the forest in the form of rain. This is possible thanks to microclimate that the forest makes work, in fact being so large, It can be created from water vapor (through evaporation from plants, soil and fauna), which then condenses forming clouds which, in turn, give rise to the rains that wet the forest, allowing the cycle to continue.
Now, however, 15% of the components have been removed from this functional mechanism due to deforestation. The question arises spontaneously here: what happens when some gears are eliminated from a mechanism, according to estimates around 25-40%? Well, unfortunately nothing good.
The mechanism will no longer work and will end up damaged, and this is what is happening. By deforesting parts of the forest, she is no longer able to make the balance that sustains her function.
THE OXYGEN PRODUCED BY THE AMAZON FOREST
Despite what was said before, the Amazon Forest is no longer able to contribute to the production of large levels of oxygen. It was like that once upon a time, but… due to the seriously damaged ecosystem, the levels of oxygen production are aligning with those of carbon dioxide production.
Rest assured though, we won’t risk suffocating, or at least not in the short term.
Most of the oxygen (50-70%) is produced by photosynthesis of algae in the oceansdid you imagine it? The remaining production is instead carried out by prairies, fields and other forests.
WHAT WILL THE CONSEQUENCES BE?
Well, we’ve seen a little for what And for howbut let’s see the consequences.
The first point is marked by very high CO2 emissionswhich will cause an increasingly advanced degeneration of the climate disaster. The second point of view instead derives from the rise in local temperature which will put the forest at risk of becoming a savannah.
Not to mention that the return to the Savannah (yes, the Amazon forest, about 55 million years ago, was a Savannah) will endanger all the animal and botanical species that thrive there today, including basic medicinal plants for the creation of some commonly used drugs.
IS IT ALL NEW?
This is another question that is natural to ask: every day now we hear about fires and it almost seems like one new entry this year, but is it really like this? The answer is no. The attention given by the media is proportional to the growing concern and awareness towards the topic. Indeed, the phenomenon of fires, unfortunately, is far from new.
Certainly the attention attracted by the burning Amazon Forest attracted even those who had never shown interest, towards a feeling of urgency and awareness towards environmentalism. We must be well aware that the Forest, however, is only one of many things in danger. Once we accept the commitment to the environment, we hope for a chain effect that will improve planetary conditions, not just those of a single place, however important that single place may be..
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Yes, that’s ultimately the point. Having understood the situation in which we find ourselves, we must leave aside the thought “okay, but what can I do?Of course, no one expects you to join the Brazilian firefighters to go and fight the flames on the front line, but something can still be done.
Unfortunately, the trigger for the need to clear the forest is to free up space for livestock farming. The meat obtained from them is largely exported to Europe and the USA. Italy in particular is one of the main importers. Furthermore, many animals raised in Italy are also fed with soya imported from Brazil, further increasing the problem.
Consequently it would be a really good idea to start consume products responsiblytrying to understand where they come from and what environmental impact they cause.
Let’s not forget the evergreen advice dictated above all by common sense and civility, they are always excellent rules. Taking care of the environment around us is the first step that we can all take on a daily basis.
WHAT’S GOING RIGHT?
Because making a black bulletin makes no sense without seeing some light at the end. However, something is moving, especially thanks to some countries such as China and India which, going against the current, are reforesting their territories. Thanks to this action, our planet is becoming a little greener and moving away from the terrible risk of planetary desertification.
We talked about the Amazon Forest because, to date, it is the greatest point of interest, but the fires are much more widespread: Gran Canaria has lost over 1,000 hectares of green areas, Siberia is burning so much that the smoke reaches as far as America. Along with these large fires, Greenland, Alaska (with the loss of approximately 700,000 hectares of boreal forests) and Canada (45,500 hectares) also have their own flames to tame.
The causes of all these fires are certainly multiple but among the most recurrent we find climate change, deforestation and human intervention. Let’s also take into account that the fires in the Arctic countries lead to a rise in the climate and the consequent speeding up of the melting of glaciers, it is estimated that more or less there has been the melting of 197 billion tons of ice, in short, numbers – and consequences – that are truly frightening.