Amazon Forest De-Forestation

[DarkLight 0]

Sorry but some of you people really make me sick...

I can understand that poor farmers cut down trees so they can plant some crops to be able to feed their family but it pisses me off when companies like Mcdonalds cut down whole footballfields just to earn more cash. They're such assholes... I hate our western world with it's stupid mcdonalds. It's unbelievable that they cut down such important things just to make some greasy burgers that'll get shoved down the fat throat of some junk food addicts. I wouldn't even cut down one tree of the rain forest for 50 bigmacs...

I don't understand how any of you can say, it's just a forest blah blah planting crops = more money and more food for our generation, etc

What's up with you people? Do you even know what a rain forest is? Do you care about what our world will be like in 200 years?

A rain forest isn't just a forest (duuh), rare species of animals and plants grow there. Some that you can find only there and no where else on this planet. Lots of these plants and animals haven't even been studied yet, who knows what secrets they might have? It wouldn't be the first time that scientists discover a way to extract a new medicin from some of those plants or animals. The rain forest might have the solution to a lot of cancers and other diseases...

And what are we doing? We are destroying the beautiful animals and plants that live there, hooraay even less fresh air for us to breath! Hooray even less species of animals! Hooray even less place for our wildlife to live! Hooray even less chance for us to find natural medicins! Hooray hooray hooray let's fuck up our nice planet!

Bunch of sickos...

If you don't see what's wrong with cutting down the rain forest then you have some serious mental problems if you ask me. Sure you might simply not give a fuck about nature and animals, well then think about your children, and their children! Grrrrreeeeaaaat, they'll live in a world with barely no fresh air, with barely no nature at all, full of fat morons eating BigMacs "because there's SOOOOO much space for our cows now that we cut down all those dumb trees".

Pfff right whatever...

[red oct 2]

i believe Mcdonalds gets most of its beef from the U.S. and Canadian farmers. i think the whole point of this thread was the fact that we do know what a rain forest is and that we do care what happens in 200 years. we aren't retards after all.

[Ares1978 0]

A rain forest isn't just a forest (duuh), rare species of animals and plants grow there.  Some that you can find only there and no where else on this planet.  Lots of these plants and animals haven't even been studied yet, who knows what secrets they might have?  It wouldn't be the first time that scientists discover a way to extract a new medicin from some of those plants or animals.  The rain forest might have the solution to a lot of cancers and other diseases...

And what are we doing?  We are destroying the beautiful animals and plants that live there, hooraay even less fresh air for us to breath!  Hooray even less species of animals!  Hooray even less place for our wildlife to live!  Hooray even less chance for us to find natural medicins! Hooray hooray hooray let's fuck up our nice planet!

Hooray! It's not our wildlife, it's theirs. You are all preaching to the wrong people. We're not the ones cutting them trees down.

And what's with the fresh air crap? Didn't I post a link a couple of pages ago?

[Raproboter 0]

Hooray! It's not our wildlife, it's theirs.

Whose?

Edit: Just read the article you quoted from couple of pages ago. Did you read the part just below the one you quoted?

Quote[/b] ] Rainforests play a critical role in the atmosphere in part because they hold vast reserves of carbon in their vegetation. When rainforests are burned, or the trees are cut and left to decay, the carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). This is the second largest factor contributing to the greenhouse effect. (Caufield, Catherine, In the Rainforest)

So do you really want to tell me the rainforests ain't worth protecting?

[mattxr 9]

FOR EVERYTREE WE CUT DOWN, WE SHOULD PLANT A NEW ONE..

[IsthatyouJohnWayne 0]

I think people are missing the point

What about every species of animal, vegetable and insect that is annihilated, should we genetically modify a new one?..

No need to shout.

[SFWanabe 0]

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13351618,00.html

Quote[/b] ]FOREST WIPE OUT INCREASES

Brazil's Amazon rainforest is being destroyed at the rate of nine football pitches a second, the country's government has said.

The clearance of the habitat in the 12 months up to August 2004 was the second highest on record.

Despite public efforts by the government to slow down the deforestation, an area almost the size of Belgium was cut down.

Much of the hacking away is being put down to illegal logging and cattle farming.

But an increasing amount is because of a surge in soy production, on the increase as a meat substitute after the BSE beef crisis.

Authorities had hoped the rate would stabilise after 2003, instead of which it accelerated by 6%.

Environment minister Marina Silva said measures had been put in place to tackle deforestation, such as forest patrols, increasing protected areas and supporting forest-based economic activities.

She said: "We've done a lot in two years, the results don't come overnight."

But critics say a lack of resources, corruption and political opposition are hampering any attempts to stop the lucrative destruction of the rainforest.

9 football pitches a second, oh my bloody god.

This makes me soooo mad

Is ther no international pressure, or is everyone watching idioly by, looking at another cause of the greenhouse effect

I lived in the amazon for 6 months (Because beileve it or not I have family who are indians down in the the amazon) and it really saddens me that some people are willing to drive people out they're homes for a profit....

[Stealth3 0]

Quote[/b] ]Hooray! It's not our wildlife, it's theirs. You are all preaching to the wrong people. We're not the ones cutting them trees down.

Yeah, but we're the ones who can do something about it. So instead of hunting for ghosts nuclear weapons in iraq, we should help stop illegal deforestation. I mean the US government find the worst things to waste their funds on. Like invading a country and causing more terror and problems. Or investing in protection from anti balistic missiles "star wars program"

[Ares1978 0]

Hooray! It's not our wildlife, it's theirs.

Whose?

Edit: Just read the article you quoted from couple of pages ago. Did you read the part just below the one you quoted?

Quote[/b] ] Rainforests play a critical role in the atmosphere in part because they hold vast reserves of carbon in their vegetation. When rainforests are burned, or the trees are cut and left to decay, the carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2). This is the second largest factor contributing to the greenhouse effect. (Caufield, Catherine, In the Rainforest)

Oh the good old "global warming" myth?  

Quote[/b] ]So do you really want to tell me the rainforests ain't worth protecting?

Like I said before, we're not the ones cutting them down. In other words, you are preaching to the wrong people. Let the locals take some responsibility.

Yeah, but we're the ones who can do something about it.  So instead of hunting for ghosts nuclear weapons in iraq, we should help stop illegal deforestation.  I mean the US government find the worst things to waste their funds on.  Like invading a country and causing more terror and problems.  Or investing in protection from anti balistic missiles "star wars program"  

Not likely. We can piss and moan, but that's all. It would be fun if we could, though.

[Raproboter 0]

Like I said before, we're not the ones cutting them down. In other words, you are preaching to the wrong people. Let the locals take some responsibility.

Do you realy think that a couple of brazilian farmers are responsible for cutting down nine football pitches of forest? Damn, how can anybody be as ignorant as you are?

[Ares1978 0]

Like I said before, we're not the ones cutting them down. In other words, you are preaching to the wrong people. Let the locals take some responsibility.

Do you realy think that a couple of brazilian farmers are responsible  for cutting down nine football pitches of forest? Damn, how can anybody be as ignorant as you are?

Who said anything about farmers? Are they allowing it? Are WE allowing it? Did we suddenly invade Brazil and start cutting down the rainforests? No. They have a government, don't they?

Like I said, all we can really do is piss and moan about it. And some of us are certainly doing a lot of it right now.  

[Raproboter 0]

Are WE allowing it?

Yes we do!

[Ares1978 0]

Yes we do!

Whatever.

We are a bunch of people, most of which are between 15 and 30 years old, with no political power whatsoever. Especially not in Brazil.

[Raproboter 0]

It's easy: If you wouldn't go to mcDonalds they wouldn't cut down rain forest trees to make room for cattle. And if you (and me) wouldn't buy stuff made of wood coming from the rain forest they wouldn't cut down the trees.

[Messiah 2]

From what i've read, alot of you have overseen the actual reasons why these local farmers keep cutting down more and more land...

Its not just population growth, far from it...

The rainforest are very fragile, and no1 can doubt that. In its cycle, the forest cares for itself. Every plant has a pupous in this cycle, as does every animal, insect, bird. They keep the forest ticking over, keep things living, keep things in order.

What the farmers seek is what they incorrectly believe to be very fertile soil.. well, incorrect to an extent. Soil fertility is based on several factors, but the overiding one is renewal of nutrients... Egyptian farms are renwed by flooding, as are rice paddies. Uk fields spray all manner of crap onto the fields, or go the organic route with natural fertilizers/manure or leaving the field fallow for a year to let it renew... the rainforest is different... it is very much a circle of life (pardon the cliche)

When something dies in the forest, it brings life. The rainforest's soil is very thin, and poor. You can tell how thin a layer of soil there is by how the largest of the tree's grow - they grow butress roots to keep themselves standing, due to the fact that their roots cant get deep enough to support them. This soil is renewed by one means, and one means only - Leaf Matter and Dead Material...

Once the forest is cut down for farmland, the farmer will be able to get a good harvest for two years or so, but then where is the soil renewed from? There are no trees to provide leaf matter, they've been cut down. There are no animals to die, they've fled into the jungle... in short, there is no way for the soil to regenerate itself the way it naturally wood in the forest.

Once the farmer realises the soil is bad, and he's losing harvest after harvest, he takes the next logical step - cut down another expanse of forest and grow crops there... and so the cycle continues...

And thats one single farmer... who may cut down a several football fields everytime he moves his farm to 'fertile' soil. Account for the thousands of farmers the brazilian government promised fertile land to in the north (to displace a very centralised population) then you can start to see how 9 football fields a second is theoretically possible.

the problem is a lack of education on the part of the farmers, and also a failing economy, gross unemployment and people just trying to survive... like someone already said, we're pretty screwed as to whatever we do... but its undeniable that the benefits of saving the rainforest greatly outweigh displacing the new population in the forests, and forcing them into unemployment. If anything, employ them as wardens to protect against illegal loggers...

thats my two cents, nothing spectacular, but after studying Geography for the last 12 or so years, i guess its quite accurate.

----------------------------------------------------------------

on a side note... good to see a fellow Nottingham Lad, and Forest Supporter, Bordoy

[Bordoy 0]

Yes we do!

Whatever.

We are a bunch of people, most of which are between 15 and 30 years old, with no political power whatsoever. Especially not in Brazil.

Ok, so why do we even have a forums? Nothing we say in the "US politics" thread etc, will change anything

Hey Messiah, first time of seeing a person from Nottingham on here.

[Airbourne Alchaholic 0]

I like to go along the lines of - "The Amazon is so large that there are probably species unknown to man inside."

If that's the case then there is a chance that we'll find a race of super-killers that will start spreading, or a new kind of disease will infect the workers that will be sent back to Brazil and so on.

Nature will think of somthing... or we're screwed.

[Bordoy 0]

I like to go along the lines of - "The Amazon is so large that there are probably species unknown to man inside."

If that's the case then there is a chance that we'll find a race of super-killers that will start spreading, or a new kind of disease will infect the workers that will be sent back to Brazil and so on.

Nature will think of somthing... or we're screwed.  

Maybe they will uncover some crazy temple like in Alien v Predator

[mattxr 9]

i was trying to be positive.. i want to see the Rainforest and all its wildlife  

[breaker44 0]

This is really unfortunate, but I don't think boycotting McDonald's will help the cause. McDonald's uses American beef.

Very sad indeed.

-Breaker Out

[Akira 0]

This is really unfortunate, but I don't think boycotting McDonald's will help the cause. McDonald's uses American beef.

Very sad indeed.

-Breaker Out

Indeed. Boycott McDonalds because it makes people fat asses...not because of the rainforest.

[Victor_S. 0]

LOL i think we can all agree that McDonalds is pure evil

[CJE 0]

Mcdonalds actually use cattle ranches in the Amazon. They use a certain cross of beef. Between an indian one and an something else.

Deforestation is technically allowed by the brazilian government as it has the Polo Noreste Project. Basically it moves people out of the Favelas (Shanty Towns) in the cities and moves them to the amazon. The governmetn gives them a small patch of land, and tells the people to clear it themselves and build their houses out of whatever material they can find.

The foresting companies are regulated by quotas, of how much they should chop down, but many companies are greedy an "smuggle" trees out of their area by river.

One good thing is western tourists with Ecotourism. They stay in an enviromentally friendly building etc. And they carry out various tasks to help preserver the amazon.

Ecotourism in the amazon

The reason i am so informed, is because im having an exam on it in 1 week. Now back to my books....

[Nemesis6 0]

Ecotourism in the amazon

If the guys arranging that are smart, they'll provide the visitors with Kalashnikovs. I mean, if the time came, I'd rather go down shooting than being cooked alive by the natives.

[Bordoy 0]

Mcdonalds actually use cattle ranches in the Amazon. They use a certain cross of beef. Between an indian one and an something else.

Deforestation is technically allowed by the brazilian government as it has the Polo Noreste Project. Basically it moves people out of the Favelas (Shanty Towns) in the cities and moves them to the amazon. The governmetn gives them a small patch of land, and tells the people to clear it themselves and build their houses out of whatever material they can find.

The foresting companies are regulated by quotas, of how much they should chop down, but many companies are greedy an "smuggle" trees out of their area by river.

One good thing is western tourists with Ecotourism. They stay in an enviromentally friendly building etc. And they carry out various tasks to help preserver the amazon.

Ecotourism in the amazon

The reason i am so informed, is because im having an exam on it in 1 week.    Now back to my books....  

We did laods about this for GCSE Geography last year, was interesting to say the least.