Sitting back and saying, „I alone can’t do anything,“ is simply wrong!
It’s essential to recognize that each one of us can make a contribution to combat the ongoing destruction of the rainforest. Here are some actions you can take:
Consciously eating (less) meat is an effective way to curb the ongoing destruction of the rainforest. In 2022, Brazil exported 2.95 million tons of beef and is a significant player in the global market.
The worldwide increase in meat consumption is leading to further destruction of tropical rainforests, as seen in Mato Grosso, a state in the interior of Brazil. This pattern repeats itself:
The continuous pattern of rainforest destruction involves various steps that lead to the opening of the rainforest:
- Road construction: Building roads in remote rainforest areas provides access to the forest’s resources and facilitates the transportation of timber, products, and people into the region.
- Timber logging: Loggers use the newly constructed roads to harvest valuable tropical timber from the rainforest. This happens both legally and illegally and has a significant impact on deforestation.
- Small-scale farmers: After the tropical timber is removed, small-scale farmers often take over the cleared areas for agricultural use. They clear the remaining forest and make way for small-scale farming.
- Soil depletion: The soils in the cleared areas are generally nutrient-poor. Intensive agricultural practices, rainfall, and erosion quickly deplete the soils. Crop yields decrease significantly after a few years.
- Transfer to large landowners and corporations: As yields decline, small-scale farmers move on and often hand over the cleared land to large landowners or globally operating corporations. These often specialize in the production of soy (as animal feed) and livestock farming. (Source: faszination-regenwald.de)
Reducing meat consumption has positive effects on health and is less harmful to the climate. Nowadays, most animals are kept in large-scale facilities and fed with feed made from soy, canola, corn, wheat, and other grains. These agricultural areas come at the expense of direct food production. The European Union imports over 70% of protein crops for animal feed, especially soybeans and soy meal from countries like Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and the USA. The land needed for this corresponds to more than 20 percent of the EU’s total agricultural land. (Source: weltagrarbericht.de)
Whenever possible, it makes sense to prefer regional and seasonal products. This is especially important when it comes to meat consumption and considering supply chains. There is a big difference between importing meat from Brazil and distributing it to different regions in Germany and having meat from Brandenburg directly delivered to Berlin.
By choosing regional and seasonal products, we can reduce our ecological footprint, support the local economy, and enjoy the freshness and quality of the food. It’s a conscious decision that contributes to a more sustainable diet.
Check out regionalfenster.de, an initiative consisting of individuals from the fields of science, consumer protection, and representatives of the relevant ministries.
However, be cautious, even with regional products, the devil is in the details. There’s a big difference, for example, between beef produced in pasture or free-range farming and those in intensive livestock farming. In pasture or free-range farming, the animals mainly eat grass and require less or no soy-based feed. They are raised in a way that promotes their well-being.
To find out exactly how the locally produced meat was produced, it is advisable to look at the packaging and the associated information. Often, meat products have labels or certifications that provide information about the animals‘ living conditions. In Germany, some well-known labels include the „Bioland“ label, the „Demeter“ label, or the „Neuland“ label, which indicate animal-friendly husbandry and sustainable agriculture.
Buying seasonal and locally available fruits and vegetables offers various benefits for both humans and the environment. First, you can enjoy more freshness and taste as the products have not traveled long distances and usually come directly from the producer. Additionally, regional products are likely to contain fewer residues of pesticides, as the farming methods are often more strictly regulated. Also, it’s essential to be aware that the production of outdoor-grown vegetables can produce up to 30 times fewer climate-damaging gases than products from heated greenhouses, as the latter have high energy requirements. (Source: verbraucherzentrale.de)
Check out the seasonal calendar „heimisches Obst und Gemüse“ (local fruits and vegetables).
Avoiding the purchase of tropical wood is an important step in curbing the destruction of Tropical Rainforests. Illegal logging is one of the main causes of the loss of these valuable ecosystems. In 2021, the countries of the EU alone imported 830,810 tons of tropical wood.
By refraining from buying tropical wood products, we can help reduce illegal logging and decrease the demand for tropical wood. Instead, we should opt for sustainably produced wood from certified sources, such as wood with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) seal, which comes from responsibly managed forests.
Therefore, when purchasing wood products, it’s essential to pay attention to their origin and choose environmentally friendly alternatives. Through conscious consumption, we can contribute to reducing the demand for tropical wood and thus support the protection of rainforests.
Saving aluminum – is an effective measure to reduce both resource consumption and the environmental impact of aluminum production. Aluminum is extracted from the raw material bauxite, with the main mining sites for the economically important laterite bauxite being located in Jamaica, Brazil, Guinea, Australia, India, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, and some southern regions of the United States.
In Germany, aluminum is mainly used for vehicle manufacturing (47% in 2019) and is also omnipresent in various types of packaging. It can be found in beverage cans, bottles, tubes, spray cans, coffee capsules, food trays, and household foils. Additionally, aluminum is used in bottle caps, yogurt lids, and many other everyday items.
Using mobile phones for as long as possible – Mobile phones (as well as tablets, laptops, etc.) contain numerous precious raw materials. In 1 ton of mobile phones, there are 150 to 400 grams of gold (contacts and conductors). Metals like tantalum (obtained from the ore coltan), copper, cobalt, tin, and aluminum are used in making phone batteries and other components. The extraction of these resources often occurs in tropical regions and can have negative effects on the natural environment, including ecosystem destruction and water pollution. Additionally, the working conditions in some mines can be problematic, with risks of human rights violations.
Being mindful when buying charcoal for grilling – How much deforestation-driven wood is in our charcoal? Stiftung Warentest has analyzed 17 charcoal products, including those from Aldi, Kaufland, Netto, and branded items from ProFagus and Weber (prices per kilo: 0.90 to 3.50 euros). Tropical wood was found in five bags.
In construction and supermarkets, there are increasingly alternatives to conventional wood charcoal available. These alternatives use waste products like olive pits, walnut shells, or coconut shells, which are abundant and can be used to produce charcoal briquettes. These alternatives offer several advantages: firstly, waste products are recycled, optimizing resource usage and reducing environmental impact. Secondly, these charcoal briquettes can be a more sustainable choice since they are not obtained from tropical wood, thereby avoiding contributions to rainforest deforestation.
Using responsibly produced charcoal helps reduce the negative impact of charcoal production on tropical forests. There are certification programs like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) that label wood products produced with sustainable and environmentally friendly practices.
In every household in Germany, various products from the Tropical Rainforests can be found:
- Wooden Furniture: Many pieces of furniture such as tables, chairs, cabinets, and beds are made from tropical wood. Examples of tropical wood types include Teak, Mahogany, Bangkirai, and Ebony.
- Flooring: Some types of flooring like parquet, laminate, and veneer can be made from tropical wood.
- Household Appliances: Electronic devices such as TVs, computers, and entertainment electronics may contain components made from tropical wood in their casings or packaging.
- Paper Products: Paper and cardboard can be made from wood fibers obtained from tropical wood. Magazines, books, stationery, and packaging may, therefore, contain tropical wood.
- Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Some cosmetic products contain ingredients like palm oil, derived from palm trees grown in tropical regions.
- Food: Spices like cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla are often cultivated in tropical areas. When buying these spices, it’s advisable to look for products sourced from sustainable origins and possibly bearing certifications like the Fairtrade label. These certifications ensure that the spices are grown and traded under fair conditions.
Tropical fruits like bananas, pineapples, and mangoes are imported in large quantities from tropical regions. To protect the rainforest, we should try to choose products that come from sustainable cultivation. One option is to look for organic products that do not contain harmful pesticides and herbicides. It is also essential to check the origin of the fruits and explore ways to choose locally grown or seasonal alternatives.
Coffee and chocolate are also products where cultivation can have a significant impact on the rainforest. Environmentally friendly certifications like UTZ or Rainforest Alliance can help us identify products made under environmentally sustainable and socially just conditions. Purchasing fair-trade coffee and chocolate also supports better working conditions for people in the cultivation regions.
Nuts like cashews and macadamias are often grown in tropical regions. Just like with other products, it’s advisable to look for sustainable and fair-trade options. Certifications like Fairtrade or Organic can help us choose high-quality nuts that have been produced under environmentally friendly and socially just conditions.