Lush green rainforests may be something you’ve pictured only briefly when dreaming about a tropical vacation but did you know that the health of the world’s rainforests has a huge influence on the quality of your daily life?

The rainforest is often described as the “Lungs of our Planet”. The Amazon rainforest alone is responsible for producing more than 20 percent of the oxygen we breath! As an added bonus, by taking in carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen for us to breath, the rainforest actually reduces green house gases and fights global warming.

But sadly, we are losing the earth’s rainforests to feed the world’s ravenous appetite for cheap lumber and agriculture. Check out these statistics. You’re not going to believe them but they’re true!

54 of the world’s 193 countries have already lost 90 percent or more of their forest cover. Rainforests that once covered 14% of the earth’s land surface now cover a mere 6% and experts estimate that the last remaining rainforests could be gone in less than 40 years.
1.5 acres of rainforest are lost every second (that equates to 50 million acres a year: an area roughly the size of Oregon)
Nearly half of the world’s species of plants and animals will be destroyed or severely threatened over the next 25 years due to rainforest deforestation.
We are losing approximately 137 plant and animal species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That equates to 50,000 species a year!
As the rainforest species disappear, so do many possible cures for life-threatening diseases. Currently, 121 prescription drugs sold worldwide come from plant-derived sources. Twenty-five percent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients! Many more could be developed as only about 1% of tropical trees and plants have been tested by scientists.
Most rainforests are cleared by chainsaws, bulldozers and fires for timber and then are followed by farming and ranching operations. In Indonesia, the current rate of logging could totally wipe out native forests within only 10 years. The forest has already been totally wiped out in countries like Haiti and Ivory Coast where barely a tree can be found anymore.

Even worse is the fact that rainforests do not regenerate as our temperate forests in Vermont do. Once gone, they are gone forever and along with them the wonderful diversity of plants and wildlife that inhabit them.

So now that you know why rainforests are a big deal, you’re probably asking yourself, “What on earth can I do about it?” Well, this is where green consumerism comes in. Everyday when you’re shopping you make choices that effect the health of the rainforest. It’s true. Do you buy products made of soy, beef or wood for example? If so, chances are very good that they are originating in the rainforest and are being produced illegally in violation of local conservation laws.

You can do you part for the environment by purchasing products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as being green and originating from sustainably managed forests. Ask the salespeople in your favorite stores if their products are certified? Ask where they came from. You may get a few blank stares at first, but eventually you’ll be making a difference. Store owners are going to realize more and more that sustainability is important to their customers. If they are to stay in business, they are going to have to Go Green.

And YOU can make it happen.

About the Author:
Peggy Farabaugh owns and operates Vermont Woods Studios, an online furniture store specializing in high-quality, eco-friendly, handmade wood furniture from Vermont. Her education includes a BS degree in Chemistry, an MPH in environmental safety and health management and an MS degree in training and communications. Her background is in environmental health and safety education and training.

Global warming is such a huge topic that it can seem impossible to think how you can do your bit to prevent it from getting worse.

In truth there is a lot you can do to make sure you reduce the effect your actions have on the world around you. It all begins where you are now – home.

Most people use more energy in their homes than they need to. Luckily many of the actions we take in this respect can easily be altered to ensure we use less energy. For example when you put the kettle on to make a mug of tea, how much water do you put in it? Do you put in enough to make the drink you want or enough to fill it to the top?

This is just one example of how energy is wasted every single day in the home. While wasting energy is a big problem, there is more we need to learn and do if we are to prevent global warming from getting any worse.

Fossil fuels are used extensively in our modern society. While we rely on them for heating our homes and providing us with both electricity and gas, they also provide large amounts of carbon dioxide. Unfortunately this is harmful and it is one of the major contributors to global warming.

So in order to stop global warming we need to do more to slow down and reduce our use of fossil fuels of all kinds. You may not think you are contributing much by switching to low energy light bulbs and switching them on only when you need them. In truth you are helping a great deal because you can directly influence the reduction of CO2 going into the atmosphere. If we all made small changes like this, the overall change would be a huge one.

Of course we can also switch to heating our homes in other ways. Solar power – using the heat from the sun to benefit us – is one of the most promising ways to do this. The secret to making the most of this incredible source of energy is to convert the rays from the sun into a usable energy source. Once we do this we can use it in much the same way as we use electricity and gas now.

The benefit that solar power has is that it is a renewable energy source. This means it is constantly there and will not run out – unlike fossil fuels. So by using solar panels we can make a big difference to our heating bills as well as to global warming itself.

So the next time you boil a kettle or switch on a light, take a moment to think about whether there are better ways you could be doing things.

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About the Author:
Adam Singleton writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
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To ensure that global warming does not become a more serious problem everyone needs to ensure they are doing their bit for the environment. So how can you help? Clear Environment, a highly environmentally concious office clearance company have written five quick ways for you to help save the environment (and your money) every single day.

1. Use heating and air conditioning resourcefully

Ensuring that you use your heating and air conditioning resourcefully could save up to 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide every year. This is a lot easier than many think, for example, by simply insulating the key areas where your home looses heat are insulated then you are less inclined to turn up both the thermostat and the air conditioning. Keep your windows shut and ensure that draught prone areas such as underneath doors are effectively covered.

2. Use efficient light bulbs

Many do not consider light bulbs to be a massive waste of energy, however they are a major offender. Just think about how many times a day you flick that light switch and often do not turn it off until you get into bed, if at all.There is now a wide range of energy efficient light bulbs available in all major retailers, known as compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. As well as switching to more efficient bulbs ensure you turn of the lights whenever you leave the room, it’s not that hard turning it on again when you walk back in the room!

3. Be a sensible driver
The government often campaigns to get more people using public transport – the issue with this is that not everyone has access to public transport easily, especially during winter months. When you can, drive less. When you can’t, ensure your tyres are properly inflated and that you keep your revs to a minimum. Not only will both of these be helping you be helping save the environment – but you will help save yourself petrol.

4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The ‘three R’s’ are something that most almost everyone could improve on and stand as general guidelines for most ways to save the environment. The first is reduce, you can reduce waste by only buying what you need and not buying in excess. The second ‘R’ relates to the reuse of products were you can – simple things like reuse of plastic bags could go a long way. The last of the ‘three R’s’ is recycling, contact your local council and get information on what they recycle – they will be more than happy to assist you anyway that they can.

5. Use energy conscious companies

Being an energy saver yourself is no good if you are paying somebody else to do work that diminishes your efforts. Their are plenty of environmentally friendly start up companies out their, for example clear-environment.co.uk , who provide environmentally friendly office clearance and even practice the ‘three R’s’. Always search for an environmentally friendly company before going directly to someone who doesn’t take good care of their surrounding earth.

Clear Environment provide environmentally friendly office clearance nationwide in the UK.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/5-quick-steps-to-a-clear-environment-1534798.html