If we want to save what remains of the rainforests on earth, we must understand and make people understand the role that these forests play in our lives and in our existence. For most people, rainforests are exotic worlds to be seen on the Discovery Channel and forgotten about. After all, what importance does a dense forest full of unknown plants and animals have for us?
Well, first of all, rainforests are the most pristine and unspoiled ecosystems left on earth and they contribute to the climatic balance of our earth. The collective photosynthesis of rainforest trees releases a little bit of oxygen into the atmosphere every day. By absorbing the high rainfall, the surrounding climate and vegetation are also balanced.
An example is how deforestation in Brazil has caused massive landslides and landslides that have killed thousands of people. Some areas are also beginning to experience drought as tropical rainforests shrink in size. Rain forests also keep the air cleaner and healthier, and as rain forests are cleared, there is an increase in respiratory illnesses in surrounding areas.
Rain forests are also the largest natural greenhouses on earth and are capable of supporting life within them by producing their own food. As fears of a food crisis in our world grow, scientists search the resilient world of tropical rainforests to find crops and plants that can combat increasing climate changes. So rainforests may be the only thing standing between humanity and famine.
Rain forests are also home to millions of species of animals, each contributing to its ecosystem. For every drawer or kitchen cabinet built with wood from the rainforest, we lose a few thousand species, without even knowing what role they played in our biodiversity.
Tropical rainforests are also called the largest in the world, with thousands of medicinal plants yet to be discovered in their depths. Scientists believe that some of these plants may be the only answer to the new emerging disease plaguing the human world. Along with the rain forests, our only cure for cancer may also be disappearing.
Let’s not forget the hundreds of native tribes that live in the depths of these forests, in complete harmony with that ecosystem. Many have no contact with the outside world and are not aware of anything beyond the limits of their world. They provide a unique insight into our history and evolution, an example of how our ancestors might have lived in quiet harmony with nature.
What the world needs to know is that rainforests are not exotic slideshows, but perfect examples of how we should maintain our ecosystem. These forests may be the only thing keeping our climate in balance despite global warming. But the forest area is shrinking rapidly, the balance may tip in favor of global warming, and then there will be no rain forests and no exotic animals and plants left in the cellar.