Processed Food Contributes to Massive Rainforest Destruction

Are you surprised about this one? Maybe for ‘not so environmental persons’, this fact is a strange one. Usually, when we talk of rainforest destruction, we think of the usual destructing factors—logging to be used for coal or fossil fuel and rainforest fires caused by human negligence. 

It is so common to hear about rainforest degradation. Hundreds or even thousands of acres lost per year. As for us, who are living far away from natural rainforests might think that we are not responsible for this; thinking we have no any direct access to this so how can we destroy them? But as we look clearly, we are involved to this, just indirectly. We might not be aware how our everyday activities affect the current status of our rainforests. Just like this one, who knows that even processed foods that we eat almost if not every day, could be a great factor to rainforest destruction?

Palm oil as the key suspect. We might not know this, but palm oil has been secretly a part of our everyday lives. Palm oil is a primary ingredient in most of our daily necessities – biscuits, soap, shampoo, and even fuel. Not just that, there are plenty of processed food products that contains palm oil as its key ingredient. But how does the use of palm oil causes deforestation? As we know, palm oil is extracted from coconuts, meaning it takes huge coconut plantations in order to generate such amount of palm oil to support our everyday living. In relation to this, rainforests are being cleared off to give way to these coconut plantations. Imagine every commodity in a supermarket with vegetable oil in its ingredient that is probably from palm oil plantations. Take a moment to think about how many forest trees are cut down just to plant coconut trees for palm oil.

At present, there are only few substitutes offered in replace for palm oil in the market. Some suggestions would be the use of margarine or vegetable oil from sunflower to reduce the consumption of palm oil, and in turn, lessen deforestation. 

The soy bean oil and refined wheat flour as secondary culprits. Processed cookies and crackers are really great for immediate need for food right? Did you know that these foods contain additives like soy bean oil and refined what flour that also accounts for deforestation? As a response to the increasing demand for these products, more and more forests are turned to soy and corn plantations. Not just that, the meat of animals we eat is also responsible for this problem. Soybean crop is used primarily for livestock feeds used to support agricultural businesses. 

With all these in mind, let us all be smart and remember how our daily actions are continually killing our natural rainforests.

Photo credits: http://blissmaybe777.wordpress.com

Some Leading Causes of Rainforest Destruction

"Deforestation, in other words, is an expression of social injustice."

- Marcus Colchester

Deforestation or rainforest destruction is among the major problems in almost every nation in the world but is commonly not addressed properly. In fact, no one knows how wide is the effect of this destruction to the environment and even to us, humans. Data presented are not precise, and it also yields different interpretation. 

Here we have listed some of the leading causes of rainforest destruction that may lead to how we can think of the ways on how to address them:

Logging. The practice of cutting down mature trees for their timber by commercial companies and expecting them to regrow naturally is actually untrue. Selective logging, as they termed it causes great damage to rainforest not only affecting the trees to be cut down, but also other trees that are surrounding nearby. Heavy machineries and construction of roads for these equipments are of great threat to the natural growth of rainforest. Cutting down of a mature tree accompanies destruction to plants, vines and epiphytes depending on it, and the tracks constructed for machineries cause damage to the ground. 

Construction of Large Dams. Studies showed that thousands of hectares of rainforest are being destroyed every year in construction of hydro-electric dams. This construction not only led to lasting effects of rainforest destruction but can also have destructive effects to humans. In several countries, sheer weight in dams are proven to be the cause of earthquakes; waterborne diseases increased; and as dams trap silt, it produce soil erosion. 

Tourism. Who would even thought that tourism purposes which are intended to benefit the people can cause destruction of rainforest that can harm the people? How? Through the construction of national parks. National parks are constructed in order to make people especially tourists aware of the wonders of nature, but excessive tourism produces great destruction to the natural rainforest. Pollution of waterways and ineffective waste management programs are sacrificed. 

Animal Raising and Planting. Clearing of forests for the purpose of land cultivation and planting are causes of present ay forest degradation. As we all know, forest soil are sensitive to any chemical put in it and because farming and agriculture practices are now in the use of artificial fertilizers and feeds, the quality of soil decreases gradually. What’s more alarming is that, crops harvested from these farms are exported to richer countries rather than the local people benefiting from this products.