Amazon Rainforest Fire: Everything You Need To Know About Our Planet’s Burning Lungs

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you should be knowing that one of planet Earth’s most densely-forested regions is burning. It has been burning for more than two weeks at a stretch and can adversely impact our environment and health. The Amazon is also called “lungs of the planet” as it produces at least 20 per cent of the earth’s oxygen supply and is home to more than 10% of biodiversity. Apart from oxygen and biodiversity, the rainforest also plays a crucial role in regulating the climate around the planet. 

What Caused Fire?

As per NASA’s report, it is believed that fire is caused due to dry seasons. However, as Reuters reports, blaming the dry season for the fire isn’t entirely correct. On the contrary, these fires have been caused by human interference, as fire has been used to clear land for farming and other human practices.

The fires are so massive that  NASA has released a photo of this disaster on its twitter handle.

Uptick in Amazon Fire Activity in 2019 https://t.co/mTcGxMtekr #NASA

— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) August 24, 2019

How The Government Has Reacted

The international community has reacted sharply to this development. French President, Emmanuel Macron called for G7 leaders to discuss the environmental crisis and they pledged an aid of $ 20 million to help fight the fires. 

A video was also shared by Ministry of Defence on twitter, showing C-130 Hercules planes dumping water over the smoke-covered rainforest canopy near Porto Velho.

A Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB) emprega, a partir de Porto Velho - RO, duas aeronaves C-130 Hércules no combate aos focos de incêndio na Amazônia. https://t.co/ojMsQYzHJt#FAB #Dimensao22 #Amazônia #JuntosSomosMaisFortes pic.twitter.com/Wt6yqyuBed

— Força Aérea Brasileira 🇧🇷 (@portalfab) August 24, 2019

What You Can Do?

Here are some ways you can aid in protecting the rainforest:

• Donate to Rainforest Action Network to protect one acre of land.
• An organisation called the Rainforest Trust allows you to buy land in the forest itself. Since 1988, the organization has saved over millions of acres. 
• Reduce the consumption of wood and paper as much as you can. But if you’re still using them, make sure they are rainforest-safe.
• Stay away from beef as it is often linked to deforestation.
• In case you’re wondering how you can help them sitting at your home, then go to Ecosia.org. It is a search engine that plants a tree for every 45 searches your run.
• One Tree Planted allows you to make a donation to plant a tree. 
• Raise your voice with #PrayForAmazon and make people aware of this alarming environmental crisis!

Don't Miss:  Beauty, Skincare Brands Are Taking Initiatives To Save The Environment And How!

How Did The Public Respond?

Apple’s Tim Cook was the first tech CEO to come forward and donate money to Amazon. In addition, mostly actors and celebrities have also taken to social media to speak out about the fiery devastation. 

It’s devastating to see the fires and destruction ravaging the Amazon rainforest, one of the world’s most important ecosystems. Apple will be donating to help preserve its biodiversity and restore the Amazon’s indispensable forest across Latin America.

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 26, 2019

There was worldwide outcry when the Notre Dame cathedral was on fire. Why is there not the same level of outrage for the fires destroying the #AmazonRainforest? pic.twitter.com/VbSda5PYAK

— WWF UK (@wwf_uk) August 21, 2019

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

⚠️ THE LUNGS OF THE EARTH ARE ON FIRE! We are heartbroken to learn of this news. Here are a few ways we can help this situation: Protect an acre of rainforest through the Rainforest Action Network @rainforestactionnetwork. Help buy land in the rainforest through the Rainforest Trust @rainforesttrust. Support the rainforest’s indigenous populations with Amazon Watch @amazonwatch. Reduce your paper and wood consumption or buy rainforest safe products through the Rainforest Alliance @rainforestalliance. Support arts, science, and other projects that raise awareness about the Amazon through the Amazon Aid Foundation @amazonaid. Help protect animals living in the jungle with @wwf. Reduce your beef consumption. Rainforest beef is typically found in fast-food hamburgers or processed beef products. Make your voice heard by signing a petition at https://act.greenpeace.org/page/39922/petition/1 @greenpeace If you’re in a position to help protect the rainforest on a macroscale, Foreign Policy argues that one of the most powerful tools for protecting the region is to work with businesses rather than against them. This is particularly effective in the beef industry, because as Foreign Policy notes, domestic meat producers in Brazil work with international companies that “are committed to zero-carbon standards, in principle” and are more susceptible to public outcry than Bolsonaro. They suggest that trade, distribution, and financing deals that are dependent on protecting the rainforest and sustainability can be a boon to the planet and to Brazilians who depend on the rainforest for their livelihoods. The above tips have been shared by @fastcompany. Let’s spread the word and fight #ClimateChange #PrayForAmazonia

A post shared by Anita Dongre (@anitadongre) onAug 22, 2019 at 1:19am PDT

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

Yesterday, we launched the Amazon Forest Fund, the first initiative from the newly formed @EarthAlliance. The fund was set up to help local partners and the indigenous communities on the front lines protecting the Amazon. Please follow @EarthAlliance to stay up to date with the action taking place and for further ways that you can help support. You can get involved and donate right now at ealliance.org/amazonfund (#linkinbio) Photo: @chamiltonjames, 2017

A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) onAug 26, 2019 at 6:26am PDT

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#Repost @elleindia #ELLEnews: Parts of the Amazon rainforest are on fire, and new images released by @nasa show that the smoke is visible from space. This year, a record number of fires (over 72,000) have been detected in the rainforest, which is known as the world's lungs. According to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, that's an increase of 83% from last year. The Amazon rainforests produces a fifth of the world's oxygen and climate change activists are concerned about the effect the fires could have. . #AmazonForestFire #ClimateChange #Environment Image via @iamnickrose

A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna) onAug 22, 2019 at 4:17am PDT

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

#Repost @leonardodicaprio ・・・ Terrifying to think that the Amazon is the largest rain forest on the planet, creating 20% of the earth’s oxygen, basically the lungs of the world, has been on fire and burning for the last 16 days running, with literally NO media coverage whatsoever! Why?

A post shared by AnushkaSharma1588 (@anushkasharma) onAug 22, 2019 at 12:26pm PDT

So, let's join hands and pray for Amazon.