It’s hard not to be overwhelmed – the Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest and a key ally in fighting climate change – and right now, it needs our help more than ever before. Here are some ways that you can make a difference, both now and forever.
Go vegan
Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 91 per cent of the Amazon’s destruction (rainforestfoundation.org) – this is because the land and trees are cut down for cattle pasture. “The Amazon is being burnt to create low-price cattle grazing – at such an incomprehensibly enormous cost,” explains Jim Richards, CEO of non-dairy milk brand, Milkadamia (milkadamia.com). “Plant-based diets encourage the cycle of planting and growing of plants which return carbon back into the soil. Demanding regeneratively grown produce supports the biomass that creates new topsoil. Raising animals for food pollutes and degrades soil, and is the least efficient use of land and water.” Plus, one year of being vegan saves 7,300lbs of CO2 and 10,950sq.ft of forest – there really has never been a better time to be plant-based.