Rainforest Loss Answers

Ecotourism is being used to show people the rainforest in its native state and to educate people about how they can help protect it. Rainforest rehabilitation efforts are rebuilding forests in certain areas where they had previously been removed. Carbon credits arose from the idea that global carbon emissions should be capped and the appropriate number of credits would need to be acquired or purchased to offset a given amount of emissions.

Twenty-five percent of the active ingredients in cancer-fighting drugs are derived from rainforest organisms. And since only 1% of rainforest organisms have been tested for their anticancer properties this means there are many other potential drugs waiting to be discovered. If the rainforest organisms are destroyed before they can be tested, then many potential drugs might be lost before humans can discover them.

Both temperate and tropical rainforests are characterized by large amounts of rainfall and high biodiversity. Tropical rainforests are found in tropical latitudes. Temperate rainforests are found at temperate latitudes.

The idea behind promoting sustainably developed products is that the companies producing these products will have an advantage over their competitors in attracting customers. This advantage from providing an environmentally friendly product will then translate into an economic advantage as the company outsells its competitors.

Twenty-five percent of Western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients. But since only a small fraction of rainforest organisms have been studied, as the rainforest species disappear so do potential cures and treatments for life-threatening diseases.