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THE DESTRUCTION OF MAN KIND Essay, Research Paper

“We know there will be problems in environmental terms, many

serious problems, but it is a matter of economics. There won’t be any

complete disaster, and what we cannot solve, well, that’s the price we have

to pay.”

- Eduardo Albuquerque Barbosa

There is a constant war that is being fought in the rainforests of

South America. The death toll is one that far surpasses any other war in

history. Vietnam and World War II had minimal loss of life compared to this

never ending battle. It is predicted that by the year 2020, the casualties will

reach 150 per day. This total does not even include the loss of human life

due to the lack of oxygen and the unsuitable living conditions. This

horrible scenario would be the result of mankind’s failure to cooperate and

live in harmony with the environment, especially the rainforest of South

America. In the end, the destruction of the rainforests will mean the

destruction of mankind.

The devastation of the rainforest may be compared to playing a

game of Russian Roulette. One-forth of existing medicines are derived

from tropical plants whose homes are in the rainforests of South America.

For every acre that is lost in the burning season, there is one acre less that

we have for possible life saving medicines. About 70 percent of plants

used in anti-cancer drugs come from the rain forest. We are slowly

destroying ourselves and the environment. Whether we realize it or not,

the world could quickly come to an ecological halt. Every day 144,000

acres of the rainforests are cut down, slashed and/or put up in flames.

In 1974, Brazil started a forest fire of 20.6 million square feet (3,900 square

miles). The fire ragged out of control and was later marked the largest

forest fire in Brazilian history. This 1974 fire is now considered small to

others in the past recent years. On average the burning season lasts up to

four months out of the whole year. During this period of time, it is not

uncommon for the majority of South America to be covered in a thick

blanket of smoke. The bulk of these fires, when combined, are equivalent

to the great inferno of 1988 at Yellow Stone National Park. Emitted from

these devastating fires every year are billions of carcinogens and

poisonous gases that end up in the atmosphere. The gases and pollution

have been building for many years, and scientists believe that the

atmosphere is due to reach its saturation point very soon.

The greed for money and lust for land are just two flames at the heart

of the fire. At the expense of innocent lives of rainforest dwelling animals

and local environmentalists, large corporations can some how justify there

murderous means. Rainforests cover only a mere seven percent of the

earth’s land surface, yet they contain 50 percent of the world’s species.

Along with the thousands of animals in these century old forests, there are

many tribes of Indians who are subjected to torment and usually death

from the large companies. Heartless Corporations such as Endesa,

Arboriente and PICOP ignore the blockades of the FPA, “Forest Peoples’

Alliance”, and the perpetual pleas of the Scientist’s who predict, “tropical

species are disappearing at a rate that could conceivably reach as high as

150 species a day by the year 2020″ Landry, (5). Unfortunately this battle

comes down to economics versus environment, and so far the environment

is losing the war.

Chico Mendes’ death finally brought the much needed world wide

attention to the rainforests. Until 1988 the astonishing figures produced by

environmentalist and scientists never had much weight on the conscience

of countries outside of the Amazon Rain Forest. The death of Mendes was

the second death of a NCRT, National Council of Rubber Tappers, member

in recent times. The fight, ” at first, was only about ecology, and defending

the fishes, the animals, the forest, and the river. They didn’t realize that

humans were also in the forest” Rodrigues, Revkin (1). Though Chico was

a rubber tapper in the town of Xapuri, he spent most of the year traveling

around the world trying to gain support in his fight against the destruction

of the rainforest . Chico’s non-violent approach won him much favor from

the United States and all of the other rubber tappers. Chico Mendes once

said, “If a messenger came down from heaven and guaranteed that my

death would strengthen our struggle, it would even be worth it. But

experience teaches us the opposite. Public rallies and lots of funerals

won’t save the Amazon” Revkin (1). Mendes had recently returned home

from a six week long visit and rally in the United States. Three days before

Christmas he was shot dead in the doorway of his house. Hundreds

attended Chico’s funeral, and despite his asking for no flowers, since he

knew they were going to be picked from the forest, someone left one

bouquet on his coffin. Mendes gave his life for the rain forest. In essence,

he was the first “Green Martyr” of the Amazon, and hopefully not the last.

It is the ruthless logging companies along with the complete

ignorance of the local peasants and governments that aid in the yearly loss

of the hundreds of thousands of acres of essential rainforest. In Latin

America cattle ranching for

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