Destroying Our Rainforests

Destroying Our Rainforests

Every day an average of two football field sizes of precious rainforest are torn down, killing millions of animals and destroying valuable pharmaceutical plants. A huge amount of these animals and plants have never, and will never be discovered. Experts say, "Close to eighty percent of the terrestrial species of animals and plants are to be found there [in the rainforest],." As people tear down the rainforests they are affecting the ozone layer, and disrupting the process that lets plants fight the deadly amount of pollution the world produces every day.

Over three thousand plants found can help the fight against cancer. Seventy percent of these plants are found in the rainforest. Periwinkle is a very essential plant that produces the drug Vincristine that is the most powerful cancer-fighting drug that has been discovered as of today. Scientists say, "Vincristine is used as a part of MOPP chemotherapy regimen, and has helped increase the rate of remission in acute childhood leukemia from twenty percent to ninety percent.." The periwinkle plant is only found in rainforest regions. Imagine not having access to this drug anymore because all of the rainforests in the world have been torn down. The world may never find a cure to cancer, one of the most common and deadliest diseases known to man if the rainforests and the plants within them continue to be destroyed.

There are thousands of other plants in the rainforest that have not been discovered yet. Specialists say, ."..sixty five to seventy-five percent of higher plant species are indigenous to rainforests,." If the populace tears down all of the rainforests, only fifteen to twenty-five percent of the vital plants we depend on will be left in the world. Cornell biologist Thomas Eisner estimates that "less than two percent have been explored for their medicinal potential,."

Every day the world looses an average of one hundred thirty seven species of animals in the rainforest due to the demolition. At that rate, the planet looses fifty one thousand and five species a year. Most species of these animals will become extinct before they are even discovered. The world then looses the chance to learn about all of the amazing and fascinating animals that live in the canopies of the rainforest, because of the destruction.

The mass murder of these helpless and innocent animals is incredibly unjust and cruel. Fifty one thousand and five species of these innocent creatures are killed per year, just so that the world can obtain wood.