Why is the rainforest so valuable?
Christopher Bunney 9BWhy is the Rainforest valuable? Why is the rainforest valuable? The rainforest is valuable because many medicines are derived from it here are some facts; Fifty percent of the medicines used in the world every day come from rain forest plants. And 25% of all prescription drugs have their origins there too. The corn plant originally came from Mexico and South American rain forests. Orange juice, tea, eggs, rice and bananas all originated from plants and animals of
Asian rain forests. Over 50% of the fruits regularly eaten come from tropical rain forests. At least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical rainforest. Its products include fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, lemons, grapefruit, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including potatoes, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, turmeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews. Recently, scientists have been debating whether the cure for the world’s most deadliest diseases; Cancer and aids, is in the rainforest as we get so many medicines from ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
Asian rain forests. Over 50% of the fruits regularly eaten come from tropical rain forests. At least 80% of the developed world's diet originated in the tropical rainforest. Its products include fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, lemons, grapefruit, guavas, pineapples, mangos and tomatoes; vegetables including potatoes, winter squash and yams; spices like black pepper, cayenne, chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, sugar cane, turmeric, coffee and vanilla and nuts including Brazil nuts and cashews. Recently, scientists have been debating whether the cure for the world’s most deadliest diseases; Cancer and aids, is in the rainforest as we get so many medicines from there already. I also believe this because humans don’t know about a lot of the trees in the forest and should look at sustainably finding out their properties and uses. The rainforest is commonly described as the ‘lungs of the world’ because it contributes heavily towards supplying oxygen to the world because it produces over 1/3 of the Earths oxygen, though some say up to 50% , through photosynthesis and more. However, now people are illegally chopping down trees which they then ship off to Europe. The problem and the solution of the destruction of the rainforest are both economic. The government, companies and families need money to solve debts, make profits and feed everybody respectively. The simple fact is that the rainforest is being destroyed for the income and profits it yields. Money makes the world go around in South America and even in the rainforest. But this also means that if landowners, governments, and those living in the rainforest today were given a good reason not to destroy the rainforest, it could and would be saved. And this viable economic alternative does exist, and it is working today. Many organizations have demonstrated that if the medicinal plants, fruits, nuts, oils, and other resources like rubber, chocolate, and chicle (used to make chewing gums) are harvested sustainably, rainforest land has much more economic value today and more long-term income and profits for the future than if just timber is harvested or burned down for cattle or farming operations. In fact, the latest statistics prove that rainforest land converted to cattle operations yields the landowner $60 per acre; if timber is harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre. However, if medicinal plants, fruits, nuts, rubber, chocolate, and other renewable and sustainable resources are harvested, the land will yield the landowner $2,400 per acre. This value provides an income not only today, but year after year but for a lot of generations to come. When the timber is harvested for short-term gain and profits, the medicinal plants, nuts, oils, and other important sustainable resources that thrive in this delicate ecosystem are destroyed. The real solution to saving the rainforest is to make its inhabitants see the forest and the trees by creating a consumer demand and consumer markets for these sustainable rainforest products, the markets that are larger and louder than today's tropical timber market, markets that will put as much money in their pockets and government coffers as the timber companies do, markets that will give them the economic incentive to protect their sustainable resources for long-term profits, rather than short-term gain. In conclusion, the rainforest is valuable in many ways and the world needs to understand that and think about where their furniture or food came from and think about using fair-trade for their food. The rainforest could be saved if the indeginous people and the local communities think about other profitable markets in which they could delve into.