Many less economically developed countries have rapid growing populations. More people means more food is needed to provide for these people. Again what is worse destroying a small area for growing crops so these people have something to eat or letting them die of starvation?
Brazil cannot afford to let large forest areas empty and unused. They need to earn money from export forest products like timber and iron ore. They also have the responsibility of providing their country with jobs. By opening up the Amazonia and exploiting it’s vast resources, they can do this. I’m sure if there was another way to supply Brazil with money and jobs without destroying the rainforest they would be doing it that way rather than demolishing the rainforest. The Brazilian government do keep an eye on deforestation and help to set up Indian reserves so they don’t want to completely destroy the rainforest but have to clear some of it in order to provide for their people.
Brazil can gain a better and more stable economy by logging. Countries like Great Britain, America and Canada need timber and the Brazil need our money. Without resources like this Brazil would be in a worse off position in the world than it is today! Also Brazil has tried to develop the centre of it by building roads such as the Trans- Amazonia Highway. They are needed to move timber, cattle, minerals and export crops and make Brazil a more accessible country. They re-plant trees destroyed and are able to build a very basic living conditions for people along the main roads.
The mining of iron ore, bauxite, gold and other minerals and the building of hydro-electric power stations have benefited the country by bringing wealth into the country. Brazil needs a lot of electricity if it is to become a major industrial power. Once dams are built in the rainforest, the hydro-electric power is clean and cheap. It does not pollute the atmosphere like coal and gas. The Amazonia has many rivers which could be dammed, but only a small part of the forest will be flooded. Most miners in Brazil are poor men who have left their families in shanty towns and have come looking for some money to provide for them. They use a little mercury which may kill one or two fish- but what’s worst two fish dead or your family dead from starvation. If these people didn’t do it then someone else would- so why shouldn’t they try and earn a living for their family?
We are not trying to say all rainforests should be destroyed. The rainforest is a natural, beautiful thing yet some of it has to be destroyed to provide a living. It would be perfect if we didn’t have to destroy it and everyone in the world had a country as wealthy and as stable as ours but this world is not perfect and sadly the reality is we have to do this otherwise less economically developed countries would collapse.
As we are sure Lucy and Millie will point out to you global companies such as Mc Donald’s destroy the land to graze cattle on to produce us with cheaper meat. Obvisouly we think this is wrong as we are only benefiting ourselves. Like all things there are always one or two who will use their power to destroy things in order to line their own pockets. Basic improvements could be made so the rainforest can benefit everyone such as.....