Resources & What You Can Do, Right Now!
The Amazon Rainforest has been described as the “lungs of the world”. Yet the Amazon is under constant threat, with the deforestation rate in 2020 at its highest in 12 years.
We have curated a number of links and resources below to guide you and give you simple and effective actions you can take to help put pressure, here and now, on the companies who are pushing for the burning and clearing of old growth rainforest. If you are in the position of being able to donate money to protecting the Amazon rainforest, we have identified two very worthy organizations in our About page. You as a consumer have great power: your purchasing power, so choose wisely the products you buy. Research where they come from and if the supplier, bank or institution is on the "worst offenders" list, choose alternatives. Together, we can make a difference!
Amazon Watch (www.amazonwatch.org), est. 1996. Their call to action page is here.
Amazon Watch takes a 3-pronged approach to combatting deforestation: Public awareness/direct action campaigns against Amazon destruction, studying and promoting indigenous solutions to responsible forestry management, and promoting climate justice - documenting instances of murdered activists and holding local governments and corporations accountable.
The Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil - “APIB” (www.apiboficial.org/?lang=en). Their call to action page is here.
APIB is a network of various indigenous regional organizations and was born with the purpose of strengthening the unity of and articulation between the different indigenous regions and organizations in Brazil, in addition to mobilizing indigenous peoples and organizations against threats and aggressions against indigenous rights.
Rainforest Action Network (www.ran.org), est. 1985. Their call to action page is here.
RAN is active against deforestation all over the world, notably in Indonesia and South America. RAN put out a report (called “Keep Forests Standing”) grading all the major corporate players behind deforestation on their pledges and follow up actions to stop sourcing material from old growth rainforests. Take a look at the brands in this chart, they are known to all of us.
Rainforest Action Network’s Worst Performers: Notably, Proctor & Gamble, Colgate Palmolive, JPMorgan Chase, and Ferrero All received “F”’s. Shame! Tweet at these pillagers to change their behavior, avoid purchasing their products, and in the case of the banks, consider divesting your accounts and letting them know why.
Amazon Aid Foundation (www.amazonaid.org), est. 2010. Their call to action page is here.
AAF specializes in well designed and accessible content that educates the public to rally support for conservation. For instance, take a look at their infographics in comic book format, which tells a compelling story about the need to conserve the Amazon as well as showing how commercial interests can coexist alongside responsible old growth forest management. Their “Be a Better Consumer” guide is full of examples of viable changes we can make to our own consumption habits - cutting out the worst offenders and opting for companies that actively take a stand against using old growth raw materials in their products.
Rainforest Foundation (www.rainforestfoundation.org), est. 1988. Their call to action page is here.
Rainforest Foundation is credited with creating the first privately funded indigenous land demarcation in 1993, titled to the Kayapo peoples by the Brazilian Federal government in 1993. This event came about between a partnership between Chief Raoni Metuktire and the British pop musician Sting, and formed the basis of the founding for the Rainforest Foundation. Like the other organizations profiled above, Rainforest Foundation has well designed media designed to help the public understand their power to influence corporate behavior.