We talk about the Amazon Rainforest a lot here at Ecoalition- and for good reason. It’s incredible.
Don’t believe us? Here are six facts on the Amazon rainforest and why we love it so much.
Plus, read on to discover the Ecoalition Movement and how we can team up to save it.
1) It’s huge.
No, seriously, it’s massive- we're talking millions of square miles.
Have you ever been to the UK? Or perhaps looked at it on a map? Well, it’s 28 times bigger than the UK alone.
It covers eight countries, including the French Guiana, the Amazon River Basin, and South American territory!
2) Only one man has managed to walk the entire length of the Amazon River
In 2010, Ed Stafford spent 859 days walking the entire length of the Amazon River.
He encountered giant snakes, terrible diseases, unwelcoming indigenous people, and flesh-eating piranhas. But he made it through the tropical rainforest.
We don’t advise you to give this a go yourself, but we’re amazed at the dedication.
3) 30% of the world’s plants and animals live there
I don’t know about you, but I would consider the Amazon the most crucial accommodation in the world, especially since there are 40,000 plant species, 300 bird species, 3,000 types of fish and 427 species of mammals.
Not that we have favorites, but we would like to point out a few animals in the Amazon rainforest.
Poison Dart Frogs: Sure, they're poisonous, but look at them. They're incredible.
The Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey: A monkey with a lion’s mane? Cuteness overload. They are also the rarest mammals in the rainforest.
The Pink Dolphin: Hello? It’s pink. Fun fact: the men tend to be much pinker than the females.
Rafflesia Banaoana: Rare flowers found in Luzon's rainforests, named after Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of modern Singapore.
4) Humans live in the Amazon too. Although it’s not for the faint of heart.
The Amazon has been home to incredible Indigenous communities like the Yanomamo and Kayapo for thousands of years!
These folks have been living it up in the heart of the rainforest, and you won't believe the incredible wealth of knowledge they've gathered about the jungle and how to make a living from it.
5) It’s critical for the health of our planet
You know, the Amazon rainforest is like the Earth's lungs and carbon vacuum cleaner, all rolled into one! It's an absolute superstar when it comes to regulating our planet's oxygen and carbon cycles. In fact, it churns out about 6 percent of the world's oxygen supply – that's a big deal, right?
Here's the plot twist: when people start logging trees and setting the forest on fire, it's like taking that carbon vacuum cleaner and turning it into a carbon emitter!
All that carbon dioxide, which was being quietly absorbed, suddenly gets unleashed into the atmosphere at an alarming rate.
Forest loss = our loss.
6) Deforestation is taking its toll
We hate to end on a sour note, so we’ll try our best not to.
However, we have to face the facts.
According to the WWF, figures suggest that we have officially lost 7% of the Amazon. This is the size of France.
But this doesn’t mean it’s the end. There are actionable steps we can take towards a healthy Amazon rainforest.
Starting with purchasing an Ecoalition piece.
You're planting a tree with every purchase by shopping for impactful bracelets, clothing basics, and accessories.
You might ask, why do you focus your tree planting efforts in Brazil when the Amazon Rainforest is so big and impressive?
That’s simply because Brazil makes up 59% of the Amazon tree cover. We’re targeting the heart of the Amazon for now to help the lungs of the earth.
However, with your help, we’re hoping to be able to expand our mission beyond Brazil.
But how can you help protect the Amazon Region?