Y'all. This is a fucking global emergency.
The Amazon rainforest is responsible for 20% of the world's oxygen. (**edit below)
It's home to numerous species of wildlife.
It is referred to as the lungs of the Earth.
And it's been burning for weeks, and no one is talking about it.
What is happening right now is an emergency that should be concerning all of us. The air we breath is at stake. This isn't exaggerating. Our lungs are destroyed as we speak and we are only just finding out.
This is our future. Are you upset about Spiderman? Same. Were you sad over Notre Dame? Same. But this is so much more important.
SPEAK UP. GET THIS KNOWN. Even if you can't do anything else, at least raise awareness to put some pressure out there on those who can do something. OUR HOME IS AT STAKE. The skies in São Paulo turned black. We are losing our most valued rainforest. WE CANNOT JUST SIT BACK.
**Edit: Many of you pointed out how the 20% oxygen phrase can be misleading (and many thanks, don't want to misinform). So, to clarify, it means that the rainforest provides us with an amount of oxygen that is then used by living organisms to survive. It is not a surplus, however; its carbon footprint is neutral because all this oxygen is used up. However, it remains essential, because, without it, we are left with less oxygen to sustain the organisms living now, which means some organisms will die. Also, without the forest, we will have fewer sources that absorb carbon dioxide, so greenhouse effects will be more pronounced. Many thanks for pointing this out.
If you want to help, I have reblogged a list of links with ways to help. Will keep it on the top of my dash for the next days.
