Leonardo DiCaprio Says Ditch Beef To Stop Amazon Deforestation

Leonardo DiCaprio has called on his followers to eliminate or reduce their beef consumption in a bid to halt Amazon deforestation.

He made the comment as fires rip through the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, the world’s largest tropical forest. It is not only home to around one million indigenous people and three million species of plants and animals, it is also a vital carbon store which slows down the pace of global warming.

The area has seen a record number of fires this year, with the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), detecting 72,843 fires between January and August. This represents an 84 percent increase compared to the same period in 2018. 

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#Regram #RG @rainforestalliance: The lungs of the Earth are in flames. ? The Brazilian Amazon—home to 1 million Indigenous people and 3 million species—has been burning for more than two weeks straight. There have been 74,000 fires in the Brazilian Amazon since the beginning of this year—a staggering 84% increase over the same period last year (National Institute for Space Research, Brazil). Scientists and conservationists attribute the accelerating deforestation to President Jair Bolsonaro, who issued an open invitation to loggers and farmers to clear the land after taking office in January.? ? The largest rainforest in the world is a critical piece of the global climate solution. Without the Amazon, we cannot keep the Earth’s warming in check. ? ? The Amazon needs more than our prayers. So what can YOU do?? ? ? As an emergency response, donate to frontline Amazon groups working to defend the forest. ? ? Consider becoming a regular supporter of the Rainforest Alliance’s community forestry initiatives across the world’s most vulnerable tropical forests, including the Amazon; this approach is by far the most effective defense against deforestation and natural forest fires, but it requires deep, long-term collaboration between the communities and the public and private sectors. ? Stay on top of this story and keep sharing posts, tagging news agencies and influencers. ? ? Be a conscious consumer, taking care to support companies committed to responsible supply chains.? Eliminate or reduce consumption of beef; cattle ranching is one of the primary drivers of Amazon deforestation. ? When election time comes, VOTE for leaders who understand the urgency of our climate crisis and are willing to take bold action—including strong governance and forward-thinking policy.? ? #RainforestAlliance #SaveTheAmazon #PrayForAmazonia #AmazonRainforest #ActOnClimate #ForestsResist #ClimateCrisis ?: @mohsinkazmitakespictures / Windy.com

A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on Aug 22, 2019 at 7:12am PDT

‘Lungs of the Earth’

Taking to Instagram, DiCaprio outlined the severity of the situation, describing the rainforest as ‘a critical piece of the global climate solution’ adding that without it, ‘we cannot keep the Earth’s warming in check’.

He also shared ideas of what people can do that can actively help like situation, like donating to frontline Amazon groups, and becoming a regular supporter of the Rainforest Alliance’s community forestry initiatives.

He added: “Be a conscious consumer, taking care to support companies committed to responsible supply chains.? Eliminate or reduce consumption of beef; cattle ranching is one of the primary drivers of Amazon deforestation.”

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#Regram #RG @rainforesttrust Fires are a major issue for our rainforests and our planet. These fires are intensified by many factors, including the climate crisis and deforestation. Loss of habitat through illegal logging and development exacerbates the intensity and duration of these fires, helping to create situations like the one in the Brazilian Amazon today.? .? Wondering what you can do to help?? .? 1. Keep informed about the situation. Sites like Global Forest Watch Fires (http://fires.globalforestwatch.org/home/) provide valuable information about the fires going on right now.? .? 2. Share your passion for the rainforest with your friends. Educate others about this issue and why it is so important.? .? 3. Try changing your daily habits to be more environmentally friendly. Purchasing environmentally-friendly products and reducing or reusing paper is a great way to start!.? .? 4. If you can, make your voice for the environment heard in your local and national elections.? .? 5. Support organizations like Rainforest Trust. While we can’t help stop these particular fires, our work to prevent deforestation helps stop fires like this from happening again. .? .? .? .? #amazonfires #amazon #rainforest #wildlife #nature #deforestation #saveacres

A post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on Aug 22, 2019 at 1:33pm PDT

Politics

DiCaprio’s final suggestion was to ‘vote for leaders who understand the urgency of our climate crisis and are willing to take bold action – including strong governance and forward-thinking policy’.?

Politics has been a fundamental part of the discourse around the current Amazon fires, as many conservations and scientists have blamed Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro, who pledged to develop the region for farming and mining when he took office in January, despite the warnings of conservationists around deforestation.

Over the last 10 years, Brazilian governments had slowed the rate of deforestation, implementing a system of fines and action by federal agencies. But there has been a decline in the number of environmental crime convictions and timber confiscations under Bolsonaro, who has criticized the penalties implemented by former ministers.