How to Help Stop Deforestation

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Deforestation is a growing problem for endangered species around the world. It is our responsibility to protect the homes of these defenseless animals and prevent their extinction. Wild World Pets is here to guide you through what you can do to help stop deforestation.

1. Go Paperless

Going paperless at home and at work or school can contribute greatly to preventing deforestation. It is an easy, attainable solution that almost everyone has had to experience considering the current COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing the paperless practices even after the pandemic is one way you can do your part in helping stop deforestation!

2. Recycle

If going paperless isn‘t an option or many of the products you buy are packaged in cardboard or recycled paper materials, recycle them after use! Recycling can make a huge difference in paper material production. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 67.4 million tons of paper and paperboard were produced, but 46 million tons of paper and paperboard were recycled, giving a recycling rate of 68.2%. By making recycling a part of your every day life, the Earth can be changed for the better.

3. Avoid Palm Oil

Palm oil is highly marketable in today’s world, but it’s effects on the environment is detrimental. Palm oil is one of the major factors contributing to deforestation and the endangerment of animals such as the orangutan, the Sumatran rhino, and the pygmy elephant. Palm oil also plays a large role in climate change, animal cruelty, and other ethical issues.

Avoiding palm oil can make a huge difference in ending deforestation. However, the complete avoidance of palm oil can be difficult to attain. But don’t fret! There are many resources out there that can help you live easy and free of palm oil.

The Ethical Consumer has made a quick guide to avoiding palm oil that states which products are most likely to have palm oil to all the products by popular brands that are palm oil free!

For parents, children, or just your average food-lover, Products Without Palm Oil has compiled a list of palm oil free products that are always in their kitchen or pantry!

If cutting palm oil out of your life is not a possibility for you, you can still do your part in preventing deforestation by making sure your palm oil products contain sustainably sourced palm oil. Look for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil label pictured below on all of your palm oil products to make sure your palm oil is being ethically and sustainably sourced.

4. Buy Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified Wood

FSC is dedicated to managing forests globally. Buy purchasing FSC certified wood products, you are ensuring that your wood is sustainably sourced and you are doing your part to prevent deforestation.

5. Go vegetarian

Since it can be a hassle finding out what meat products did not involve clearing forests to raise the livestock, going vegetarian is one way to know that you are not contributing the deforestation through the meat industry. However, if this isn’t something you would consider, make sure that your meat products are sustainably sourced by reading the labels and doing your research on the meat companies.

6. Plant a Tree

As simple as it is, planting one tree can help against deforestation. Whether it’s in your backyard or at your school, planting a tree can be the first step in helping our planet and the animals on it. If 1,000 people each planted one tree, the Earth would have 1,000 more trees than it did before, which is a small but mighty step towards a larger, better change.

For more ways on how to stop deforestation, Conserve Energy Future has made a list of 26 ways you can help prevent deforestation in your every day life.

Thanks for doing your part in helping save our forests and the animals they are home to!

-Wild World Pets