DEFORESTATION

Deforestation is the technical word for cutting down forests. Deforestation is a very serious problem in the tropics. Every second more trees in the rain forest are being cut. There are many reasons people cut down trees, and sometimes it is necessary.

However, a lot of the deforestation occurs for other reasons. Banana companies cut down rain forests to plant bananas. They don't do this to feed their families, but to make money, and they change the land a lot. Banana farms and other "farm-factories" in the tropics cause a lot of deforestation and the rain forest has a very difficult time growing back. One of the best things you can do for the rain forest is to buy organic bananas, which come from farms that are nicer to the rain forest.

Tropical wood production causes a lot of deforestation too. Sometimes the furniture at the store is made from tropical woods. If it says "Made in Malaysia" or "Made in Indonesia," then it is probably rain forest wood. Try to buy woods that don't come from the rain forest.