Positive consumerism

The main and probably the most important way to reduce deforestation is to inform and give consumers the choice to reject forest made products such as wood that comes from rainforests, (mahogany, ivoko, sapele, vamin and rosewood). Consumers should look for “eco-certification” and “eco-labeled” products and the 'Good Wood Guide' published by Friends of the Earth is a useful source of information when choosing wood.

Sustainable Forest Management

Rainforests can be managed sensitively and sustainably protecting rare and vulnerable species of plant and animal or the global environment whilst still supplying what we need. Sustainable commercial logging certification such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)[1] is an attempt to regulate logging to ensure it is done in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Sustainability is the key and will allow us to preserve the rainforest for future generations.

Land rights for indigenous people

Giving ownership of the forests to the indigenous peoples helps to preserve areas of rainforest. We believe that local people are the true 'guardians of the forest' and have long been recognised as the key to protecting forest for the long-term.

Financial Mechanisms

A new mechanism called REDD, which stands for “reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation” was first discussed on the agenda of the 2005 international climate change negotiations. Its objective is to reduce greenhouse gases but it can deliver "co-benefits" such as biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation. REDD involves some kind of incentive for changing the way forest resources are used. As such, it offers a new way of curbing CO2 emissions through paying for actions that prevent forest loss or degradation. These transfer mechanisms can include carbon trading, or paying for forest management. It can be a way to involve developing countries in efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition to the above a few steps for saving rainforests and, on a broader scale, ecosystems around the world are:

Learn more about rainforests and the plants and animals that live in them. Teach others about the importance of the environment and how they can help save rainforests.

Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees on land where forests have been cut down.

Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't hurt the environment

Support companies that operate in ways that minimize damage to the environment.

Don't buy wood products from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, or Africa unless you know they come from eco-friendly suppliers. A good way to know if wood is rainforest-safe is if it has a "eco-certification label” (eg. "FSC-certified" which means the wood comes from sustainably managed forests).

Buy recycled or “FSC certified” paper

Don't buy exotic pets that have been collected from the wild. You can ask pet stores whether animals are "wild-caught" or "captive bred." "Captive bred" animals are more friendly for the environment.

Eco-tourism is environmentally responsible travel to enjoy and appreciate nature and cultural experiences. Ecotourism should have low impact on the environment and should contribute to the well-being of local people.