Amazon in Ashes: The Fiery Plight of Earth's LungsThere has been an estimated 83% increase in forest fires in the Amazoncompared to the same time period in 2018, according to Reuters. Brazil’s space research center INPE said 72,843 wildfires have been detected so far. Since August 15, INPE said satellite images spotted 9,507 new forest fires, mostly in the Amazon basin. The rain-forest – known as the world’s lungs – produces a fifth of the world’s oxygen, comprises at least 40% of Earth’s rain-forests, and is home to three million species of plants and animals, and indigenous people. Preserving it is critical to the fight against global warming.
Echoes of the Forest: A Call to Save the Amazon
By Nivitigala Sumitta (Bhante Sumitta)
Oh, dear Mother Earth, hear our solemn plea—
A world ablaze, your forests on their knees!
The Amazon, your lungs once lush and wide,
Now teeter on the brink, dark shadows bide.
O wicked souls with hearts so marred by greed,
What madness drives the hand that sows this seed?
Centuries to bloom, these emerald realms,
Now face the axe, overwhelmed by dire helms.
The wars of man pale next to this grim fight,
As ancient woods succumb to flame's fierce bite.
O leaders, lovers of the verdant earth,
Rise now, defend her worth!
Let every soul, every kindred spirit hear—
To save our home, we must hold dear
Each tree, each creature in these hallowed halls,
Restoring life where shadow falls.
Our children’s fate, in tangled roots, resides—
Shall they inherit ash where beauty hides?
Act, lest we betray those yet to come,
Under the quiet stars, where rivers run.
What can one do, when small but fierce inside?
Guard every leaf, let not one more tree die.
A world united, by small acts made whole,
Each effort counts—a pledge, a tree, a soul.
NASA has recorded over 2500 forest fires in this year alone in the Amazon rain-forest and the presence of a staggering volume of Carbon Monoxide concentration at an altitude of 18000 ft.
Meanwhile in another report it is said more than 72000 fires have taken place in Brazil this year alone and more than 50% of them were in Amazon. The world leaders and numerous environmental organizations from all across the world have expressed their serious concerns regarding the current situation. The European Union has warned the Brazilian government of facing rigorous economic sanctions if the government does not take immediate actions to deal with the situation. 
City of Sao Paulo which is located some 1700 miles away experienced a sudden darkness by "a combination of a wild fire smoke, dense rain clouds, and a cold front' (Accuweather). After intense international condemnation, the Brazilian Government has finally deployed some 40000 military personals to dowse the raging Amazon fire which has already burnt and obliterated 1000s of forest acres so far.
Deforestation, Agricultural Burning, Dry Season and Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil's current president) have been mentioned as the main culprits for the loss of this invaluable world heritage.
How to Donate?
Please check some of the following organizations by clicking on them if you wish to help:
Some useful ways to preserve the environment are mentioned in a Malaysian led organization's blog as follows:
Less meat, no food waste: Opt for meat-free meals even just once or twice a week. NEVER waste your food as you waste all the resources that grows that food and decomposing food waste becomes a very significant source of methane.
Buy local: Skip the imported supermarket goods and go visit your nearby pasar pagi. Support produce that didn’t have to go through a whole factory packaging process and being shipped across continents, just to end up a pile of discarded plastic in the landfills. Wield your power: Serve justice to those who continuously destroy the Earth, even here in Malaysia. Write in to your local representative (whose job is to serve the rakyat), call out shady companies polluting rivers, and do your part.
This writer believes that you can also help conserve the environment by:
Avoiding use of plastic - every plastic is an environmental hazard.
Adjusting to paperless bills and opting for electronic bills and paperwork - every paper contributes to cut a tree.
Planting more and more trees can help our world to preserve the biodiversity and save numerous fauna and flora.
Trying to use less technological and other man-made equipment that can harm the nature can be another way to help our already debilitating environment. We should try every possible way both individually and as a community to keep the environment clean and safe.
Thai Ecology Monks:
In a bid to protect the all important forests in Thailand, the Buddhist monks have taken a very effective way to protect the trees by wrapping the trees with their sacred robe. This beautiful act of the Thai monks have attracted the attention of the world ever since and hopefully the other religious and community leaders too will find some unique ways to protect their nature. Read Susan Arlington's Journal article on "The Ordination of a Tree: The Buddhist Ecology Movement in Thailand" for more information.Greta Thunberg's Powerful Message:
"Every single day 200 species extinct from this earth. There is only 67% chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. On January 1, 2018, there 420 gigatons of Carbon Dioxide left to emit to stay within that target, and we are already down to less than 360. If we continue at the same emission level as now, we have less than eight and half years until that budget is over according to the IPCC from the SR15 report and that is 67% chance."
Greta Thunberg - How to Mitigate Climate Change
Climate activist Greta Thunberg on the #1 thing people can do to help mitigate climate change. Extended interview: https://on.cc.com/34FXXrp . Posted by The Daily Show on Thursday, September 12, 2019
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