In last decades, deforestation – the removal of forest areas – has been rampant globally, making way mostly for agriculture and industrial development to satisfy increasing consumption rate. While we benefit from this practice, the current rate of deforestation is unacceptable. We are destroying the vital core of our lives: forests; our action is placing the planet in peril, including ourselves. It is time that we practice wise consumption to minimize deforestation.

Deforestation occurs mainly to meet human’s demand. Our growing population has constantly put pressure on and has exceeded the supplying capability of agricultural and industrial lands that are in use, which forces more forests to be cleared. In 2010, FAO estimated that as a result of deforestation, the Earth suffers tree cover loss at an average of 5.69 Mha per year. Center of Global Development in 2009 reported that the production of beef, soybean, palm oil, and wood products drove a third of deforestation in nine tropical countries. As the world population gets bigger and wealthier, we consume more and destroy more forests than ever.

Deforestation causes destruction and degradation of forests, threatening the well-being of ecosystems, wildlife and humanity. With photosynthesis, forests have been the most vital restoration of oxygen for the survival of most living creatures. While more trees are cleared, increasing human activities will emit a larger concentration of carbon dioxide that can exceed the capability of the remaining forests. If no action is taken, carbon dioxide and other toxic gases from industrialization that trees cannot convert will dominate the atmosphere. Although it is uncertain when this will happen, the event when a heavy smoke from Amazon’s wildfire had travelled miles and darkened the city of Sao Paulo during the daytime does give us a glimpse of that tragedy. Moreover, deforestation destroys the home of many species, leading to biodiversity loss. The Orangutan Foundation International recorded that rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia decreased dramatically due to logging and palm oil expansion, which has put orangutans on the verge of extinction for years. Is it fair for those animals to sacrifice their habitat, even their lives so we can have a more convenient and wealthier life?

At the heart of this debate, corporations, farmers and ranchers become the target of attack for desiring more open spaces; and governments are blamed for being either approved or reluctant to respond. However, it has come to my surprise that rarely anyone would think that each person is a part of the problem. If there have been not many consumers, companies would have no reason to destroy more forests. Without demand for commodities, cutting down trees and burning forests will only bring back financial loss to corporations, a risk that I believe they would not dare take. Therefore, I perceive that our consumption largely accounts for the current rate of deforestation across the globe. While the growing population has already been a burden to forests’ resources and functions, if people want more than what they really need, even more forests will be wiped out. Can the remaining wildlands accommodate this rising demand? Our personal interest is a major driver of deforestation; thereby, tightening consumption is needed to reduce deforestation. Some may argue to reduce the population; I do not think that it is an effective solution, because controlling the population to a desired number does not guarantee that the demand will decrease. In my perspective, we should start lessening our demand and using resource with awareness.

Becoming a wise consumer is to bring down your consumption and be aware of what you buy. This practice should not be equated with being stingy to yourself or completely stopping consumption. Instead, people should only purchase to meet your fundamental need and acknowledge where products come from. We can start now by slowly cutting down the amount of food you eat, the electricity and water that you use every day. In addition, purchasing a particular brand’s products means supporting its business. I highly recommend assessing whether corporation’s production consider impacts on the environment and nearby community before purchasing. Furthermore, I think that many companies recognize that people may change expenditure choices if they understand the production; thereby, more corporations have exercised “zero-deforestation” policy to remove forest land produced products from supply chains.

Our unceasing personal interest has driven global massive deforestation, putting the well-being of all things on Earth at risk; this tragedy can be prevented if everyone practices wise consumption now. Recognizing the danger of deforestation for commodity production, I perceive that this process should be controlled and reduced rather than be stopped, because many people have not access to basic need and development still needs resources, especially in poor countries. In my opinion, governments must control deforestation since there are places where forests should not be cleared. We can contribute to reduce deforestation by minimizing demand and purchasing with awareness. By practicing wise consumption, we are preserving forests and saving all lives, including us. Think carefully before you consume, because at this moment, at somewhere in the forest on Earth, a tree is being killed.