Don’t Just Pray For Amazonia – Plant Trees and Spread Awareness About The Fires

As the country prepares itself for census and political leaders fight for positions in what might be another dysfunctional government in 2022, several miles away in Brazil, the Amazon forest burns and many Kenyan citizens are not even aware of this. The Amazon forest which is often referred to as the planet’s lungs is said to produce 20% of the oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere.It is considered vital in the fight against global warming, and it is home to uncountable species of both plants and animals. These fires are therefore catastrophic to the planet.

Brazil’s Amazon forest which is half the size of the United States is the largest rain forest on earth and has in the past been struck by forest fires. However, the recent fires are raging at a record rate and scientists predict devastating consequences to the fight against climate change. With the fires burning at the highest rate since the country’s space research centre INPE began tracking them in 2013, it is unfortunate that only celebrities and Brazil residents seem to be talking about this.

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On social media, images and videos show the fire in it’s unfiltered nature with giant plumes of smoke rising from the greenery and blackened waste left in it’s wake. The smoke even reached as far as Sao Paulo which is more than 1,700 miles away. However, rains have also just began which has given many people especially in Brazil a reason to feel less worried over the disaster.

Several hash tags have come up on Twitter to share this news with the world, with the most current and trending being #PrayforAmazonia. Keeping the hash tag trending has ensured that the word of these tragic fires is spreading worldwide. We probably can’t do much to stop any more forest fires in the Amazon from the comfort of our homes or discomfort of our jobs but we can plant trees and spread awareness. Let’s save the planet for our future generations.