10 solutions to stop deforestation

Every time a single mature tree falls, up to one tonne of stored carbon dioxide ends up back in the atmosphere and enough oxygen to sustain three people for an entire year is lost.

Forever.

Now that we understand the impact of deforestation, the next question is simple: what can we do about it?

Here are 10 practical solutions to stop deforestation you can implement today.

1. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. And repeat

In the 1970s, a slogan emerged to help remind people of their responsibilities to the environment:

“Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” (the 3Rs).

Following the 3R approach is an easy and effective way to stop deforestation:

• Reduce (cut demand at the source): Using fewer tree-based products like paper and packaging means fewer trees are cut for materials.
• Reuse (extend the life of materials you use): A full notebook becomes origami paper. An old door becomes a tabletop. A longer lifespan means less deforestation may occur.
• Recycle (turn waste into resources): Recycled paper lowers the demand for virgin pulp. Cardboard can be recycled into new paper products. What’s old can be made new again.

The 3Rs. Small choices. Low effort. Big impact.

• Did you know? Daily, up to 45 per cent of all paper printed in offices ends up in the trash, never to be used again.

2. Plant one tree. Or many trees

About 10 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions come from deforestation.

So, the question becomes: can planting a single tree thousands of miles away from deforestation have any impact?

Absolutely. A single, mature tree planted anywhere:

• Can potentially absorb up to 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year. Roughly the amount emitted when driving from Toronto to Niagara Falls.
• Provides a habitat for birds, insects and other small animals. This habitat can turn into a food source or nesting space. Eventually, it becomes part of the local ecosystems around it.

Is planting a single tree a be-all, end-all solution to deforestation? No.

But it can offset some carbon dioxide and build momentum towards larger, more impactful actions.

• Did you know? Every year, 8 million trees are chopped down to manufacture pencils alone.

3. Eat less beef

Around 90 per cent of global deforestation comes from growing farmland for beef, palm oil or soy. In the Brazilian Amazon alone, cattle pastures account for 80 per cent of all deforested land.

Eating less beef reduces demand, meaning:

• Less land is needed for grazing as forests are cleared to create pastureland for cattle.

• Less land is needed to grow cattle feed such as soy.

• Biodiversity and carbon storage are protected from deforestation.

Over two-thirds of all agricultural land grows feed for livestock, while only 8 per cent grows food for humans. Additionally, it takes 16 kilograms of carbon dioxide to produce just 100 grams of beef.

Eating less beef reduces emissions and the economic pressures driving deforestation worldwide.

• Did you know? Beef is estimated to be responsible for 41 per cent of global deforestation as trees are cleared to support cattle and livestock.

4. Stand for Indigenous rights

Note: The World Vision Canada office sits on the traditional land of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nations . We acknowledge their enduring presence and stewardship of this land.

A powerful solution to deforestation is to keep forests in the hands of the people with the strongest track record of protecting them. Consider:

• Deforestation is 26 per cent lower on lands managed by Indigenous peoples versus the global average.
• In Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia, deforestation on Indigenous territories was two-to-three times lower than in non-Indigenous areas.

Forests are cut down less often when Indigenous people have control. In one impactful instance, substituting government control for Indigenous stewardship and monitoring dropped deforestation rates in Peru by 52 per cent.

Standing up for Indigenous rights is a powerful way to stop deforestation. Protecting land protects the trees which sit upon it—and the people who live within it.

• Did you know? Areas in the Amazon Rainforest with full rights among Indigenous territories have been shown to have 66 per cent lower deforestation rate.

5. Avoid fast fashion and shop second hand

Materials used in fast fashion often contain viscose; an artificial silk made from wood pulp. It takes 4.5 tons of trees to produce just 1 ton of viscose. Fast fashion produces 100 billion garments annually, driving massive resource use.

Now, consider the benefits of shopping second-hand, reusing or donating old clothing:

• Extending the lifespan of clothing by nine months reduces carbon, water and waste footprints by 20 per cent.

• Buying used compared to new saves roughly 56 kilograms in carbon dioxide emissions, similar to a 500 kilometre car trip.

Turn old clothes into washrags. Donate unwanted items to your local thrift shop. Then, while you’re there, shop. Shopping second-hand reduces deforestation. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll find a hidden gem.

• Did you know? Every year, over 200 million trees are cut down with many turned into textiles for fast fashion production.

6. Walk, bike, take public transportation or work from home as much as possible

Population growth means more cars. That leads to more roads. Which means more trees are cut down.

It’s a triple shock to the environment:

• Firstly, the trees lost to deforestation are no longer able to trap carbon dioxide. Any carbon dioxide that’s already been collected is released back into the atmosphere.

• Secondly, new road construction produces up to 1,400 tons of carbon dioxide for every kilometre of highway built.

• Thirdly, the emissions generated from the extra cars on the road and any subsequent human activity.

Walking reduces the need for new road construction. Taking public transportation instead of driving reduces two tonnes of carbon dioxide per person per year. That’s the same as keeping 200 mature trees from being deforested.

• Did you know? From 2000-2020, 4. 26 million square kilometres of trees were cut for road expansion and associated infrastructure. That’s more than twice the size of Mexico.

7. Go paperless. Go digital

If you print papers and documents for work or office use, consider these numbers:

• It takes one 60-foot-tall oak tree to make as little as 5,000 sheets of paper. The average office worker uses double that ( 10,000 sheets ) by themselves in one year.
• Approximately 11 per cent of all printed documents are lost or misfiled.

Imagine all that deforestation. In the example above, it’s not enough to meet the needs of the average worker and a substantial amount still goes missing.

What a waste of trees and papers. Instead, swap a pen for a stylus.

Digitization is a smart solution to digitization. For example, many people print documents to capture a signature. By switching to e-signatures, it may be possible to save 2.5 billion trees over 20 years.

• Did you know? Over the past 40 years, global paper consumption has grown 400 per cent.

8. Buy certified sustainable products

The next time you go shopping, look for something like the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label on wood, paper or packaging.

Labels like FSC, PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and the Rainforest Alliance help you identify responsibly sourced products. Consider the following:

• Almost 300 million hectares of global forest are PEFC-certified.
• Roughly 63 million hectares are considered double-certified by both the PEFC and FSC.

• Global supply chains for commodities such as coffee and bananas are part of the Rainforest Alliance.

Countries from Canada to Malaysia to Indonesia all have forests protected under these certifications.

These certifications do not fully stop deforestation. They aren’t foolproof solutions, but are tools to help you make smart, sustainable purchase decisions.

• Did you know? More than 90 per cent of global forests are outside any certification or protection systems.

9. Raise your voice

The 40 million trees that are cut down daily don’t have a voice. Nor do impacted wildlife.

But you do.

When you speak up to stop deforestation, everyone listens:

• Governments will strengthen anti-logging laws and take more action to protect fragile forests. Fridays for Future encouraged millions of students to demand climate change action.

• Companies will change supply chains and commit to minimizing deforestation practices. The Brazil Soy Moratorium pushed soy purchasers and traders to stop buying soy on recently deforested land.
• People will adapt their behavior to better protect trees. Palm Oil Boycotts resulted in a greater demand for palm-oil free products in supermarkets worldwide.

Share your desire to stop deforestation. Talk to people. Get involved. Make a difference.

• Did you know? Research says change happens when around 25 per cent of the population supports an issue. That’s it. You don’t need big numbers to affect big change.

10. Donate to World Vision Canada

Many regions supported by World Vision Canada are looking for ways to stop deforestation. When deforestation stops, something needs to take its place.

That’s where you can help:

• Give fruit trees and seeds to replenish lost trees and provide a steady source of food and income for children and families.
• Provide solar panels and help communities power irrigation systems, healthcare resources and food production with clean, limitless energy.
• Give help where it’s needed most by donating food, educational tools and healthcare items to support those impacted by extensive deforestation.

• Did you know? Thanks to World Vision programs like Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), almost 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide were reduced over 20 years.