There are lots of things that you can do at home to understand and protect the rainforest. Here are some ideas:

Then, find out which ones can be removed (renewable resources) from the rainforest without harming it, and which ones can't (non-renewable). Fruits, nuts, oils, and chocolates are renewable products. See RAN's "Foods from the Rainforest" kid's fact sheet to learn more about rainforest foods.

Lots of rainforest woods can never be replaced once they are cut down. Ninety- nine percent of the time, teak, mahogany, ebony, and rosewood are non-renewable woods. So if your family is thinking of buying furniture, or anything made out of wood, make sure it is not made from non-renewable woods.

If you find things on your list that are harming the rainforest, ask your parents and teachers not to buy them. If you find items that are helping the indigenous people, continue to buy and use those things. See RAN's kid's fact sheets "Facts about Oil" and "Facts about Wood" for more information on what kinds of products are destroying the rainforests.

Make a mini-forest with real tropical plants. In a real forest the trees and soil act as a filtering system, keeping their entire ecosystem clean. Rainforests also recycle their own rain, moving clouds from the ocean further inland then they would be able to travel without the trees transpiring, or releasing, water vapor back into the air. And of course forests couldn’t survive without the sun, which is the source of all energy on earth. By creating your own mini-rainforest you will be able to see all of these elements work together to create a healthy forest ecosystem.

Here’s what to do:

Get a glass container like a jar or a small fish tank. Fill it with a few inches of sand. Put a thin layer of dirt over the sand. This is your soil. Now, plant tropical plants such as ferns, African violets, or orchids. Since you can’t fit a tree in your container J, these plants be the vegetation of your forest. Water it well and cover the top so no air can get in. Put the container in a sunny place that’s not too hot and watch how it waters itself just like a rainforest! (This idea was taken from "Vanishing Forest"). Keep an eye on your forest to make sure the place you are keeping it isn’t too hot.Display your work at your school, the public library, or a local bank. With your display, have some information on why it is important to save the rainforest. Tell people why it is being destroyed. This is a great chance to let other students know what is happening in the rainforest and to get them involved in your letter writing or fundraising!

A lot of the information that you need is here on the Kid’s Corner. You can use our Rainforest Slideshow as a guide, or check out rainforestweb.org for more info. You can also go to your school, public library, or local environmental group to do more research. In your presentation, you can talk about the importance of the rainforest, the people who live there, and why we need to save it. You can choose a specific topic like the music or art of the native peoples, or a certain animal or plant. Try and show pictures or examples of what you are talking about. Let other students know what they can do to help.

Learn how your pen pal lives, what they eat, what games they play, and a lot more. Here are some groups that will help you get in touch with your new friend:

Student Letter Exchange
211 Broadway, Ste. 201
Lynbrook, NY 11563-3265
(516) 887-8628
custserv@pen-pal.com
www.pen-pal.com

World Pen Palls
P.O. Box 337
Saugerties, NY 12477
(845) 246-7828
www.world-pen-pals.com

Andrea D'Ambra
International Pen Friends
Via Pozzi 13
80070 Panza d'Ischia
Napoli - ITALY -
E-mail: ipf@ipfeurope.com
www.ipfeurope.com/ipfschool.htm

Planting a tree is a powerful thing that you can do to help the earth and contribute to the future. Trees clean the air and water and help to keep the planet cool. They help build up rich soil, create shade and provide food and shelter for humans and animals. The beauty of trees is soothing and good for the spirit! Check out these resources to learn how you can plant a tree where you live. Be sure to talk to your parents first.

• www.ecokids.ca
• www.nationaltreetrust.org
• www.treelink.org/

Getting out and enjoying nature is good for you. Nature can lift your spirits and provide peace of mind. Going for a hike is also great exercise. If you love the earth and want to help protect it, don’t forget to get out and enjoy the beauty it has to offer. Hiking is a safe and healthy activity to enjoy with your family. An adult should always accompany you when you go hiking, so explore these resources with your parents and plan a trip to the great outdoors!

• www.trails.com
• www.recreation.gov
  
• www.nps.gov

Make a list of animals or plants that live in the rainforest. Find out which ones are endangered and what you can do to help save them. Some people don't like zoos because the animals are kept in small cages. Talk to the zoo keepers about other ideas such as "Video Zoos."

If you know that a company is making something that destroys the rainforest, stop buying it. This is called a boycott!

In 1987, RAN led a national boycott of Burger King. Burger King was importing cheap beef from Central American countries where rainforests are cut down to raise cattle. During the boycott, many people stopped eating at Burger King. After sales went down, Burger King said they would stop importing beef from rainforest countries. People discovered that they have the power to change things through what they buy.

The written word is also powerful. Write a letter to city officials, congress people, and senators, and to the president of the company you are boycotting! They do pay attention to your letters.

In 1989, Scott Paper Co. wanted to use rainforest land in Indonesia. Scott was going to cut down rainforest trees and plant fast-growing eucalyptus trees to make paper products.

Twenty five thousand indigenous people would have lost their homes. RAN started a letter-writing campaign asking people to write to the president of Scott Paper Co. After receiving hundreds of letters and phone calls, Scott canceled the project. Two million acres of rainforest were saved.

See Rainforest Action Network's "Companies in the Rainforest" kid's fact sheet for more information about boycotts and for a list of companies that you can write to. And remember, you have the power to help save the rainforests!