Deforestation gets lots of attention, but few people know just how quickly it is occurring around the globe. This infographic created by CustomMade details just how widespread deforestation is, what causes it, and how we can all pitch in to slow the destruction.

46,000-58,000 acres of forestland are destroyed every year. While that doesn’t seem like a huge number, it’s equivalent to 36 football fields being destroyed each minute. 36,000 acres of rainforest are destroyed each day, equaling 237 Central Parks going up in smoke on a daily basis.

If we go back to 1950, 15 percent of the world was covered by rainforests. Today, only 6 percent remains. The main causes of deforestation are logging, cattle farming, roads, mining, and hydro-electric dams. While some of these are necessary, there are billions of people who depend on forests for food, medicine, clothing, shelter, and fresh water.

Trees are essential to life for us on earth, and yet each day, we destroy them by the millions. While we can’t completely stop deforestation in its tracks, this infographic gives you a few strategies on reducing your impact on this earth, such as refurbishing furniture instead of throwing it away, going paperless, and looking for opportunities to purchase recycled goods when possible.

This infographic is brought to you by Ghergich & Co. in partnership with CustomMade.

Traidcraft offers carefully curated collection of handcrafted ethical gifts, homeware, toys, fashion, and hand-harvested foods – all sourced from fair trade co-operatives, traditional artisans, and small-scale growers around the world.

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