The Endangered Rainforests... Facts of Loss: Rainforests, at one time, covered fourteen percent of Earth’s surface, now they merely cover six percent. 2.4 acres (the equivalent of two U.S. football fields) of rainforest are lost every second! An area about the size of Britain is burned yearly. Scientists approximate an average of 137 different plant, animal, and insect species are being driven to extinction every single day. Importance: The Amazon has been called the “Lungs of the Earth.” They produce more than 20% of the world’s oxygen. The United States National Cancer Institute has identified 3000 plants that are active against cancer cells. Seventy percent of these plants are found where? You guessed it, The Rainforest. The rain forests support more than half of all living species. Resources: If the forest was left intact and harvested for its many nuts, fruits, medicinal plants, latex, and timber it would have a much more significant economic value than if they were to cut it down to be used for strictly timber or cattle pasture: ” Projected Economic Value of One Hectare in the Peruvian Amazon “ $6,820 per year if intact forest is sustain ably harvested for fruits, latex, and timber. $1,000 per year if clear-cut for commercial timber (not sustain ably harvested) $148 per year if used as cattle pasture. (Figures obtained from www.ran.org/info_center/factsheets/04b.html) BOTTOM LINE: At this rate, the rainforests will be gone in just forty years time.