Background
Deforestation is a serious problem that is commonly overlooked in most of the general public, as we do not see the immediate effects of it. However it is important to note that 20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon forest, and it is estimated that within 100 years there will be no rainforests if we keep cutting trees as we do now. Up to 28,000 species are expected to become extinct by the next quarter of the century due to deforestation. Despite what most people might think, the leading cause of deforestation is agriculture. In fact, 13 million hectare per year in South America and Africa and South East Asia is converted from a forest to agricultural land.
Design solution
The objective is to raise awareness amongst people in their mid to late 20s as it is them, and following generations who will be most affected by deforestation. The design challenge was to find a way to trigger curiosity and have people proactively seek out what the main causes and effects of deforestation are. Most info graphics and material on deforestation have a strong focus on trees and devastated land, I wanted to take a complete different approach by photo-merging endangered animals with produce created on the cleared lands in order to provoke intrigue.
The objective is to raise awareness amongst people in their mid to late 20s as it is them, and following generations who will be most affected by deforestation. The design challenge was to find a way to trigger curiosity and have people proactively seek out what the main causes and effects of deforestation are. Most info graphics and material on deforestation have a strong focus on trees and devastated land, I wanted to take a complete different approach by photo-merging endangered animals with produce created on the cleared lands in order to provoke intrigue.
Facts 1
If the current rate of deforestation continues, it will take less than 100 years to destroy all the rainforests on the earth.
Facts 2
The rate of deforestation equals to the loss of 20 football fields every minute.
Facts 3
Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. more
Facts 4
In fact, 13 million hectare per year in South America and Africa and south East Asia is converted from a forest to an agriculture land
Facts 5
Up to 28,000 species are expected to become extinct by the next quarter of the century due to deforestation.
Facts 6
Tropical rain forests which cover 6-7% of the earth’s surface, contain over half of all the plant and animal species in the world
Facts 7
Worldwide more than 1.6 billion people rely on forests products for all or part of their livelihoods.
Facts 8
20% of the world’s oxygen is produced in the Amazon forest.
Facts 9
Deforestation affects water cycle. Trees absorb groundwater and release the same into the atmosphere during transpiration. When deforestation happens, the climate automatically changes to a drier one and also affects the water table.
Facts 10
Gold, copper, diamonds, and other precious metals and gemstones are important resources that are found in rainforests around the world.
Facts 11
Mining is one of the main causes of deforestation. The Amazon rainforest is rich in precious metals and according to the WWF, “copper, tin, nickel, bauxite, manganese, iron and gold” can be found within the forest and tax benefits are being offered by governments to encourage extraction projects to stimulate economies.
Facts 12
Industrialized countries consume 12 times more wood and its products per person than the non-industrialized countries.
Facts 13
Almost half of world’s timber and up to 70% of paper is consumed by Europe, United States and Japan alone.
Facts 14
According to Rain forest Action Network, the United States has less than 5% of the world’s population yet consumes more than 30% of the world’s paper
Facts 15
Money to save trees is majorly collected online.
