INTRODUCTION

I’ve never met a person who is not bothered on some level about the destruction of rainforests. The desire to save or protect tropical ecosystems is as universal as wanting to protect animals or children. It’s primal.

While not a rainforest expert, I am a concerned human being and mother who, like you, wants the rainforest to be there for the generations that follow me. In 2008, my job took me on a life-changing trip to Central America that inspired me to find out what simple actions people like you and me could take to help save the world’s precious tropical forests. At the time, I was in the midst of a divorce, and my boss and editor of Healthy Living, David Steinman, came into my office and announced that he was flying to Costa Rica to do a cover story on the rainforest for our magazine. I normally didn’t accompany him on assignments like this, but I saw an opportunity to do something new, and with my single life pending, I was ready to claim a new sense of power. I convinced him that he needed me to art direct the photo shoot—and he really did.

The cover story was about efforts being made by Whole Foods Market and a nutritional supplement company called New Chapter to extend preserved land to the Children’s Eternal Rainforest, providing a corridor for larger predators to roam. We stayed at a sustainable farm called Finca Luna Nueva, just south of the Arenal Volcano and a town called La Fortuna. With a crew of five, we traipsed the forest and conducted our shoot in a river, of all places.

The sights, sounds and smells of the rainforest captivated me. Standing atop a watchtower one evening, feeling a gentle breeze against my face, watching fireflies bounce above the canopy of the forest and hearing the sounds of monkeys and birds, I felt a deep sense of peace. It was no less than magical. At a crossroads in my life, I felt the rainforest was telling me that much more life was ahead—and it would be more beautiful and richer than I could ever imagine. The rainforest awakened something in me, a strength or power that I had not felt in many years. That evening, I received a gift.

The following morning, I sleepily lingered in bed, gazing out at a tall tree with several oropendolas making a ruckus. Blackish/brownish colored birds with a flash of yellow feathers on their undersides, the oropendolas were perched on several branches, and each one did a mock dive forward as it made a distinctive call. Watching this entertaining scene, I thought, why on earth are we destroying this most special place? It occurred to me that man’s destruction of tropical rainforests was truly an act of self-destruction. I felt strongly that I wanted to do something, anything, I could to stop it. And then I thought, what might I be doing that destroys rainforests? And what can I do to help save them?

On the return flight home, I suggested to David that the Green Patriot Working Group do a book about everyday acts people could do to help save rainforests. I imagined the rainforest conservation experts as being on the front lines and all of us here at home as the reinforcements, the power behind them helping to advance the effort. Thankfully, he liked the idea. Six months later, he asked me to lead the project. Now, nearly three years later, after much research and many interviews with experts, I’ve discovered that there are many choices I make every day that affect tropical rainforests. The bag I choose to use at the market, the coffee or tea I drink, the banana or chocolate I eat, the type of wood I have in my home, the clothing or jewelry I wear, the pencil or paper I use—all of these consumer choices and many more make an impact. I truly believe that the power to save the world’s rainforests lies in our collective hands.

It is true: the future of our tropical forests looks pretty grim. But if you look more closely, there have been many small victories that need momentum in order to become big victories. As consumers, our collective purchasing power can make a massive impact. We can be the needed momentum for the big victories. There is hope.

Please think of this book as a 50-step journey. Much like walking through the rainforest, the steps are ordered to continually surprise you and keep you engaged, each addressing different aspects of the solution. But more importantly, they will illuminate just how much power you have as an individual to make a difference right now. 50 Simple Steps to Save the World’s Rainforests shows you exactly how you can begin using that power for the good of all tropical rainforests today. These steps we’ve created are by no means an end—simply a beginning. You will likely discover many more ways to help the rainforests in the way you shop and live.

Enjoy the journey.

And may our tropical rainforests last forever!

—Kim Henderson