 Cop30: Helping the Protectors of the Rainforests. How do we know if we are eating rainforest beef or filling up our tank with fallen trees or mangroves? by Natalie Pace On Nov. 12, 2025, dozens of indigenous protesters forced their way into the COP30 climate summit venue. Why? According to the ANMIGA organization, “There is no climate justice without the participation of guardians of the territories and life on the planet.” Indigenous leaders and warriors are actively protecting the lungs of our planet on the ground and want to be a part of the decisions that are made at the COP conferences. While they are far away in geography from us, the reasons rainforests and mangrove wetlands are being destroyed lie very close to home – in our refrigerators and gas tanks. There is a lot of power in the people, once we understand how our consumer choices ripple around the world. Here are the things I’ll cover in this blog. What is causing the destruction of rainforests? Why are they being burned? How can we best support the people who are protecting the rainforests? How can we make sure we are not eating rainforest beef or destroying the lungs of our planet with our way of life? Which companies are destroying rainforests and mangroves or distributing products that are not sustainably sourced? What is the difference between grass-fed vs. soybean and grain-fed cattle? Won’t doing the right thing cost more? And here is more information on each topic. What is causing the destruction of rainforests? Why are they being burned? National Geographic’s 2022 film The Territory offers a behind-the-scenes look at the struggle between indigenous people who protect the Amazon Rainforest and live a sustainable existence there from the opportunists who burn down the trees to raise soybean and grain-fed cattle to sell to the world. The U.S. is the 2nd largest importer of Rainforest (Brazilian) beef, after China. Much of Brazilian imported cattle is used for burgers at fast food joints and ground beef at the grocery store. However, rainforests and mangroves are also threatened for other reasons. According to the investigative reporters at the Pulitzer Center, collagen, predatory fishing and fossil fuel extraction are also first-world obsessions that are root causes of deforestation. You can watch a 3-part docuseries on the mangroves and rainforests of Brazil and the Congo Basin at EARTHDAY’s Tree Tales playlist. There will also be a livestream Nov. 17-19, 2025, on EARTHDAY’s YouTube, Facebook and X accounts. How can we best support the people who are protecting the rainforests? Awareness starts the journey. Do we know:
The Pachamama Alliance is a great source of information. Get more informed on how we can be the change (since the top-down approach isn’t working), by reading my book, The Power of 8 Billion: It’s Up to Us. The added upside of getting eco-smart is that we can save thousands annually and spend it on things we like a lot more than gas stations. Let’s spark the Power of the People.  How can we make sure we are not eating rainforest beef or destroying the lungs of our planet with our way of life? Once we understand how our choices drive the demand that fuels the destruction, we can embrace more-informed habits that support the solutions and conservation. We can choose:
As an example, I’m taking a few days off for a local staycation for my birthday. It’s an hour-and-a-half drive or a 2.5-hour train ride away. I’m taking the train because in addition to being CO2 smart, I can work, instead of navigating freeways, gridlock, rain and road rage. It requires a little more planning but will likely be more enjoyable and will definitely be more productive. Which companies are destroying rainforests and mangroves or buying products that are not sustainably sourced? According to Forest500.org and Earth.org, here are some of the companies that are the most responsible for deforestation, along with some of the partners that buy and distribute their products. The companies include Cargill, Wilmar International, JBS, McDonald’s, Burger King, Walmart, Ikea, Korindo Group, Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd, Starbucks, Yum Brands and Ahold Delhaize. When we think about oil and fossil fuels, any company that is manufacturing or using single-use plastics is a problem. All the major oil companies either make plastic or profit some way from plastic, rubber, asphalt and polyester, in addition to the sales of gasoline and natural gas. According to the Minderoo Foundation, and the Plastic Pollution Coalition, the top plastic polluters include ExxonMobil, Dow Inc., Sinopec, Aramco, LyondellBasell, Reliance, Chevron, Coca-Cola and Pepsico. Have you kicked your own single-use habit? Can we pressure our celebrities to stop normalizing the daily drink and toss coffee fix? Learn more about reducing plastic in my Earth Gratitude Plastic blog.  What is the difference between grass-fed vs. soybean and grain-fed cattle? According to WebMD.com, grass-fed beef has up to six-times more heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, with fewer calories and fat per gram, than conventionally raised cattle. Other more significant nutrient concentration includes CLA, vitamins and antioxidants, without the antibiotics and hormones that are typically needed to raise conventionally grown feedlot beef. Pasture-raised livestock is also considered to be the more humane option. Regenerative agriculture incorporates livestock in a holistic, organic system that draws down CO2 and stores it in healthy soil, in addition to the nutrient-dense produce that can be grown. Watch the Common Ground film on Amazon Prime to learn more about this exciting solution. Won’t doing the right thing cost more? Health is the best health insurance. Most of us are spending thousands (if not tens of thousands) annually on health insurance premiums. When we factor in the health costs of fast food and environmental toxins, compared to eating nutrient-dense, clean food combined with exercise, fast food can be one of the most expensive choices that we make. It’s a classic example of being penny wise and pound foolish. There are ways to save thousands annually on life insurance premiums, while leaning into a healthier lifestyle. I encourage you to read my blog on Health Savings Accounts. Some of the savings that would have gone to make the health insurance company executives rich can instead be invested in food as medicine that will pay dividends in a better quality of life, with fewer doctor visits. There are also ways to save on food costs and promote nutrition in our kids through community and student gardens. Read my blog, “Gardens, Not Grass,” for more information, including links to organizations that make this easy for us. We also link to many green orgs and NGOs on the Contributors page at EarthGratitude.org. Bottom Line Eat Local, Organic Food Rainforests are burned down in Brazil to make way for industrialized, soybean and grain-fed cattle production. About 1/10th of the beef currently imported into the U.S. is from Brazil, with China being the top importer of Brazilian beef. If we are not eating local and organic, we are very likely eating rainforest beef and Cancer Alley chicken. In addition to razing rainforests for cattle, the worldwide shipping culture creates more demand for fossil fuel extraction. If you haven’t heard about Cancer Alley, that’s worth researching more about. The chemicals used in industrial chicken and pork farms flow into the Gulf of Mexico creating an enormous Dead Zone where little to nothing can survive. If the toxins are that bad for sea life, how can it possibly be good for humans? Can we grow our own food to save money? At Compton Community Garden, families rent a garden box and grow most of the produce that a family of 4 needs for a few hundred dollars each year. (Click to read a blog on that project.) A lot of community gardens have a master gardener who offers free or low-cost courses. Student garden curriculum can be found at the Edible Schoolyard project and in Edd Moore’s 100 Ideas for Primary School Teachers.  H.M. King Charles III with children from Damers First School in Poundbury, England. The gardens were planted by eco coordinator and author Edd Moore. Learn more about eco schools in the Earth Gratitude docuseries. Email [email protected] if you have any questions. Please use #EarthGratitude and tag us on Instagram.com/Earth_Gratitude and Instagram.com/NatalieWynnePace, so that we can like and share your green posts. Read my book The Power of 8 Billion: It’s Up to Us to learn more ways to live a rich and green life. Check out the 5-part docuseries at EarthGratitude.org for information on:
Watch our Earth Gratitude videos and download your free e-books featuring the world's most respected experts on conseration and sustainability, including H.M. King Charles III (when he was The Prince of Wales), H.H. The Dalai Lama, H.M. Queen Diambi, Sia, Ed Begley Jr., XPRIZE, Wangari Maathai, Elon Musk, Arianna Huffington, The Duchess of Northumberland, Deepak Chopra,EARTHDAY.ORG, Ron Finley, the NRDC, Global Green, Lynne Twist, Green Our Planet, Life is Good, Master Sha, Leon Krier, Kiss the Ground, Nathalie Kelley, Alice Waters, The Edible Schoolyard Project, The Pachamama Alliance, WildlifeDirect and more.  Natalie Pace in a green silk blouse. Photo by Marie Commiskey.
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