Rain Forest and Poverty

The on-going struggle to preserve the remaining Amazon rainforest is the ulimate battle between economice interest and environmental preservation. The U.S. fights many of the same battles on a far different scale and with a better won/lost record. We have our Federal, State and local environmental guidelines which, though constantly under attack from those interests looking for quick economic benefit over long term environmental safety, help keep things in check. Even here economics dictate that the environment will lose some of those battles right here in the old US of A, to logging , local eminent domain seizures and "practical" emissions and water quality variances, but many will be won also. In the Amazon the rush to destroy and the forces that drive it are much more powerful and have deep ties to government. Abject and widespread poverty provide fertile ground for curruption and environmental destruction just as much of the USA's natural beauty was destroyed in the 19th century with economic and population expansion. It's very hard for outside countries and organizations to slow or control the consumption and avarice of countries in the process of tremendous growth. I fear we will lose more of those battles in the Amazon than we will win, at least in the short term.
Galli