We all care deeply about forests and want to contribute to their preservation. The good news is that forest conservation can take place not only in distant rainforests, but also in our everyday lives and right on our doorsteps. Every conscious decision can help to preserve forests—everywhere in the world. 

Our pure wood consumption is something that many people do not even consider in their everyday lives. If we only look at our German forests, we would have an average of around 0.7^m3 of wood per capita^available per year, assuming sustainable supply – that is roughly the volume of a large refrigerator or 4-5 full bathtubs. However, our actual consumption is significantly higher, at around 1.3^m³. So we are dependent on wood imports.

But what happens to all that wood? Of course, we use wood as a building material for furniture and buildings, and we process it into paper, packaging materials, and other everyday products. But a full 50% of wood is simply burned for heat—even though only 6% of households in Germany primarily heat with wood. However, wood is becoming increasingly popular as a heating fuel: wood consumption in Germany has doubled since 1990^.

Many people certainly mean well, as wood is considered sustainable and climate-friendly. But if you take a closer look, it's unfortunately not that simple, because heating with wood also releases_CO2 and large amounts of particulate matter.³ Wood-burning stoves – especially older models – are also not particularly energy-efficient. For real climate and forest protection, energy conservation, renewable electricity, and efficient, modern heating systems such as heat pumps are the much better choice.

A large part of global deforestation is directly linked to our consumer behavior. The raw material for many wood and paper products that we use every day comes from Scandinavia or the^{Amazon region} —the very places that we so urgently need to protect. However, this also means that we have considerable leverage for change in this area. If you want to protect forests in your everyday life, you can make a big difference when shopping. This may take a little effort at first, but if you give it some time, these changes will quickly become established habits.

Almost 90% of global deforestation is due to the expansion of agriculture, for example soy cultivation or palm oil production.¹⁰ Palm oil is found in numerous foods—such as chocolate, frozen pizza, and spreads—as well as in many cosmetics and cleaning products. Over 70 million tons of the oil are produced annually, most of it in Southeast Asia. This makes palm oil the most sought-after vegetable oil on the world market^. Sustainable alternatives are hard to find. Other oil plants would require far more land to produce the same yield.¹¹ Although we often read about "certified palm oil," unfortunately, seals such as the RSPO seal cannot be trusted without reservation.¹²

When shopping, it is therefore well worth taking a second look at the list of ingredients and the origin of the products. This can also make a big difference with products containing cocoa, rubber, or coffee. Shopping apps such as CodeCheck help you make purchasing decisions and find brands that are transparent about their supply chains.

Our diet has a significant impact on global deforestation. If you want to protect forests, you can make a big difference by eating consciously.

Just like palm oil, soy also has a bad reputation – but here the situation is a little different. It is not the consumption of tofu and soy milk that is responsible for the increasing deforestation of the rainforest. Due to its high protein content and comparatively low cost of cultivation, the majority of soy – around 75% – is processed into animal feed for livestock and aquaculture.¹³ The soybeans used to manufacture products suitable for human consumption come mainly from Europe.¹⁴ It is therefore high meat consumption that is driving deforestation – not for feed cultivation, but also for grazing animals.  

^A predominantly plant-based, regional, and seasonal diet reduces land use and counteracts the destruction of forests. Less meat, more vegetables, legumes, and grains—this not only protects forests, but also the climate and health.

Forest conservation thrives on awareness. The more people know about the importance of forests and the consequences of deforestation, the more people will get involved in protecting these ecosystems. The movement will grow, and social pressure on politics and business will increase. Sharing articles, social media posts, or projects from nature conservation organizations such as Wohlleben's Forest Academy, BUND, or even us raises awareness, as do everyday conversations with family, friends, or colleagues. 

Protecting forests does not mean being perfect, but rather making conscious decisions. Whether through sustainable consumption, a forest-friendly diet, or supporting nature conservation organizations—every step counts. Together, we can help ensure that forests are preserved as a basis of life for future generations.

^{1 www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1RGDZOJoXo} (Wohlleben's Forest Academy: Simple ways to protect forests with a noticeable impact)

^{2 https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/system/files/medien/publikation/long/4426.pdf}

^{3 https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/heizen-holz}

⁴ www.papierindustrie.de/fileadmin/0002-PAPIERINDUSTRIE/99_Publikationen/Transformation-Papierindustrie-Studie-Web.pdf

⁵ https://www.wwf.ch/de/wir-grillieren-den-tropenwald

⁶ https://www.regenwald-schuetzen.org/handeln/tropenholz-vermeiden

^{7 https://www.wwf.ch/de/unsere-ziele/holz-und-papier}

⁸ https://www.regenwald-schuetzen.org/handeln/tropenholz-vermeiden/fsc-siegel-und-tropenholz

⁹ https://search.fsc.org/de/

¹⁰ https://www.bmz.de/de/themen/biodiversitaet/wald

¹¹ https://www.wwf.de/themen-projekte/landwirtschaft/produkte-aus-der-landwirtschaft/palmoel/palmoel-alternative-hefeoel-unter-der-lupe

¹² https://www.swr.de/leben/verbraucher/ard-marktcheck/rspo-rainforest-alliance-fairtrade-wie-fair-und-nachhaltig-sind-siegel-100.html

^{13 https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2016-01-28-agricultural-commodities-brack-glover-wellesley.pdf}

¹⁴ https://www.peta.de/themen/soja-regenwald/

15 https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/umwelttipps-fuer-den-alltag/essen-trinken/klima-umweltfreundliche-ernaehrung#gewusst-wie