Sometimes, oxygen is a product that you can buy and sell. Scuba divers buy it, medical facilities buy it, and so do welders. We use oxygen every second of the day -- in fact, we rely on it for survival. Should we have to buy it like food?

If we look at oxygen from an economic standpoint, we must ask where and how oxygen is produced. The majority of oxygen is produced in the rainforests of the world (Central and South America, Central Africa, Northern Australia and Southern Asia). Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through the process of respiration. As humans we have no shortage of carbon dioxide (humans, factories, and automobiles produce it, for example), but we do have a shortage of oxygen. In other words this is a product in which is expensive to produce ourselves. We have many natural oxygen factories here on earth; these are more commonly referred to as rainforests.

Generally, factory owners receive the wealth from the products they produce, but who receives the wealth from oxygen production? Can air be packaged and sold?

Furthermore, when we have a toxic spill we must pay people or companies to clean it up. Every person and many companies produce carbon dioxide -- should we have to pay to maintain our own environment by making sure that we are taking care of enough plants to convert the carbon dioxide into clean air?

If we followed these rules perhaps we would have more of an interest in saving the rainforests. As it is now, the rainforest is being cut down at an alarming rate. Rainforests are being cleared to make way for cattle ranches. Farmers clear several acres for their cattle, graze them for several years and then clear another patch. Tropical soils are very poor quality and aren't able to produce sustainable cattle feed; therefore more and more forest get cut down. The problem is that farmers know that they can make more money clearing their land and selling cattle and timber than they can from producing air. From their standpoint, they are better off doing what they are doing, instead of preserving the rainforest. From our standpoint we would like to preserve our current way of life. Can we continue our currently lifestyle and save the rainforest as well? Can we have our cake and eat it too? Or do we need to rethink how important the rain forest is to us?

What are 5 things individuals can do to help protect the rainforest?
How much is the world climate affected by destruction of the rainforest?
Have you ever paid for air? Have you ever paid for water?
What do you think would happen if all air cost money?
What kinds of animals live in the rainforest? What happens to them when rainforests are cut down?
What products are made from timber? What products are made from cattle? Would you be willing to give these products up to help save the rainforest?