The Earth could die soon if rain forests are not protected.

If the tropical rain forest is stripped away it could result in the end of the earth, said Randy Hayes, Rainforest Action Network executive director Tuesday night to about 120 people.

“You can cut off a finger and be all right, but if you lose a vital organ, you die. The rain forest is a vital organ in the body of the earth,” Hayes said.

He said people should not trust the experts about the state of the environment. If the experts could be trusted, “we wouldn’t be in this mess now.”

NIU students and administration might be able to save the rain forests but efforts must start with the individual, Hayes said.

Organization at the university level could lead to national and international programs, but the emphasis must be on individual involvement if the rain forests are to be saved, he said. “We’re going to have to depend on you.”

Hayes said every biological organism plays a vital role in sustaining “the web of life” that the rain forest provides.

Changing behavior to prevent the destruction of the forest and learning to live in harmony with our environment are two ways of sustaining the earth’s ecology, he said.

“We need to get our foot off the throat of the eco-system,” Hayes said.

He recommended students form a local chapter of the Rainforest Action Network to implement programs attracting interest to the problem.

Hayes said organizations’ involvement, such as Burger King which is in the process of deforestation in South America, also needs to be addressed.

“The burden is not on your shoulders when you walk into a fast food restaurant. It’s on the shoulders of the owner,” he said.

Burger King owns land which is being rapidly depleted to make room for beef cattle, Hayes said. He said Burger King is a major target for environmental groups.