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The internet falls into a familiar cycle almost every time a major global crisis or natural disaster occurs: Hashtags are devised, petitions are started on Change.org, and online fundraising campaigns flood social media feeds.
Just this year, we’ve witnessed this cycle play out with the Notre Dame Cathedral fire, the political crisis in Sudan, and most recently, the weeks-long blazes that are ravaging the Amazon rainforest. The forest has been hit with a record number of fires this year: More than 74,000 fires have been reported, an 84 percent increase over the number at the same time last year.
Well-meaning Americans have eagerly opened their wallets to nonprofit organizations and charities. On Facebook, the top six trending fundraisers are currently related to the Amazon fires and tied to advocacy groups like Amazon Watch, Rainforest Alliance, and Rainforest Foundation Norway.