How I would change the world...if I wasn't afraid

My biggest fear has always been a fear of change. I'm comfortable with my life the way it is, and anything that threatens to expose me to something new and unfamiliar always makes me panic. Things like moving away from home, making new friends, even trying new foods are met with much resistance. I wish I didn't feel this way however, because I have a strong desire to do something, something big, that would almost certainly require me to leave behind my little zone of comfort. I am very passionate about preserving our planet's biodiversity. We are currently in the middle of a mass extinction where plants, animals, and even entire ecosystems are disappearing at alarming rates. If I wasn't so afraid of change, I would move to a country with tropical rainforests, and learn as much as I could about its incredible diversity. If I wasn't afraid of meeting new people, I would initiate a campaign to educate locals about what a unique treasure the rainforest is, and why they should preserve it. I sincerely hope that I can get over my fears of change and unfamiliarity, and help to save the incredible amount of biodiversity existing on our planet, before it's too late.

So, now,  assuming I was able to get over my fear of change and move to an area with rainforest, I would begin studying the area's flora and fauna intensely. I would learn which species are most in danger by studying the genetics of each population. Populations with lower genetic diversity and smaller population size are most threatened with extinction. I would also attempt to find new, previously undescribed species. Scientists have currently identified 1.8 million different species, however, it is hypothesized that the actual number of species on Earth could be anywhere from 3 to 30 million. This means that there is an incredible amount of biodiversity we have yet to discover, however most of these species are believed to exist in areas of the world that are highly threatened, such as tropical rainforests. Once I know which species are in danger, I plan to teach the public why biodiversity is worth saving. Many people who live in rainforest regions are very poor and eagerly sell their land or turn the forest into farms and cattle ranches for the large amounts of money it would bring them. What I plan to do is to educate these people about how rare and special the rainforest is, and why it should be preserved, at the same time as helping them to find other ways to sustain themselves. I hope to inspire in others the same passion and drive for conserving the beautiful creatures on this planet that I feel myself.