Letter to Representative

As well known as it may have been, and is, the tragedy is its apparent irrelevancy. The deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon is a terrible happening. When it became abundantly clear within the last few decades that many of our modern practices were no longer sustainable, even more so within the past few years with the introduction of global warming, the environment finally had a significant importance to the world, and not merely a handful of individuals. If not for its beauty, then for the sake of ourselves, it should be protected. By sustaining our forests, we further sustain ourselves. By keeping our forests healthy, especially the enormous forests such as the Brazilian Amazon, we keep the environment balanced and as self-sustaining as we can, which we later benefit future generations. And the way in which we are currently managing this resource, especially in the Amazon, is not even close to being sustainable in the long term, and most certainly damaging to our futures, in one way or another.

Back in the 1970s, Brazil accelerated its rate of deforestation, for a variety of reasons, most concerning personal profit. Since then, there have been periods of peaks and wanes in the history of deforestation of Brazil. However, what has remained consistent is the staggering amount revealed at the end of the year that further compounds the problem. Whether the amount deforested may drop or rise, regardless it will be a massive loss for the Amazon. The issues surrounding the process revolve around a few key factors, the most major concerning general land clearance. There are several reasons for the deforestation, chief among them being that cattle companies need the land the Amazon currently occupies to expand their pastures, because the more cattle they get in the process of expanding their business, the more land they need to graze them. In order to do this, the trees must be cut away, and the landscape altered to suit their needs, thereby negating a chance for the forest to make a comeback anytime soon. There are laws that prevent such rampant deforestation, but the situation in Brazil is such that there is no substantial amount of manpower available to prevent destructive logging. Compounding this issue is the need for farm land in Brazil, most commonly for the soybean. And on top of these, illegal logging, while certainly not the largest attributor to the situation, a rampant factor in the continuing destruction of the Amazon.

However, it seems that even with the Amazon being in so much suffering, the whole problem seems to be somewhat forgotten, an afterthought. While awareness is still somewhat of an issue, there are other methods to solving this problem. I suggest one of two possible solutions. One solution involves unifying of some of the world’s largest meat producers. By doing so, it becomes simple to enact and nullify bans, depending on the situation in Brazil. The other solution requires financial support to the Brazilian people, and not directly to the government, because of the suspected corruption. This solution gives subsidies to the people and companies that currently log the Amazon, to not continue. By doing so, it gives the Brazilian economy a means of another income, and provides the government and people with a window of opportunity to bolster protection and laws involving logging of the Amazon.

Op-Ed

A Shared Self-Interest

Long has the Amazon of Brazil been in the public eye. By extension, one could make the case that it has been an equally long time for which its problems have been overlooked, and unattended, internally or externally.

Indifference.

Think of all the wonderful things the Amazon has provided the American people over the years. Most likely, you can’t think of much other than wood, and soybeans, and a few other cash crops, to a lesser extent. However, it also provides beef, and the far more important resource of carbon, of the sort that is released into our atmosphere. Wood, it should be obvious where that originated from, and the beef and soybeans come from land that originally contained Amazon rainforest, that is now area for cattle to graze and the crop to grow respectively. Carbon comes from a source twofold; the machines used to deforest the jungle, and the jungle itself once the trees die, for they are repositories of carbon. And among these, a myriad of other, smaller resources, unimportant as they are, among them the unique plants and animals of the Amazon itself. Of trifling importance to anyone, of course. As tragic as an extinction might be, it’s happened before, no big deal.

Ignorance and indifference. It’s hard enough as it is to handle our own problems and responsibilities, much less the troubles of the world. Charity begins and home, and whatever happens away from home, stays there. Global warming, deforestation, ice caps melting, genocides, naturals disasters, war, and more. Each problem has a different degree of importance on any given individual, but none will matter much until experienced in some measure. What matter the issues that ravage another country, because ignorance is indeed bliss for the majority of people. Turning the blind eye seems to have become second nature.However, it is a rare problem that is one-dimensional. It follows then, that the solutions for such a problem need to be a multi-dimensional, complicated thing that encompasses every challenge presented. And therein lies the difficulty. It is always easier to ignore than to address. Convenience.

Deforestation is a worldwide issue, on the brink of catastrophic proportions. The rate it currently follows cannot be sustained. The Brazilian Amazon comprises very nearly half the remaining rainforests of the world, and covers an area of 5.5 million square kilometers. A few more numbers to digest. Since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers of the Amazon have been lost, over ten percent of the total size of the rainforest. Between May 2000 and August 2006, the Amazon lost nearly 150,000 square kilometers, the highest spike of deforestation in its history, and the area lost is equivalent to the size of Greece. Brazil is the world’s fourth largest producer of carbon emissions, with 70 percent of it being directly or indirectly related to the deforestation occurring within the country.

Furthermore, the reason for the majority of all this deforestation can be attributed to government involvement and the cattle industry in Brazil, the largest beef exporter in the world. Whether by directly enlisting the help of the people to cut down the Amazon, or by giving the people rainforest land, placing land clearance restrictions upon them which the government has no means with which to enforce. The Brazilian government has so much invested in the national cattle industry, and so much stock within it, any decrease in productivity or efficiency will provide further economic problems for the country as a whole. So instead of saving the Amazon, the government itself allows the people, to a certain, albeit extensive, degree to do whatever they wish with the land. Sure, they apprehend illegal loggers, and make occasional arrests based on outstanding circumstances, but all in all, not much is being done to prevent the practice. It suits the agenda to just let what happens, invariably happen.

And this attitude has rubbed on the people, somewhat. They don’t need the wood, there’s so much of it. The logging is left to the companies to do. One of the main ways of clearing the Amazon is just burning it. Saved everyone a ton of trouble, so why not. The people even receive subsidies, tax breaks, and incentives from the government to tear it down further. If pays to destroy the forest, because no one will pay them to save it. As Brazilian congressman Homero Pereira puts it, “If you don’t want us to tear down the forest, you better pay us to leave it up!”

Petition

Below is a link to a petition a created for the purpose of slowing the rate of deforestation within the Brazilian Amazon. It would require a wide-spread ban by both large beef companies and people alike of beef raised out of regulations, in terms of the amount of rainforest they cleared to raise their cattle. By ceasing to support this practice, it could slow the amount of rainforest cleared by the cattle comapnies of Brazil because of the ban.

http://www.petitiononline.com/BrCattle/

Abstract

The Brazilian Amazon is a valuable commodity in many aspects. However, the most valuable facet of its existance is the role it plays in monetary gain. Self-interest, in all levels of society, is destroying Brazil. Its economy is unstable at best, as the government has placed loads of stock in the cattle and farming industries, two of the largest exports the country offers. The government pushes the citizenry to clear the Amazon, the government gets the land when it's all done, and the cattle companies benefit. On top of all this, the soil becomes infertile, the climate itself is in danger of shifting, and Brazil is releasing a comparatively massive amount of greenhouse emissions in comparison to other countries. There are a myriad of problems occurring in addition to deforestation. The overall issue is complicated and anh immensely difficult problem to remedy in anyway.
There are a few solutions that could be implemented, but outside help is essentially required and needed for both. One requires a worldwide ban by pivotal beef companies. They purchase products raised and farmed in Brazil, regardless of if they were grown illegally or in an incorect manner. By doing so, the government will run out of money to continue to fuel the continued deforestation. The other solution should be financial aid to Brazil. It would require the government to provide subsidies to companies and regular citizens to NOT log any further into the Amazon. As of right now, the government provides tax cuts and financial aid to people who deforest their properties. By paying them not to, the government essentiallybuys itself a window of opportunity. During this period, not much will be cut down, giving time to strengthen forest protection and increase measures to prevent any further deforestation.

Fewdiez

In response to the article, In Defense of Food.

1) There could any number of reasons as to why people choose products which are unhealthy to them. Some of the simplests reasons are ones like that is food they have become accustomed to, or just something they prefer to other possible alternatives. Other reasons could include being simply uneducated about the product they're buying. They may not even be entirely aware that what they're buying is artificial or otherwise unhealthy for them. It could also just be that no other forms of more healthy food is available to them, due to cost, transportation, or general availability within their area of convenience.

2) As far as the government goes, they should to a certain extent, have a hand in educating the general populace about food products. Consider the health reforms to the food industry due to squalid working conditions and standards held in meat processing plants back in the 30's and 40's. The government radically forced change in that system.
And while change may not be as 'important' to this system now, simply because the food does not pose an immediate, inevitable threat to our health, it certainly can affect our health. And if nothing else, the government should at the least be a little bit concerned with that.
That's not to say the government should be burdened with overseeing all the food, procesess and procedures of the industries. However, perhaps through programs or new policies, it should somehow have a hand in regulating new labels to give more information to the buyer in some manner. Anything to help a consumer be just a little more informed about their choices.

Biography: Novalina (To be edited later)

Novalina Betancourt was born in San Francisco, and grew up in San Diego. She is of Puerto Rican descent, and from there derives her favorite food, Puerto Rican rice and beans. Her parents are like her best friends, and her father like a role model and hero. Because, when he was growing up, he was told many times that he should just find a safe job like being a janitor. However, he was driven to become more that was what expected of him, to go beyond and exceed expectations of his life, and these are traits and characteristics Novalina respected and emulated.
She went to Hillsdale High School, and then to UC Davis for college. While she never really regretted anything major, she did once get arrested during a spring break incident in Mexico during her senior year. It was an incident involving some hotel rooms and sneaking around. Safe to say the story has a happy enough ending.
Novalina has tried to figure out what she wants in her life, whether it be career choice or what she wants out of a relationship. She once worked for a technology company as an inspirational team leader. She then got the opportunity to intern for Clear Channel, a radio broadcasting company, and became a DJ for a female based audience for a while. later on, she co-authored the book, "The Secret", and this led to her making her own book, which she works on now. The book, "Total Female Package", is a compendium of other people's stories, much like the style of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books.
Aside from all of her big life aspirations, she is also one of simple enjoyments. She loves to dance, and to read. She's not married, but she's had significant relationships before and that has taught her much. She has more of a spiritual outlook on life, and likes love stories. And we know her today indirectly through Nicole Pack's sister, who introduced her to Elika. At this point in time, her story ends with a bunch of high school kids interviewing her at large. A fascinating end thus far.

An American Pastime.

To a certain degree, it is probably correct to say that the United States is involved in one way or another with the vast majority of countries in the world.
By means of war, trade, support, or rebuilding, among other reasons.
There is no doubt that the United States has an enormous influence on world economy and politics. However, there is no excuse for intervening in a country where we are not welcome.

For no reasons should we ever become involved in a country that does truly not want us there to begin with.
The only purpose for which the United States, or any powerful country for that matter, should intervene in the business of another country is if assisstance is asked for, first.
However, this can be taken case by case, as well.
If a terrible wrong is being committed in a country, so drastic of something as a genocide, or oppression of the people, a decision will need to be made on whether or not to involve ourselves in the agenda of any other country.
It will always be subjective to many different opinions, and the variables surrounding the situation at hand.
Whether or not the United States should choose to intervene politically, in a militaristic manner, or otherwise, is a choice that must be made quickly, and logically.
We are powerful. But not enough so to justify throwing our weight around.