#environmental issues in brazil

[ranjith11]

The Dark Side of Brazil - The Dark Truth Exposed | geography facts

In this video, we'll be taking a look at the dark side of Brazil. Explore the social inequality issues, environmental challenges, and corruption that persist in this captivating nation. Discover the lesser-known aspects of Brazil and the human rights issues that have recently come to light. By the end of this video, you'll have a better understanding of the hidden side of Brazil and how you can contribute to addressing these issues.

[sparksinthenight]

Across only 5 countries, 55 million people faced severe and deadly hunger last year, due to the climate crisis.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil: The Next Frontier For AI Data Centers

Throughout my career, I've witnessed numerous technological shifts, but none as transformative as the current artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. The demand for AI-ready infrastructure is skyrocketing, and with it comes the critical need for strategic locations to host these facilities—with Brazil poised to become a global hub for AI data centers.

Brazil's tech sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, creating a fertile environment for AI innovation. Latin America's IT industry continues to grow, attracting substantial investment. Venture capital flowing into Brazilian startups reached $2.8 billion in 2023, increasing 35% from 2022.

In the 2023 Global Innovation Index (GII), which ranks the world’s most innovative economies based on 80 different social and economic factors, Brazil climbed five positions to rank 49th globally and first in Latin America.

This improvement reflects the country's increasing R&D expenditure, which reached 1.15% of GDP. While this figure still lags behind some developed nations, it represents an increase from 2020, showcasing Brazil's dedication to closing the innovation gap.

Continue reading.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

1. Arizona governor Ok's over the counter birth control

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has expanded access to over-the-counter birth control that will “soon be available to Arizonans,” according to a press release.

Arizonans 18 and older will soon be able to go to their local pharmacy and purchase oral contraceptives without a doctor’s prescription.

2. ‘Great news’: EU hails discovery of massive phosphate rock deposit in Norway

A massive underground deposit of high-grade phosphate rock in Norway, pitched as the world’s largest, is big enough to satisfy world demand for fertilisers, solar panels and electric car batteries over the next 50 years, according to the company exploiting the resource. About 90% of the world’s mined phosphate rock is used in agriculture for the production of phosphorous for the fertiliser industry, for which there is currently no substitute.

3. U.S. Is Destroying the Last of Its Once-Vast Chemical Weapons Arsenal

Decades behind its initial schedule, the dangerous job of eliminating the world’s only remaining declared stockpile of lethal chemical munitions will be completed as soon as Friday.

4. Chinese scientists create edible food packaging to replace plastic

By incorporating certain soy proteins into the structure, Chinese University of Hong Kong scientists successfully created edible food packaging.

5. World's 1st 'tooth regrowth' medicine moves toward clinical trials in Japan

A Japanese research team is making progress on the development of a groundbreaking medication that may allow people to grow new teeth, with clinical trials set to begin in July 2024. The tooth regrowth medicine is intended for people who lack a full set of adult teeth due to congenital factors.

6. No Longer Endangered: The Bald Eagle is an Icon of the ESA

When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973, bald eagle population numbers across the country showed that the species was close to disappearing. Before the ESA, in the 1950s and ‘60s, eagles were shot routinely despite the protection. The ESA listing helped bring public attention to the issue.

Through the early 1970s and into the early ‘80s, numbers increased gradually. Then, as you got into the ‘90s, there was still gradual growth. From the late ‘90s into the 2000s, the population really exploded. There was a doubling rate of every several years or so for a while.

7. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon drops 34% in first half 2023

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon fell 34% in the first half of 2023, preliminary government data showed on Thursday, hitting its lowest level in four years as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva institutes tougher environmental policies.

Data produced by Brazil's national space research agency Inpe indicated that 2,649 square km (1,023 square miles) of rainforest were cleared in the region in the half year, the lowest for the period since 2019.

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That's it for this week :)

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[2handsslan]

max verstappen // mv1 fic recs

———————————— 🏎️🏎️ ————————————

one shots

misunderstood hero with a heart of gold - @harrysfolklore

“max verstappen has never been one to read books, but everything changes when he comes across a pretty booktuber who describes him better than anyone else did before”

two sides of the same coin - @monzabee

“the one where you try to convince yourself that you’re not falling for your teammate, but can’t help it when you realise that he is not that different from you after all”

a small request - @postracehair

“even world champions deserve love letters. after missing the mexico gp, you're determined to see max have a good weekend in brazil. maybe all it takes is a handwritten note”

my world (champion) - @italiangirlcoresblog

“the aftermath of the las vegas grand prix with max”

vegas baby - @neferaskingdom

“after winning his fourth world championship, max verstappen stuns the world with a live radio proposal”

work it out - @maxverstappendefender

“mclaren!rival x mv1 (max and reader had a little friends to enemies action, but they are stuck together now. maybe they will work out their issues...)”

the interview - @pucksandpower

“when you are given an assignment to interview someone, you can’t resist asking your boyfriend to be the subject … it’s just a shame that your professor doesn’t believe the interview actually happened”

christ-max - @harrysfolklore

“you invite your boyfriend max to spend christmas with you for the first time, however, your family doesn't quite believe you're dating a formula 1 world champion”

connection - @katsu28

“when a holiday gala that neither you nor max want to be at brings two people from vastly different worlds together, you find out that you might have more in common with the four time world champion than you think you do”

disturbing the peace - @pucksandpower

“an environmental activist disturbs the carefully constructed peace of max’s life and turns his whole world on its head (or in which environmentalism and being a menace both run in the vettel family)”

series

the yapping hour is upon us - @motorsportbarbie13

“in which max decides that maybe doing interviews isn't such a bad thing”

keep on rolling - @vivwritesfics

“lando's best friend having feelings for anyone on the grid? impossible, right? she worked with them, sharing her friendship with the grid with the world via the formulay/n youtube channel”

forbidden - @motorsportbarbie13

“in which you reconnect with an old friend, much to the dismay of your brother”

tamed - @jungwnies

“you're a top pr manager tasked with handling the infamous max verstappen, known for his fiery temper and controversial outbursts”

smau

she’s everything, he’s max - @menagerofmischief

“y/n leclerc starts soft launching a man and soon enough there are paparazzi pictures of the two of them except no one quiet believes that the princess of monaco would settle down with ... max”

we can’t be friends (wait for your love) - @fqlling4it

pt 2

friend of a friend - @norrisainz33

“max meets his dream girl through his friends good friend, pato o’ward”

put it all on red (bull) - @astonmartinii

“her brother won the race? does she know? does she care?”

crying in the club - @pomegranatesarchive

“how should one react when their boyfriend wins the world championship at the same time their brother loses it?”

max & the three musketeers series - @verstarppen

“mercedes’ is just a tiny bit worried about your dates with their archnemesis; once mick, lewis and george caught a whiff of your treason, they had to intervene and stop the villain from stealing their princess”

*these are part of my fic rec masterlist, please note none of these are written by me and the author of each story had been tagged! check out my f1 fic rec masterlist for other drivers!*

[reasonsforhope]

"Sawré Muybu is an Indigenous Land located in the Tapajós River Basin, in the state of Pará, Brazil, in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Covering 178,173 hectares — an area almost the size of 250,000 soccer fields — the territory is rich in fauna and flora, and home to the Munduruku People. Protecting it means ensuring the continuity of an ancestral, spiritual and cultural way of life that has always been in harmony with the forest.

The Munduruku People have been fighting for the rights to a land that has always belonged to them but is threatened by mining, illegal logging, and infrastructure projects. Now, it’s time to celebrate a historic and profoundly symbolic victory not only for the Munduruku, but for all Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon and Brazil. On September 25, 2024, the Sawré Muybu territory was officially demarcated. 

A long process

The demarcation process for Sawré Muybu began in 2007. However, it was stalled for a long time due to political issues and mainly due to the economic influence of mining in the region.

In 2014, the Munduruku people self-demarcated their territory, placing signs at the borders of the Indigenous Land, and pushing invaders out. This act had significant political implications and became a reference for Indigenous movements, inspiring various Indigenous Peoples across Brazil to do the same in their territories — a powerful, brave, and inspiring gesture of autonomy and independence.

10 years later, the demarcation process has finally been signed into decree by the Brazilian Minister of Justice. However, this does not mean that the demarcation process is complete. Now, the Brazilian government needs to mark the physical boundaries and remove the illegal occupants within the territory. After that, the Brazilian President will ratify the territory, completing the process.

But even at this stage, the recognition of the Sawré Muybu Land right can have significant repercussions for large-scale projects in the area, such a Ferrogrão, a railway project that would cut through the Sawré Muybu Land, and the São Luiz do Tapajós hydro dam. The dam project was shelved by the Brazilian environmental agency Ibama in 2016, but recent studies by Brazilian power company Eletrobrás this year shows that the struggle is not over. The recognition of the Sawré Muybu Land represents a major obstacle to any project that ignores the rights and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.

People Power

The signing of the decree is an achievement, but it was only possible thanks to the strength, wisdom, and persistence of the Munduruku People, who never gave up fighting for what is rightfully theirs. Over 17 years, efforts by the Munduruku People ranged from international pressure to collaborations with Brazilian authorities and environmental and human rights organizations."

-via Greenpeace, September 30, 2024

[boo-seb]

row_benario Former Formula 1 driver and four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel is in Brazil. One of his activities here was to participate in a Greenpeace Brazil flyover of the Amazon, where he had the opportunity to meet chiefs Raoni Metuktire and Megaron Txucarramãe, as well as learn from indigenous peoples about the importance of protecting their rights, their territory and their people. Yesterday and today I accompanied him in two interviews for two media outlets and it is very gratifying when we meet influential people who are so engaged in social and environmental issues.

The fight is and will always be collective 💚✊🏾Thanks, sebastianvettel

[olowan-waphiya]

The Afro-Brazilian community of Quilombo de Bombas in São Paulo state has welcomed a court ruling ordering the state to issue it with a land title to its ancestral territory located inside a state park.

The ruling is historic because it’s the first time this kind of traditional community whose ancestral territory overlaps with a state protected area will receive a title.

Government agencies involved in the process have acknowledged that quilombo inhabitants, known as quilombolas, have historically tended to be among the best environmental stewards in the country.

Despite the win, most of the nearly 500 quilombos throughout Brazil remain officially unrecognized, with only one in eight quilombolas living in formally titled territories.

[unhetalia]

this is really weak of me but I really do have to headcanon the Nations as having nothing to do with their governments and at times actively working against them because otherwise the atrocities are Not Fictional...

and anyway these beings hundreds of years old absolutely know that governments do not always have the people's best interests in mind. Do not always take care of the land. Nations believe their role is to take care of their land and their people, and maybe the older Nations tried to work with those in power in the beginning, but quickly learn their lesson.

because of this headcanon, I imagine the Nations all have 'departments' they belong to that focus on a certain issue. It would be impossible to have one individual try to have intimate knowledge of every single issue a country faces, and I love the implications this has on how much the Nations rely on each other, and how much their relationships are not reflective of human politics, because their purpose is not to reflect their people but to protect them and the land they're on.

SO finally, to the point of this post.

Here's what I think certain Nations do:

England and Russia are in charge of information gathering AKA espionage, as both have infiltrated their own governments at a very high level. Arthur is in MI6, Ivan is in the KGB-turned-FSK-turned-FSB. They're valuable assets to the rest of the world because they tend to have information on what everyone's governments are doing. Some other Nations who work in this department are Hungary, Philippines (F), Canada, Cuba, Ukraine, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.

A lot of Nations work on environmental issues - Sweden, Finland and Denmark focus on governance as a way to mitigate environmental issues, while Australia, New Zealand, South Africa are focused on conservation, Brazil, Colombia, Congo focus on deforestation and air pollution, the Pacific Islands on rising sea levels and ocean pollution.

China, France, Ireland and Turkey are focused on food security - each one focuses on a specific aspect of it. China on availability, Ireland on access, France on utilisation and Turkey on stability.

Social welfare is headed by Austria and Belgium, with Spain, the Italies, Greece and Portugal focused on it.

Internal security is handled by the Germany brothers and Switzerland - this is the protection of the Nations themselves. Arranging identities, extraction of Nations who land themselves in trouble, and also the keeper of their arsenal.

America heads the research and development department that connects everything together - they develop the gadgets used by Arthur and Ivan's team, help develop technologies and conduct research focused on the environment and food security, help trial new ideas on addressing poverty, hack databases in order to help create identities for Nations. This department includes Japan, South Korea, India (F), Taiwan, Tony (not a Nation but heavily involved), Liechtenstein, Hong Kong, Belarus, Netherlands, Estonia, Mexico (F).

EDIT: I have to re-think a lot of this because I keep thinking about how very little countries there are compared to shit happening in the world and it messes with this universe a little bit. SO. WILL BE RE-WORKED.

[fatehbaz]

On 22 September 1773, the Leviathan, a whaling vessel from Newport, Rhode Island, entered the port of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The Leviathan was captained by [T.L.] and had been chasing sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in the Atlantic since January that year. By September the ship had lost one of its whaling boats and was short on provisions, so was forced to land in Rio to resupply.

This accidental landing would give rise to a whole new whaling industry in Brazil.

---

Brazil was a Portuguese colony where a coastal [...] whaling style had developed over two centuries as a crown monopoly (1614–1801). Whales were captured at sea under contract from Portuguese administrators, while most of the hard labor was performed by African slaves. The main targets were the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) and the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).

In the mid-eighteenth century there was much talk amongst the whalers of another species, one that provided two extremely valuable substances: spermaceti and ambergris. Unknown to the Portuguese whalers, the source of these substances was the sperm whale, a species [...] inhabiting the open sea. It is the largest species of toothed whale (order Odontoceti) in the world, [...] weighing up to 57 tonnes [...]. They can dive to a depth of up to three thousand meters while hunting squid [...]. The spermaceti [...] [is] found in their [...] head [...]. Ambergris is a hard substance produced in the stomach and is thought to ease irritation caused by the mandibles of the cephalopods they feed on. Spermaceti was mainly used in the production of candles and as lamp fuel. Ambergris was used to make fine perfumes and was a component of medicines prescribed to treat headaches and cardiac issues, among other ailments.

---

In 1765 Portuguese whaling contractors sent two French whaling experts to discover if spermaceti and ambergris could be sourced from Brazilian whales. They visited one whaling station after another over the course of three years, inspecting dead whales, but they did not find the fated substances. [...] [T]he administrators [...] believed that "God is not served that in our seas of America appear more than three types of whales, without any being those that provide the drugs." [...] The accidental landing of the Leviathan in Rio changed that, as the locals quickly realized the ship was engaged in a new type of whaling, one that demanded novel methods and expertise [...].

---

Soon the foreign crew joined the local whalers; a ship was ordered to be equipped identically to the Leviathan, with borrowed spears, harpoons, and hooks so the Portuguese could copy the North American whaling methods. The new ship departed in October 1773 and returned three months later, having caught six sperm whales. Due to the success of this voyage, [the Leviathan's captain, T.L.] and his crew were employed to teach the Portuguese everything they knew [...]; in exchange they were paid a share of the proceeds from each whale caught. During a second voyage that took place from February to March 1774, nine sperm whales were caught around 1,200 km off the coast of Rio [...] [with] innovation[s] borrowed from the Rhode Island whalers.

Facing economic and environmental changes, and by sheer chance, the Portuguese crown and whaling administrators changed target species [...]. From October 1773 to June 1777, 30 whaling voyages were conducted and a total of 186 sperm whales were captured by the Portuguese off the coast of Brazil. At the same time, the presence of North American and British whalers in the South Atlantic increased, and whaling grounds were explored further offshore, along the entire Atlantic coast of South America and beyond. Portuguese involvement in sperm-whale hunting ended in 1777 because the whaling contractors amassed unsustainable debts and the industry was taken over by larger vessels from other nations. The accidental arrival of the Leviathan [...] sparked a new industry in Brazil and contributed to the inexorable decline of the other leviathans in this story, the sperm whales. The exploitation of whales in Brazil was facilitated by the transfer of knowledge first from [Europe] [...], then from North America [...].

---

All text above by: Nina Vieira, Patrick Hayes, and Al Matthews. "Facing Changes, Changing Targets: Sperm-Whale Hunting in Late Eighteenth-Century Brazil". Environment & Society Portal, Arcadia (Autumn 2019), no. 44. Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society. doi dot org/10.5282/rcc/8789 [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism.]

[queerbrownvegan]

Ecologies of collapse in Palestine 🇵🇸 

I don’t think we can solve the climate crisis if we can’t even decide whether or not Palestinians are going through a genocide. 

I’m afraid the [dominant] environmental movement has failed to clearly define what it means to liberate the world from an oppressive system. Removing a part of the apparatus is not systemic change. 

People have turned their backs on the United Nations 🇺🇳 for trying to call attention to the several human rights violations happening and that Israel’s government must be held accountable. Brazil 🇧🇷 government has named the incident one of the world's most terrible war crimes. Turkey 🇹🇷 has filed a lawsuit in international courts to hold the war criminal accountable. France 🇫🇷 has called for a ceasefire. None of these governments are innocent either, but it begs the question, why can't our governments take a stance against genocide?

Despite the rise of Islamophobia and antisemitism, we must continue to fight alongside our Muslim & Jewish communities, calling for an end to genocide. Critiquing an oppressive government should not be seen as antisemitic. Consuming ourselves to victimhood and weaponizing tears over the bloodshed of bodies blown up is a tool of the oppressor. A ceasefire includes the return of hostages. Validation of the count of death in Israelíes is also recognized. I don’t think many of the people asking for Free Palestine are not saying that both sides can’t grieve, but when it comes to weaponizing grief and tears to prohibit critiquing of a government, that is the issue. Media platforms are heavily censoring accounts while also perpetuating misinformation. When it comes to holding the government accountable, it seems that it can never be the case because one’s country is purely ethical and just does not exist where the majority of oppressive governments have conducted genocide, violence, and displacement under business. 

Many of you were never on the same page with liberating the world nor my work. Many of you saw Indigenous communities as museums for your curiosity and inspiration for your spiritual journeys to repackage to people who lack depth in their relationship with the land. Many of you committed to Black Lives Matter because you extracted from Black culture for your benefit and recognized you weren’t as racist as your neighbor or friend. Many of you committed to LGBTQ+ movements only to know that your rainbow started in the US and ended in the US, but anything deemed othering is unattractive. Many of you became feminist under the guise of equality but for only those who looked like you. 

But may we also have grace for those who are scared to speak up because their employers, friends, or opportunities are at the line, which could further cause them to be deprived in an economic system where people choose their ability to live and die. I’m not angry at you, nor do I know your situation, but I know my situation has allowed me to say I’ve already lost things I thought I wanted, but I’m still alive. Isn’t being alive the most sacred thing to ourselves that we don’t wish to be taken?  It wasn’t a billionaire, corporation, or institution that kept me grounded and alive. It was my community that made sure I survived.

Remember, we can solve the climate crisis by bringing awareness to the horrors unfolding in Gaza.

[world-of-wales]

I was looking into where COP is going it be hosted because it can tie in to earthshot, and of course Brazil is next year. COP31 (2026) is likely to be in Australia which is also a strong contender for earthshot, India is bidding for COP33 in 2028….

My reasoning on a potential Indian Earthshot is below this.

India better stay away from cop33 & Earthshot, especially after their latest 'achievements' in the conservation sector. The govt is fantastic in making bold claims but in reality, can't do shit. And I for one don't want william anywhere near that dumpster fire of hypocrites.

There's so many examples of their sheer incompetence, there's a polluted river in india - yamuna. Between 2017 - 2021 (or 22) I believe more than ₹6,800 crores of taxpayer money was spent on cleaning that death trap and it still is as dirty as it was when all this first began. There's actual toxic foam of ammonia and phosphates that floats around it 24/7.

Then just this week news came out that 25 Tigers, (which are an endangered species btw and also part of a very ambitious conservation project 'Project Tiger' started in 1973) have been untraceable from a state run national park for the past year. The only reason this came out was because another tiger was found dead from that forest.

And just yesterday, it came out that 10 elephants died in another state run park last month because they were fed...fungal infected millets.

Heck, Delhi? The capital? It's consistently been one of the most polluted cities of the world for years. It's a literal gas chamber, which gets the worst around the current time coz of various issues. Now diwali falls around this time and because of the air quality, the Indian supreme court banned any sort of crackers/fireworks to be burnt in the area? Sounds amazing right? But guess what since crackers have come to be associated with Diwali which is a hindu festival. So the members of the ruling party within their agenda have turned this ban into an attack on religion and consistently provoke their supporters on this ground urging them to burn crackers and make delhi insufferable for all.

This is just 4 examples, there's so many that if I start listing them, we'll be here for a long time.

Moreover, the current ruling party will only twist the visit to fill into their own agenda of hate mongering & political capital as they have been known to do with every such visit.

Also the govt quite literally cordoned off low income neighborhoods that fell on route of the attendees in Delhi with plastic barriers and police personnel during the G20 in 2023, to make sure no world leader saw anything other than the rosy picture they were putting out.

Now imagine what would happen in case of something like COP33. Ofc they would do similar repulsive things then also and imagine how harmful being attached to something like this with a potential Earthshot will be for William and his public image!

I would love for him to come here, Earthshot is such a fabulous initiative, and there's such a booming environmental startup sector in India like Phool (I personally am aware of their situation. My mum's cousin runs a marketing firm and she's the one who handles everything for them, and she's told me so much about how Earthshot has helped them since 2022 with linking them to investors, other similar businesses, exposure etc) or Kheyti etc etc which deserve to be highlighted.

But in the past 10 years buisness and government have become so intrinsically linked in india that no matter what the ruling party will hijack the contributions of these organizations like they do.

So yeah maybe I'm being a narrow minded idiot but Earthshot in India rn? Will only lead to credibility issues.

Now let's hope I don't go to jail for putting all this here by exercising my fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a).

[transmutationisms]

original anon here tysm for the recs ! if the marxist frameworks was too limiting im also completely fine w general postcolonial botany readings on the topic :0

A Spiteful Campaign: Agriculture, Forests, and Administering the Environment in Imperial Singapore and Malaya (2022). Barnard, Timothy P. & Joanna W. C. Lee. Environmental History Volume: 27 Issue: 3 Pages: 467-490. DOI: 10.1086/719685

Planting Empire, Cultivating Subjects: British Malaya, 1786–1941 (2018). Lynn Hollen Lees

The Plantation Paradigm: Colonial Agronomy, African Farmers, and the Global Cocoa Boom, 1870s--1940s (2014). Ross, Corey. Journal of Global History Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Pages: 49-71. DOI: 10.1017/S1740022813000491

Cultivating “Care”: Colonial Botany and the Moral Lives of Oil Palm at the Twentieth Century’s Turn (2022). Alice Rudge. Comparative Studies in Society and History Volume: 64 Issue: 4 Pages: 878-909. DOI: 10.1017/S0010417522000354

Pacific Forests: A History of Resource Control and Contest in Solomon Islands, c. 1800-1997 (2000). Bennett, Judith A.

Thomas Potts of Canterbury: Colonist and Conservationist (2020). Star, Paul

Colonialism and Green Science: History of Colonial Scientific Forestry in South India, 1820--1920 (2012). Kumar, V. M. Ravi. Indian Journal of History of Science Volume: 47 Issue 2 Pages: 241-259

Plantation Botany: Slavery and the Infrastructure of Government Science in the St. Vincent Botanic Garden, 1765–1820 (2021). Williams, J'Nese. Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte Volume: 44 Issue: 2 Pages: 137-158. DOI: 10.1002/bewi.202100011

Angel in the House, Angel in the Scientific Empire: Women and Colonial Botany During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries (2020). Hong, Jiang. Notes and Records: The Royal Society Journal of the History of Science Volume: 75 Issue: 3 Pages: 415-438. DOI: 10.1098/rsnr.2020.0046

From Ethnobotany to Emancipation: Slaves, Plant Knowledge, and Gardens on Eighteenth-Century Isle de France (2019). Brixius, Dorit. History of Science Volume: 58 Issue: 1 Pages: 51-75. DOI: 10.1177/0073275319835431

African Oil Palms, Colonial Socioecological Transformation and the Making of an Afro-Brazilian Landscape in Bahia, Brazil (2015). Watkins, Case. Environment and History Volume: 21 Issue: 1 Pages: 13-42. DOI: 10.3197/096734015X14183179969700

The East India Company and the Natural World (2015). Ed. Damodaran, Vinita; Winterbottom, Anna; Lester, Alan

Colonising Plants in Bihar (1760-1950): Tobacco Betwixt Indigo and Sugarcane (2014). Kerkhoff, Kathinka Sinha

Science in the Service of Colonial Agro-Industrialism: The Case of Cinchona Cultivation in the Dutch and British East Indies, 1852--1900 (2014). Hoogte, Arjo Roersch van der & Pieters, Toine. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences Volume: 47 Issue: Part A Pages: 12-22

Trading Nature: Tahitians, Europeans, and Ecological Exchange (2010). Newell, Jennifer

The Colonial Machine: French Science and Overseas Expansion in the Old Regime (2011). McClellan, James E. & Regourd, François

Colonial Botany: Science, Commerce, and Politics in the Early Modern World (2005). Ed. Schiebinger, Londa L. & Swan, Claudia

Plants and Empire: Colonial Bioprospecting in the Atlantic World (2004). Schiebinger, Londa L.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Judge in Brazil orders slaughterhouses to pay for Amazon reforestation

A judge in the Brazilian state of Rondonia has found two beef slaughterhouses guilty of buying cattle from a protected area of former rainforest in the Amazon and ordered them, along with three cattle ranchers, to pay a total of $764,000 for causing environmental damage, according to the decision issued Wednesday. Cattle raising drives Amazon deforestation. The companies Distriboi and Frigon and the ranchers may appeal.

It is the first decision in several dozen lawsuits seeking millions of dollars in environmental damages from the slaughterhouses for allegedly trading in cattle raised illegally in a protected area known as Jaci-Parana, which was rainforest but is now mostly converted to pasture.

Four slaughterhouses are among the many parties charged, including JBS SA, which bills itself as the world’s largest protein producer. The court has not decided on the cases involving JBS.

Brazilian law forbids commercial cattle inside a protected area, yet some 210,000 head are being grazed inside Jaci-Parana, according to the state animal division. With almost 80% of its forest destroyed, it ranks as the most ravaged conservation unit in the Brazilian Amazon. A court filing pegs damages in the reserve at some $1 billion.

Continue reading.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - February 13, 2023

Hello there! Welcome to another edition of ‘Feel Good Newsletter’. I'm so glad you're here. Every week, I scour the web for the most uplifting and heartwarming stories to bring you a little bit of joy and inspiration. So, sit back, relax, and let's dive in!

1. Minnesota House passes "universal" school meals, providing free breakfast, lunch to students

The Minnesota House of Representatives is considering a bill that would provide universal school meals to all students in the state, regardless of their families' ability to pay. The goal of the bill is to ensure that all students have access to nutritious meals and are better equipped to learn in the classroom.

If the bill is approved, Minnesota would become the second state in the country, after California, to offer universal school meals. The bill has the support of education and anti-hunger advocates, who argue that it would help to address food insecurity and improve student health and academic performance.

2. Ukraine succeeds in bringing back 128 children forcibly removed to Russia

Ukraine has succeeded in bringing back 128 children forcibly taken by the invaders to Russia.

Source: Yuliia Usenko, Head of the Department for the Protection of the Interests of Children and Combating Violence of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine, quoted by Ukrinform

Quote: "We have managed to bring 128 children back to Ukraine. More than 50 of them, together with their parents or guardians, are currently in EU countries.

3. Putting solar panels in grazing fields is good for sheep

A study found that installing solar panels in grazing fields is beneficial for sheep. The study was conducted in the UK and found that sheep were more likely to spend time in areas with solar panels than in areas without. This is because the panels provide shade and shelter from the sun, wind, and rain.

The researchers believe that this could help to improve the welfare of sheep, as they are more likely to seek out shade in hot weather, which can reduce the risk of heat stress. The study also found that the solar panels had little impact on the growth and health of the grass, which is important for the sheep's diet.

4. Dad takes toddler son for a manicure after teacher says it's 'only for girls'

The father and son were at a "Daddy and Me" event, where fathers were encouraged to spend time with their children doing various activities. The father chose to take his son to get a manicure, but was told by the teacher in charge of the activity that it was only for girls. The father was reportedly surprised and upset by the teacher's statement, as he felt that it was important for his son to be able to express himself however he wants, without gender stereotypes getting in the way.

The article notes that the incident highlights the ongoing issue of gender stereotypes and the importance of promoting gender equality and inclusivity, especially in children's activities.

4. More than half of new U.S. electric-generating capacity in 2023 will be solar, and only 14% will be using fossil fuels

Information Administration (EIA), energy production in the country increased for the fourth consecutive week. The EIA data showed that the output of oil, natural gas, and coal rose by 1.6%, 2.2%, and 3.2% respectively. The increase in energy production is due to a combination of factors, including improved drilling techniques, favorable weather conditions, and rising global demand for energy.

5. Deforestation in Brazil falls by 60% in first month under Lula

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil fell for the first time this year, according to a report by Reuters. The decrease is attributed to increased enforcement of environmental regulations and increased monitoring of illegal logging activities. The Brazilian government has implemented several measures to reduce deforestation and preserve the Amazon rainforest, which is a critical component of the global ecosystem.

6. Cat returned to NJ shelter for being 'too affectionate' now happy in his new home

A cat named Bruno surrendered to a shelter in New Jersey and was eventually adopted by a new family. Bruno, who was described as a friendly and affectionate cat, is now happily settling into his new home. The story of Bruno's adoption serves as a reminder of the importance of animal shelters and the work they do to find loving homes for abandoned pets.

7. A doggy day care was on fire. Neighbors helped save all 115 dogs inside.

A fire broke out at a doggy daycare and resort in Seattle, causing significant damage to the building. No dogs or employees were injured in the fire, but several dogs had to be temporarily relocated to other facilities. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the resort is working to make repairs and get back to serving the community's four-legged friends as soon as possible.

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