Rainforest deforestation is a topic we’re fighting to be tackled on the international agenda. In most tropical countries, most deforestation occurs naturally or through the result of agriculture. However, in places such as Brazil, the problem is primarily down to land clearing by commercial interests – along with poorly guided government policy, commercial exploitation of precious forest resources and inappropriate and poorly managed projects funded by organisations such as the World Bank. These need to be tackled and the focus needs to move back to sustainable use of the rainforest, primarily by the local communities who live within it and protect it.
So what are the activities that cause the problem? Well, broadly, they include the following:
Clearing of the rainforest for pasture ground. Cattle ranching is a clear problem in the Amazon and has been since the 70s. Brazil is a leading producer of beef, thanks to currency and interest rate advantages, road developments and infrastructure, favourable laws and a strong control over foot and mouth. With the world’s population growing and demanding more protein, beef production looks set to grow.
Subsistence agriculture. Poor farmers are often encouraged to settle on forest land by governments, claiming rights and intensively farming it. Associated practices include burning shrubbery and cutting down trees across vast spaces and then intensively farming it until the land is stripped of nutrients and becomes waste.
Improvements to national infrastructure. Road construction demands deforestation and is usually linked to logging and mining.
Commercial farming. Soybeans have led to huge levels of rainforest deforestation.
Logging practices. Often linked to road building and commercial development.
Of course, it is solutions that we need to the problems, but as a first step, education about the problems that affect the rainforest is key. The more we can identify them and raise awareness, the stronger the pressure we can exert to decision makers to make steps to resolve them.
A new award has been launched this month to recognise the ‘greenest’ celebrities. Amongst the nominated A-Listers are Sting, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Paul McCartney.
An offshoot scheme of the better known International Green Awards (there to celebrate and mark the most creative campaigns for sustainability worldwide), these celebrity awards will mark and recognise a celebrity for their work in promoting and showing personal commitment to the sustainability agenda.
A number of big players are involved in the scheme – including WWF, Carbon Trust and the Chartered Institute of Marketing and it’s hoped that the awards will raise the profile of environmental projects, including the rainforest conservation effort.
Essentially, it will mark the more positive side of celebrity culture – the ability for a high-profile figure to positively influence and educate people into thinking and acting in a more sustainable and green way.
The inaugural awards have a shortlist of fifteen nominees to date. Sting is an obvious contender and rainforest activist – having helped to found the excellent work of Rainforest International. Brazilian model, Gisele Bundchen, is nominated for donating proceeds from her footwear range to Amazon rainforest water projects and Don Cheadle actively promotes and supports the United Nation’s initiative against climate change awareness – Seal the Deal. Other nominees include international stars, including Helen Cristensen, Japanese songstress Iruka, actor Li Bing Bing and Gael Garcia Bernal, the Mexican A-list actor. Leonardo DiCaprio is recognised for driving an electric car and sitting on the board of Global Green USA, an environmental not for profit group – as is Cameron Diaz, named by Vogue as ‘Queen of Green’ in 2009.
Most of the nominees have already been recognised by their peers, sustainability groups and the media as being strong ambassadors for climate change awareness. The winner will be chosen by public vote – log onto the website for the awards – International Green Awards. The winner will be announced in November at a prestigious gala dinner in London.
As you probably know, solar energy is simply energy that comes from the sun. What has been taking place are many new and creative uses for solar power, and the technology is always moving forward. You can use solar energy as a backup source of power or as your primary method of powering your home. Once you discover the many pluses that come with using solar energy, you may decide to seriously consider using it.
The main advantage to using solar energy in your home is to save money, although you have to look at this from a long term point of view. As should be obvious, there are moneys that need to be paid on the front end. However, the reduction, or even elimination of utility bills will pay you back in a short time. If you get a total replacement, then you can expect your fossil fuel expenditures to drop almost immediately. Some people even make money from solar energy, which can happen if you produce more power than you use. In the event you make extra, you can negotiate a deal with your old electric provider for them to purchase your surplus.
If you want the luxury of a swimming pool or hot tub, you can have one that’s environmentally friendly if it’s solar powered. The traditional approach here has been with gas units or those powered by electricity. You can also convert your existing unit into a solar powered one with a solar power kit. You see, this is a significant way to keep your energy bills down during the demanding summer months.
The effectiveness of solar power will, to some extent, depend on the location of your home. If you live somewhere that gets very poor sunlight, then you could explore a hybrid arrangement. If you would want to get the very most out of solar power, then the South West region of the UK is the place to be. Of course, you don’t have to live in this type of region to benefit from solar energy, but you’ll get the most sunlight in such places. If you wanted to get expert advice, then you can easily find that where you live. To summarise, there are quite a few ways you can harness the power of the sun and reduce your energy costs. You will see that solar energy has gained a strong foothold around the country. There does seem to be a growing movement away from total dependence on businesses that do not have your best interests at heart. The above facts about solar energy will hopefully motivate you to look further into this exciting field and perhaps make some changes.
It’s easy to become despondent on occasion, when reading the wave of bad news that seems to engulf the media on a near daily basis and considering how much is yet to be done to protect the rainforests and educate people on climate change.
Nevertheless a little reflection is powerful, particularly reflecting on how far the journey has come already. We’ve come a long way in raising awareness about the rainforests and global warming and educating the current and next generation. It’s heartening to think how things have changed even at a grass roots level over the last decade. Many people are entering sponsored sports events to raise money for eco-charities and raise awareness of climate change and global warming. Young people are showing incredible awareness of the challenges and potential solutions to everyday problems around recycling in their world and it’s fascinating to see how schools have taken up the climate change topic so wholly in their curriculum. Politicians are finally basing sustainable government strategies on green issues.
Even our generation has unknowingly started to make real changes too – whether conscious activists, or more low key green crusaders! Perhaps coincidently with the economic downturn, many more families are now switching off lights, cutting down on consumption, buying more fuel efficient cars, looking at growing their own fruit and veg rather than buying expensive imports and taking up council schemes to recycle their waste.
These are small indicators of a wider awareness and admittedly, we still have a very long way to go. Hearts may sink when we see photos of newly industrialised countries pumping out vast emissions from new factories – or single drivers heading a mile to the supermarket in a Chelsea tractor! Still, some days are worth reflecting on and counting the good steps achieved so far – and indeed, without seeing how far we’ve come, we can’t see what’s left to come.
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