Feb 06 2009
Brazil’s Irresponsible Actions
Source: The Independent
While the oceans are stressed, the ice melts in the North and South poles, the rivers and the sky polluted with methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide, the human race continue to irresponsibly pillage the Earth to satisfy its insatiable appetite.
How can we not hear the moans of Mother Nature? Why can we not see the signs of warning from the planet? Why do we persist to deny that our planet is in peril and heedlessly continue our apathetic and irresponsible actions?
Despite the alarms sounded by the world’s scientists, some countries still do not care enough to act on their advice to reduce carbon emissions. Less than a week ago, an article by the Independent in the United Kingdom reported Brazil is razing the Amazon rainforest to raise more cattle. The Brazilian government doesn’t give a fig about the environment.
The South American country has the world’s largest cattle herd and is already the biggest beef exporter on the planet. Now the Brazilian government is seeking to boost its share of the world beef market from 30 per cent to 60 per cent in the next decade.
How can Brazil fulfill its pledge to reduce deforestation as part of the country’s plan to curb climate change? It is the opposite! The country is already the fourth biggest greenhouse gas emitter!
Brazil gives lie to its promise to take action on climate change. Instead, it is making the situation worse. The Brazilian government is destroying trees instead of planting more trees. By burning up trees, the carbon dioxide stored in the trees are released into the atmosphere. On top of that, they’re doubling the number of livestock, pinpointed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as the number one contributor of greenhouse gas.
This is mind boggling! Why do we do this? Why can’t we behave more responsibly for the sake of everyone else on the planet? Why can’t we think beyond our consumption habits for the good of mankind? No one die from eating less meat. In fact, we won’t die from not eating meat. The ancient Desert Fathers proved it. They lived on a vegan diet of figs, bread, and water, sometimes just herbs and water. The ascetic Christian saints of the past like Saint Anthony, Saint Hilarion, and many others have proved it. The Buddha, Guru Nanak, Kabir, Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, the Orphics, the Hindus, the Sikhs, the Sufis, and many others have proven it.
If climate change isn’t stop, there will be untold sufferings when Mother Nature finally released the stress put upon her by the activities of humankind. The governments need to be more responsible. Brazil needs to clean up its act! Each of us can do our part to help, and it begins with our food choices.
Brazil is not only using the land for livestock (actually, I didn’t know that before, so thanks for the info!), but they’re also using the fertile and nutrient-rich earth for soybean growing. They justify it that when the existing farmland is depleted of nutrients and turned unfit for more farming (about a 3 year process), it ends up being cheaper to deforest the area for new farming than replenishing the existing land with fertilizers.
I see here, the government, though not much, takes actions, high penalties for destruction of native forests, jail people who deforesting the forest. But there is awareness among the population. In Ecoles, this much work, but there are people who simply do not respect. The government is not able to get all the people who make it. For the cattle herd, Brazil has not only forests. There are places that can, yes, create herds without cutting forests. The problem is not with the government only, there is also the population.
“Brazilian government doesn’t give a fig about the environment.” but as you so sure of this? Have you ever come here?
English by Google translator.