The human cost of oil: How Indigenous and ethnic minorities bear the brunt of disasters

by Olesia Vikulova

Last month, Russia suffered one of the worst environmental disasters in its history when an oil spill at the Nornickel plant spewed thousands of tonnes of oil into land and water in Taimyr, Siberia, turning the Ambarnaya River red. It is possibly second in scale only to the 1994 Komi pipeline spill

, which was by some estimates over eight times bigger in volume than the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989.

As Vladimir Putin declared a state of emergency

, a flurry of ecologists, journalists and officials scrambled to the area. But the public interest is always brief.

The Komi Republic in north-west Russia suffers almost constant, smaller-scale oil spills, the likes of which amount to more than two Deepwater Horizons

across the country every year. The people both of Komi and of the Siberian Taimyr region share a particular misfortune of being remote enough that the disasters taking place in their homelands escape attention.

And, as with so many environmental and human wrongs, the damage lands heaviest on minority groups. Imagine: one day, all the shops and amenities just close. What now? The nearest store is several hundred kilometers away and the land and water are overwhelmed with oil. How do you eat?

At a time when towns like Khatanga, a short distance down the road, have experienced record-shattering heatwaves, exacerbated by the warming of Earth brought about by fossil fuel burning, Greenpeace Russia spoke with the Chair of the Association of Indigenous Minorities of the Taimyr Krasnoyarsk Territory, Grigory Dyukarev.

Greenpeace Russia: What is the situation at the scene?

Grigory: I was not at the scene of the accident. Apparently, the government is making a serious effort to eliminate the consequences. But the problem is that not all diesel can be removed, so water resources will be catastrophically affected.

This accident is devastating to our economy. The river is spawning, and our people go fishing there. In general, the river feeds us. It is… like a supermarket for you. In the city you can go to the store, but we live in a tundra. And if the river is polluted: there will be no more fish for us.

But we will lose not only fish: a wild deer is likely to change migration routes, so we will have to travel hundreds of kilometres for hunting.

Norilsk Nickel got off easily. They only lose money; we lose water, land, wildlife, fish resources and the ability to provide our families with minimum income.

Living off the land and water in the Taymyr Peninsula © Petr Shelomvskiy, Greenpeace © Petr Shelomvskiy, Greenpeace

Greenpeace Russia: Taimyr has long been considered an ecologically unfavourable region. Have there been similar accidents before?

Grigory: We never had such global spills, but there were emissions into the atmosphere from local plants. Nornickel is already historically one of the main polluters. It’s impossible to stay in the city (Norilsk) now for a long time — I don’t even know how the citizens of Norilsk feel.

Earlier in Soviet times, we could tolerate it, because then Nornickel helped with house building; relocated people from contaminated and industrial areas – they had a social responsibility. Today it is a private company with private interests.

Here is an example for you: last year they finally decided to build a new settlement, Tukhard, within the framework of the signed memorandum between the governor of the region and the general director of Norilsk Nickel. The old village is located next to the methanol warehouse – in fact, people lived in the plant area. And what is the result? They abandoned the construction: they built houses, a number of infrastructure facilities, but did not connect them to either heating or electricity. As a result, these houses still stand empty, and due to condensation they became unusable.

We can safely say that they are simply irresponsible both from the environmental side and the social side.

Greenpeace Russia: Do you get help from local authorities?

Grigory: So far, we have not received any proposals from the administration. Now we have prepared a letter to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. We work within the laws currently in force in Russia – this is the law that guarantees the rights of Indigenous People. We propose the adoption of a support program after this disaster. Everything will take time to be restored. It will take years, I think – at least ten.

We believe the programme should include mandatory environmental monitoring with the participation of indigenous people, the restoration of aquatic biological resources affected by the accident and the payment of damage. And we are absolutely sure, Russia must tighten environmental legislation, especially in fragile ecosystems like the Arctic.

Working with reindeer © Petr Shelomvskiy / Greenpeace © Petr Shelomvskiy / Greenpeace.

Greenpeace Russia: Do you feel the effects of climate change in Taymyr?

Grigory: We have been observing climate change for a long time. Winters have become warmer. The temperature in the reservoirs, including in the Yenisey, have increased. This temperature regime of water is uncomfortable for fish – it goes in depth, the migration paths change. There are fewer fish in the river now. There are a number of uncommon insects appearing in our region – for example, grasshoppers. Moreover, there are more bears, they come to the north.

But the saddest thing for us is the thawing of the soil: we have houses on stilts and it is not clear how nature will behave further.

Olesia Vikulova is the Media Coordinator at Greenpeace Russia

To support Greenpeace Russia and people like Grigory in pushing for environmental controls, sign the petition (in Russian): https://act.greenpeace.org/page/59678/

Pride month spotlight: How it feels to be a trans activist

by Parit Chomchuen

The transgender community often receives less spotlight than the rest of the colors in the rainbow.  This Pride Month, we’d like our transgender people to take the center stage by sharing the internal and external pressures faced by transgender people – like Parit Chomchuen.  

Parit is based in Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Bangkok office and is a transman who is a local activist for the queer community.  This year, Parit joined Greenpeace’s Global Rainbow Network, which is a safe space for queer identifying staff, to continue his activism at Greenpeace and here is his story.

Queer Activism and Green Campaigns

About ten years ago, I visited the Rainbow Warrior II when it parked at Khlong Toei Pier, Bangkok. As an activist in the queer movement, the innovative and proactive way Greenpeace did their campaigns left a strong mark in my mind and I was impressed by their history and work.

Three years ago, I joined Greenpeace because I saw that the environment was facing a crisis and I needed to take action. I believe that my desire to be part of the green movement stemmed from my involvement in Tai Pride and other queer campaigns here in Thailand. In my mind, injustice towards our earth is the same with injustice towards the queer community.  Injustice is injustice.  

Parit (right) submitting a letter to the new parliament commission to propose an amendment to the Civil and Commercial Code for equal marriage. 

Here at Greenpeace, not only have I become more in tune with global green campaigns, I’ve also found a new platform to further my queer activism including being a core team member of the Global Rainbow Network where I can raise awareness and respect for the rights of queer people, in particular, for transgender people. There is a trans community here at Greenpeace but it’s not a large one making us not as visible as gay or lesbian members here. And so I am glad to have space in this Network to talk a bit about how it is being a transman.

Living in a Box

Transphobia refers to the hate and fear of transgender people. When the hatred and fear are inflicted upon a trans person by the trans person themselves, we call it internalized transphobia. This comes in the form of guilt, negativity and even hate towards yourself.

Most transgender people do not wish to live life according to the sex they were assigned at birth. But how do you learn to be a gender you were not brought up as? Many of us turn to mainstream values, norms and beliefs we find in society we live in, using these social and cultural conditions as a framework for learning about sexuality.

Parit at Pattaya International Pride

This framework, unfortunately, is like a box. Anyone outside the box will be judged as wrong.  Many of us then fall into this trap. In the case of transgender men like myself, I used to question how I should act as a transman and what type of masculinity should I display? Do I want to be muscular? A mustache? What does it mean to be good looking? Should I use hormonal therapy or even undergo sex reassignment surgery? How can I become accepted, blend into mainstream values? This list of internal struggles and questions go on.

The social mechanism that builds this box is smart and sturdy, making it almost impossible for us to struggle free. But living inside this box comes at high costs not just in terms of financial costs but worst yet, the cost of our health. When we try to break free from this box, we are disliked, stigmatized and even discriminated against. This is the price we pay when we want to be free – homophobia. This phobia impacts our psychological well-being, leaving our community with a higher percentage of depression for example.  

Filing a complaint on the health education model against prejudice towards LGBTIQ+ people.

As a transman, I wish I could have been taught that gender shouldn’t be found in a box.  I wish that the forces behind this box would loosen up, giving us more space to breathe and be ourselves. You can play a role in helping transgender people like myself break free, start by removing fixed beliefs in how gender representation should look and actively showing that you welcome fellow transgender people. And it’s important to have an organizational culture that takes into account equality as well as the rights of the employees, including queer colleagues. With each additional voice, we will become stronger together.  

Happy Pride Month!

Parit Chomchuen is Data Entry Officer and activist at Greenpeace Thailand.

It’s time to say goodbye to air pollution

by Minwoo Son

Many parts of the world experienced the joys of cleaner air during the COVD-19 lockdown when human activities were restricted by the lockdown policies. Sadly – but not unexpectedly – as cities and countries begin to ease these policies, air pollution is bouncing back. According to the recent analysis, air pollution in China has already hit pre-pandemic levels

around the end of April to early May, and the Philippines appears to follow suit.

Every year, around 4.5 million premature deaths are linked to air pollution from fossil fuel burning. In 2018, it has been reported that the global cost of air pollution reached US$8 billion per day, which is roughly 3.3% of the world’s GDP. And according to the WHO

, 91% of the global population live in areas that exceed the WHO air quality standard.

What’s worse, evidence suggests

that air pollution damages the body’s ability to resist respiratory viruses, possibly making people more vulnerable to COVID-19, and air pollution is a risk factor for many chronic diseases that make COVID-19 more severe. Another study

discovered that air pollution could potentially increase COVID-19 mortality.

And just to remind you again, this same air pollution is coming back.

Namsan – the iconic mountain in Seoul, Korea – is blurry in thick ultra-fine dust (right), compared to the clear day (left). © Soojung Do / Greenpeace

Lessons from the COVID-19 lockdown

The world changed dramatically throughout the coronavirus crisis. Air pollution – or rather the lack of – have particularly attracted global attention as many countries witnessed clear, blue skies for the first time in a long time.

How was this possible? Many factories and industrial facilities ceased operations during the pandemic, which naturally led to decreased fossil fuel burnings all around the world. In some countries like India

, power plants burned lower amounts of fossil fuels as well. Streets and highways became empty and devoid of the usual hustle and bustle, allowing a huge cut in transport emissions.  

And this dramatic standstill of the world’s business-as-usual operations reflected in the air we breathed. Satellite data from NASA

shows a significant decline in nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in major countries since the outbreak of COVID-19. A special report from AirVisual reveals that the level of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has significantly dropped in 10 major cities worldwide after the lockdown. In India, a country notorious for its air pollution, the Himalayas have become visible

for the first time in 30 years, and showed a huge reduction of air pollution in the first 10 days of lockdown according to Greenpeace India analysis.

Due to the coronavirus shutdown, public squares, parks and streets in and around Berlin, Germany are almost deserted. © Gordon Welters / Greenpeace

The pandemic was, and still is, an extremely challenging time for many people all around the world. But it also taught us some valuable lessons: 

• It is possible to achieve cleaner air when fast and decisive actions are taken. 
• It is possible to have our blue sky back if we cut down fossil fuel emissions across all industries and sectors. 
• It is possible to live in a way that creates less pollution on an individual level, by for example: travel less; ride a bicycle or walk short distances; work from home if possible

We can breathe clean air

As some countries are slowly re-opening, we must remember that it is possible to have cleaner air. It is possible to have this again even without a lockdown, only if the government and decision makers actively practice what we have learned over the past few months.

Here are four major changes that could maintain cleaner air even after the pandemic, while stimulating the economy and tackling climate change. 

1. Focus on green recovery

To reduce air pollution in the long term, the government bailouts and stimulus measures should not support conventional industries that emit pollutants. Government financial packages must help to stimulate a green recovery. For example, they should support workers in high-carbon industries to reskill and transition to sustainable sectors. 

Governments should also require polluting sectors and companies to take immediate steps to reduce air pollutant emissions. This will also help to meet the Paris Agreement targets

to limit global warming below 1.5°C by reducing carbon emissions because carbon emissions also share the same sources as air pollution: burning of fossil fuels. 

Greenpeace activists at the Suralaya coal power plant in Cilegon city, Banten Province, Indonesia. © Rendra Hernawan / Greenpeace

As a good example, Germany has announced

that its 130 billion Euro recovery stimulus will not include a buyer’s premium for new petrol and diesel cars. If more countries spend their stimulus budgets against air polluting industries, there could be a significantly positive ripple effect.

2. Reform the current energy systems

Renewable energy minimises air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, unlike fossil fuel-based energy systems, which exacerbate air pollution. For example in India, the air in surrounding areas had reportedly become cleaner

when coal power plants generated less electricity during the COVID-19 shutdown. 

Governments must cancel planned constructions of coal power plants and increase the proportion of renewables dramatically and rapidly in their countries’ future energy plans.

3. Make green and public-friendly transport systems

The transport sector is another major source of pollution, worsening air quality especially in urban areas. But measures can be taken to improve this issue. First, safe pedestrian walkways can be built and more bike lanes can be designated to encourage more people to walk and cycle when possible. 

Removing internal combustion engine vehicles from our roads and replacing them with zero-emission alternatives – such as electric vehicles and other less polluting transit options where EV is not capable – will be vital. Above all, a convenient and accessible public transport system should be established so that people may have the option to choose public transport over their own car. 

In the wake of the lockdown, some countries are already reshaping their transport systems to be greener

, taking actions to protect their citizens and their rights to breathe cleaner air.

Activists from the Greenpeace in Cologne, Germany are demonstrating for more space for pedestrians and cyclists. © Anne Barth / Greenpeace

4. Strengthen air pollution regulations 

Strengthening environmental regulations in countries will be important to collectively improve our air quality. If regulations on pollutant emissions are tightened for power plants, industrial facilities, and transport, improved air quality is possible. Ultimately, our goal is to eliminate the sources of air pollution completely, but we will be one step closer to this goal if we can start to reduce pollutant emissions with more robust regulations and stricter air quality guidelines. 

Real-time data monitoring of air pollution should also be improved. Well-monitored and transparent air quality data will keep people more informed to take measures to protect themselves when necessary, while also pushing governments to take more proactive steps to tackle the air pollution issue.

Unfortunately in countries like the US and South Africa, emission regulations on automobiles

and coal power plants

respectively are being eased instead of being tightened. Such measures will only cause further deterioration of air quality, increasing the health risks related to air pollution.

Thousands of people march in Madrid, Spain to demand politicians take ambitious action to save the climate. © Pedro Armestre / Greenpeace

Many experts say that if the world deploys green stimulus measures in the wake of COVID-19, these measures will not only improve air quality but also have the huge potential to turn the world into a low-carbon society

. While many of us hope for things to return to “normal” after COVID-19, air pollution must not revert to pre-pandemic levels. Our response to COVID-19 has shown us a glimpse of the green, healthy world we could live in; but now it’s up to us to carry forward these hard-learned lessons and implement them. 

Greenpeace has been and will continue to campaign globally to make clean air an integral part of the countries’ green recovery plans. Join us, speak up, and demand your right to clean air for yourself, your loved ones, and our future. 

Minwoo Son is a Clean Air Campaigner at the Global Air Pollution Unit in Greenpeace East Asia.

Health experts push back against plastic industry to declare safety of reusables during COVID-19

by Nina Schrank

While the world is rightly preoccupied with tackling COVID-19, oil companies are pushing to produce more single-use plastic than ever before. So what do we need to know about plastic in the age of COVID-19?

During these stressful times, we must listen to science not industry lobbyists. The oil and plastics industry wants you to think that you and your family are safer when your food, drinks and other products are wrapped in plastic. But health experts around the world agree that reusables can be used safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nearly 130 scientists, academics, and doctors from 19 countries signed onto a statement

today reassuring retailers and consumers that reusable systems can be utilized safely during the pandemic by employing basic hygiene. The experts — along with Greenpeace USA and UPSTREAM, both members of the Break Free From Plastic movement — note that household disinfectants have been proven effective at disinfecting hard surfaces, such as reusable cups and containers.

Plastic is indispensable in healthcare settings, and there are many reasons why plastic is the material of choice for personal protective equipment (PPE) used to protect essential workers from COVID-19. But there’s a big difference between PPE and packaging for food and other goods. Even so, the oil and plastics industry have been peddling myths in the media and to politicians in an attempt to make single-use plastic acceptable again.

So, here’s what you need to know about plastic packaging when it comes to COVID-19.

There’s nothing particularly sanitary about plastic packaging

Unless you are talking about the medical-grade stuff, there is nothing intrinsically sanitary about plastic. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses will all lurk there just as happily as anywhere else. They can sit on the product inside the plastic, they can sit on the plastic itself. There is nothing magical about this material.

In fact, a study

from the New England Medical Journal indicates that COVID-19 can survive on plastic surfaces for two to three days, and on cardboard for 24 hours.

The bottom line is, and hundreds of health experts agree, whether you buy your fruit and vegetables and other foods loose, or wrapped in plastic, you should always wash thoroughly before consumption

.

You’re very unlikely to catch COVID-19 from food or packaging

COVID-19 is most commonly passed from person-to-person contact, and as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA tells us, it’s very unlikely that you can catch COVID-19 from food and its packaging. 

Grocers and supermarkets have to follow strict hygiene rules when handling produce, so washing it in running water and/or cooking it thoroughly is enough to make it safe. 

Just before lockdowns began around the world, many cafes and coffee house chains started refusing to accept reusable cups as a way to protect their staff. But, as mentioned earlier, health experts around the world endorsed a statement today that states that if you wash your reusable cups with soap and hot water, or ideally in a dishwasher if you have one, this is enough to destroy any trace of the virus

and keep you and your barista safe. You can also ask for your coffee to be made in their own metal or ceramic cups

and then pour it into your reusable cup for contactless coffee.

The same goes for fabric grocery bags. Across the United States, a number of states banned reusable grocery bags

in response to the pandemic. But a quick hot wash will remove viruses and pathogenic bacteria. 

So where is the misinformation coming from? 

Oil companies and the plastic industry are exploiting the crisis

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, petrochemical companies are connected to efforts to use the pandemic to their advantage, whipping up fear to stem the tide of protest against plastic products

. 

As the world strives to wean itself off fossil fuels, some of the biggest oil companies in the world – Shell, BP, Saudi Aramco, and Exxon – are investing billions into plastics

as the key to their future. 

Now the plastics and petrochemicals industry are trying to exploit the world’s COVID-19 response by casting their own services as “essential,” lobbying governments for massive bailouts and weaker environmental regulations.

A new research paper by Greenpeace USA has found links between the people supplying and fronting misleading articles on plastics and plastic manufacturers or oil companies.

When the European plastics industry called on the European Commission to lift an EU-wide ban on some single-use plastic items on the grounds of “public safety,” the commission’s Vice President responded

, “I really did not appreciate people writing to me and using the need for personal protective equipment as a reason not to have a ban on single-use plastics – there’s really no relationship.”

Plastic is still disastrous for the environment and low-income communities

In the past few years, we’ve seen people all over the world turn away from single-use plastic in droves with bans on plastic bags, straws, cutlery and more. 

But sadly, plastic pollution is still a crisis with massive impacts globally, especially in low-income communities and communities of colour

. The entire lifecycle of plastic is dangerous — from the extraction of the oil used to make it, to its disposal. 

In addition to the billions of tonnes of plastics entering the sea every year, the production of plastics and, in many places, the burning of it

, are fuelling climate change. Throughout its lifecycle, it’s estimated that by 2050 plastic production from oil could be responsible for up to 12% of the Earth’s remaining total carbon budget

(the amount of emissions our climate can reasonably take). That’s the equivalent to 615 coal-fired power plants – showing that plastic is far from being clean and sanitary for the planet.

The problem isn’t going away: a study by the NGO Tearfund released this year shows four global drinks giants in six developing countries could fill 83 football pitches a day with their plastic waste

. 

And in countries like the UK, much of the plastic waste created is exported and then ends up in open dumpsites in countries like Malaysia

. Local people have to pay the price of the health impacts that follow: burning plastic creates respiratory problems and headaches.

In the current crisis, we should be making decisions based on the advice of medical professionals – not lobbyists for the fossil fuel and plastic industries, who have a history of doing more harm than good.

Nina Schrank is a Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace UK

Fisherfolk helping out Thailand’s essential workers is the community spirit we need right now

by Sirichai Leelertyuth

Wichotsak Ronarongpairee has worked with traditional fishing communities in Thailand for decades. As chairman of the Thai Sea Watch Association (TSWA)

, a non-government organisation focused on conserving and restoring marine and coastal resources in southern Thailand, he saw the impact COVID-19 was having on small-scale fisherfolk and the community.

“During the lockdown, the fish markets were temporarily closed. Few people visited so local fishers lost their regular clientele, and fresh seafood prices significantly dropped by more than a half due to higher transportation costs,” said Ronarongpairee. “Local fishers have their seafood, but lack income to pay bills or debts.”

Wichotsak Ronarongpairee, chairman of the Thai Sea Watch Association © Thai Sea Watch Association, Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Associations, European Union, and Oxfam.

Recognising how other groups of people were also struggling, Ronarongpairee set up a fund to bring the community together and ease the hardship many were facing. For a 150 THB ($5 USD) donation, people could help purchase seafood from local fisherfolk, which would then be provided to the community, such as the blind and front-line medical staff. In just a month almost 60,000 THB ($1870 USD) was raised and a ton of local fish caught by several fisherfolk communities in Southern Thailand was delivered to over 500 care workers.

“Many care workers posted photos of the fish they received to thank us. These products are not expensive, but the care workers appreciated the kind support at this time,” Ronarongpairee said.

Care worker holds a tub of sweet boiled mackerel, a traditional Thai dish, and a letter from the Local Seafood Ambassador program with a message of support © Thai Sea Watch Association, Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Associations, European Union, Oxfam.

As COVID-19 has changed the way in which many people conduct business, Ronarongpairee thinks that selling seafood directly from local fishers to consumers would continue growing, especially as online ordering has increased. Furthermore, due to the shorter supply chain, consumers can knowingly purchase fresh and clean seafood that is free from non-destructive, traditional fishing methods.

“The uncertainty of the coronavirus situation leaves sellers and buyers in a difficult situation. I believe that more fishers will try to sell seafood directly to customers. As communication becomes easier, they have the potential to produce and sell products online by themselves,” he said.

Seafood products getting packed for shipping to care workers © Thai Sea Watch Association, Federation of Thai Fisherfolk Associations, European Union, Oxfam.

After the success of this donation drive, Ronarongpairee said the mission will continue. Later this month, TSWA will create another program to deliver local fish to poor, homeless and disabled people in collaboration with other foundations.

Sirichai Leelertyuth (Max) is the Oceans Communication Officer at Greenpeace Thailand.

Desmatamento e emergência climática: o que nossos hábitos têm a ver com isso?

por Luana Leal

Dando continuidade à Semana Mundial Sem Carne, os voluntários organizaram lives e conteúdos exclusivos para falar sobre os impactos do consumo de carne e muito mais

© Greenpeace Brasil

Você sabe o que é Permacultura e Locavorismo? Os voluntas do ABC e BH te explicam!

Permacultura

© Grupo de voluntários do ABC Paulista

O termo foi criado há mais de 50 anos na Austrália e é frequentemente adotado para falar sobre métodos e conceitos da  utilização intensiva da agroecologia, passando pela agrofloresta e até aspectos relacionados à bioconstrução.

A permacultura engloba alguns princípios básicos: 

Cuidar da terra;

Cuidar das pessoas;

Cuidar do futuro.

Locavorismo

© Grupo de voluntários de Belo Horizonte

É a prática de comprar produtos e alimentos produzidos e cultivados o mais perto possível da gente. 

As principais vantagens são: 

1. Você ajuda a manter áreas verdes de produção familiar como sítios e chácaras;

2. Você promove uma rede de abastecimento de curta distância, o que garante além de alimentos muito mais frescos e com menos conservantes no seu prato, também muito menos poluentes gerados em transportes por caminhão ou avião;

3. Você pode conhecer pessoalmente os produtores de alimentos e saber como eles os cultivam.

Além disso, os voluntas aproveitaram a deixa para divulgar nossa lista de agricultores familiares <3

20/06 – Oficina de Photoshop do ABC 

Nos últimos meses, os voluntas têm aproveitado o tempo em casa para desenvolver novas habilidades e aprimorar conhecimentos. Essa semana, o grupo do ABC Paulista organizou uma oficina de Photoshop para os voluntas, e quem ministrou o mini curto foi o Ayrton Peres, também membro do grupo. A experiência durou 5 horas e teve até competição no final!

© Grupo de voluntários do ABC Paulista

21/06 – Reunião online Navegantes 

O grupo se reuniu para alinhar o planejamento do mês de julho e decidir os próximos passos de mobilização. 

© Grupo de voluntários de Navegantes

Fórum Clima Salvador 

Vindo da iniciativa de organizações, ambientalistas, lideranças comunitárias, cientistas e técnicos de diversas áreas, fundou-se o Fórum Clima Salvador, um grupo dedicado a discutir o aquecimento global a partir de Salvador e suas perspectivas, divulgando informações e ajudando para que o assunto das mudanças climáticas seja cada vez mais discutido e para que pensemos sobre seus impactos e soluções enquanto  sociedade.

Buscando acompanhar de perto as discussões sobre mudanças climáticas, o Green Fortaleza decidiu participar do fórum 🙂

© Grupo de voluntários de Salvador

© Greenpeace Brasil

Os grupos finalizaram a Semana Mundial Sem Carne com muito estilo e criatividade, olha só: 

Em Belo Horizonte, os voluntas mostraram que dá pra fazer um bolo de chocolate delicioso e vegano! Para quem quiser, a receita está aqui

🙂 

© Grupo de voluntários de Belo Horizonte

Belém também inspirou os seguidores com uma receita vegana fácil, barata e nutritiva, que compõe:

1- Purê colorido que é formado por batata doce, batata comum, cenoura e couve-flor;

2- Salada crua;

3- Arroz integral, massas e molhos como opção.

Vem conferir a receita completa

🙂 

Para complementar o cardápio, você pode ver a receita

que Macapá ensinou também 🙂

© Grupo de voluntários de Belém

E teve informação também! Os voluntários aproveitaram a semana para relacionar o consumo de carne com os índices de desmatamento das nossas florestas. Vem ver um pouco do que foi compartilhado: 

© Grupo de voluntários de São Paulo

Em 2017, a pecuária esteve por trás de mais de 60% do desflorestamento na Amazônia, ocupando milhares de hectares para a criação de gados. A cada ano a porcentagem em números de cabeças de gados no Brasil vem aumentado. 

Além do desmatamento, a criação de gado promove danos estratosféricos e consumo excessivo de recursos naturais.

Estudos comprovam que a pecuária produz em média 30 milhões de toneladas de CO2 (Dióxido de Carbono) por ano, ou seja, mais ou menos 50% de emissões de gases de efeito estufa. Ademais, é usado mais de 35 trilhões de litros de água por ano.

© Greenpeace Brasil

20/06 – Vegetarianismo e atualidade

Para esclarecer o objetivo da Semana Sem Carne e falar sobre a importância de reduzirmos nosso consumo, o grupo de Belo Horizonte preparou uma live super didática que proporcionou um debate enriquecedor para todos que estavam presentes. 

Como convidados, estavam presentes Mônica Buava, coordenadora do projeto Segunda Sem Carne; Ricardo Laurino, presidente da Sociedade Vegetariana Brasileira e Carla Ioost, pesquisadora e fundadora do Instituto Ioost de Inteligência Alimentar.

© Grupo de voluntários de Belo Horizonte

24/06 – GTAR – Verdeluz e suas experiências: Da organização interna à prática socioambiental

Na última quarta, os voluntas de Fortaleza organizaram um  bate-papo sobre o projeto GTAR, do Instituto Verdeluz

, que trabalha diretamente com as tartarugas que aparecem em Fortaleza.

© Grupo de voluntários de Fortaleza

Para o encontro verde, o grupo convidou: 

• Bruno Guilhon

• , biólogo e mobilizador climático do Greenpeace Fortaleza;

• Malu Quevêdo Vilanova

• , oceanógrafa, mestranda em Ciências Marinhas Tropicais e membra do GTAR do Instituto Verdeluz;

• Débora Melo Mendonça

• , graduanda em oceanografia e membra do GTAR do Instituto Verdeluz.

Para quando dias melhores

chegarem <3 

Pensando em trazer um clima mais leve para o instagram, os voluntários de Belém reuniram dicas de lugares para visitar na cidade quando a pandemia passar. 

Dentre os escolhidos, está o Parque Zoobotânico do Museu Emílio Goeldi, que fica no centro da cidade e abriga mais de 3 mil animais e 500 espécies de plantas, além de promover pesquisas e estudos científicos dos sistemas naturais e culturais da região.

© Grupo de voluntários de Belém

© Grupo de voluntários de Belém

22/06 – Dia Mundial das Florestas Tropicais 

Os grupos de BH e João Pessoa aproveitaram a data, escolhida pela Organização Das Nações Unidas (ONU), para comemorar e enfatizar a importância de lutarmos pela proteção das florestas tropicais existentes no planeta.

Para mobilizar de forma didática e atingir a todos, eles falaram sobre dados super importantes:

• 10 bilhões de hectares de florestas tropicais são perdidos anualmente;

• As florestas tropicais são responsáveis pelo fornecimento da maior parte da água doce que consumimos e do ar puro que respiramos;

• Além de auxiliar no equilíbrio dos ecossistemas, também abriga povos indígenas e as mais diversas espécies de animais. 

© Grupo de voluntários de João Pessoa

© Grupo de voluntários de Belo Horizonte

© Greenpeace Brasil

Pra você que tem criança em casa e não sabe como mantê-la entretida e em aprendizado, os voluntas de Belo Horizonte têm indicações de leitura infantil, olha só: 

© Grupo de voluntários de Belo Horizonte

O livro conta a história de Estela e seu irmão, que tem muitas perguntas a fazer sobre a praia: “O peixe-gato mia? O cavalo-marinho galopa?” Estela tem resposta para tudo. A única coisa que ela não sabe (e nem nós…) é se Marcos vai entrar no mar. 

A narrativa, além de divertida, é super educativa. 

Você pode comprar aqui

🙂

Para jovens e adultos, as recomendações de Fortaleza são de livros que falam sobre consumo de carne:

© Grupo de voluntários de Fortaleza

E pra você que é cinéfilo, os voluntas também têm indicações que vão acompanhar bem sua pipoca: 

© Grupo de voluntários de Porto Alegre

A Semana Sem Carne terminou, mas a importância desse assunto continua. Pra falar do tema de um jeito diferente, o grupo de Porto Alegre indicou o documentário “What the Health”

,  que explica sobre a problemática por trás do consumo de carne. 

O filme também está disponível na Netflix 🙂 

Saindo um pouco do entretenimento, os voluntas de  Fortaleza têm chamado os internautas para participar de um curso online – que você também pode fazer! 

© Grupo de voluntários de Fortaleza

“EMERGENTE” é um  curso online sobre mudanças climáticas que está rolando desde o dia 29/06 e vai até  03/07. 

O objetivo é que os participantes se informem e debatam sobre vários temas que envolvem mudanças climáticas, como meio ambiente, sociedade, política e ativismo.⠀

As inscrições são limitadas e o curso é GRATUITO! Para mais informações, acesse: www.cursoemergente.site. 

A produção é feita pelo coletivo Ceará no Clima

, movimento Fridays for Future Ceará , Greenpeace Fortaleza e Instituto Verdeluz

. 

© Grupo de voluntários de Bertioga

Aproveitando o espaço das redes para divulgar projetos parceiros, o grupo de Bertioga postou sobre o quarto encontro do ciclo “Webséries Itapanhaú”, organizado pelo Movimento Popular Salve o Rio Itapanháu.

A roda de conversa rolou dia 23/06 e continuou debatendo os os impactos gerados na instalação da obra de transposição.

Como convidado, Cleber Vitorio, engenheiro florestal, compareceu para esclarecer dúvidas e explicar melhor o assunto. 

Se quiser saber mais sobre o movimento, vale a pena conferir o Facebook

e  Instagram

.

© Greenpeace Brasil

Mais uma vez os voluntas levantaram a bandeira da emergência climática e ressaltaram o movimento Fridays For Future. Dessa vez, quem representou todos os voluntas do Brasil foi o grupo do Litoral Norte (RS). 

© Grupo de voluntários do Litoral Norte

© Greenpeace Brasil

Essa semana o #Tbt ficou por conta do Grupo de Fortaleza, que relembrou os melhores momentos do grupo em diversas atividades 🙂 

© Grupo de voluntários de Fortaleza

© Grupo de voluntários de Fortaleza

Seguiremos atualizando e apoiando os grupos, afinal, estamos todes juntos nessa 🙂