SOS Amazônia

As mentioned in the Story of Stuff, we are at the risk of running out of resources if we continue to produce products at the pace we currently do. We learned about the importance of considering the supply chain as a whole rather than only focusing on the end customer.

Additionally, in one of our recent classes, we learned that the “price” should not only include the direct cost of the production, but also various external costs incurred throughout the supply chain. We also see that many companies are starting to focus not only on their

economic performance, but also on environmental impacts and the sustainability levels which companies can achieve.  

Here is one of my favorite scenes from a movie called RIO2.

It’s cute, isn’t it?

However, this amazon, home of diverse species, animals, and many indigenous communities was at serious risk because of a project announced two months ago by the Brazilian president, Michel Temer. The project proposed to open up part of amazon reserve (size of Denmark!!!!!) for commercial mining. The main purpose of this project was to boost up the country’s economy, which has undergone severe crisis in recent years. According to World Bank’s assessment, Brazil’s economic growth rate is much lower compared to other countries in South America, and this is influenced by different factors such as high unemployment rate, unstable political situation, and high credit cost.

What shocked me even more was the fact where many domestic and multinational companies including those in Canada, USA, and other major countries have shown interest in this investment because of potential economic benefits. I had mixed feeling when I first heard about this news, because even though this project could potentially bring great benefits to country’s economy, various costs both in short and long terms is likely to surpass the benefit.

In my opinion, mining industry seems to underestimates the importance of sustainability as it is often troubled by costs incurred in damaging the environment. Some considerate mining companies do consider the potential damage which mining can cause to the planet, and such companies are exploring new business opportunities by bringing more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions to the industry. As we saw in VanAir’s case, a company can become the new market leader by bringing innovative solutions to an industry that was reluctant to change for a long time. Sustainability should be taken into account when such innovative solutions are considered and implemented.

Thankfully, the project was halted by the Brazilian court and people are protesting against the government and especially the president who repeatedly placed economic interests and agendas ahead of environment issues.

The damage this project could have caused to the community and the planet is unmeasurable. It is surprising to know that a single man in power could easily influence a decision that could impact the whole population on the planet. Brazil’s case also reminded me of the importance of being informed and updated on current events in the world.