The Ice Cap Melting

Nowadays, a problem that has been affecting the society and being discussed among the years between several important and worried world leaders.
It began in the 50’s due to the global warming, which increases the temperature, causing the meltdown. The governments tried a lot of agreements to the global warming problem but they weren’t a long term deal for a solution.
So, now the consequences can be observed, such as the defrosting in some areas, the constant weather changing, the ocean acidification and the ice cap melting.
This problems cause other issues, such as the sea level rise, ocean temperature rise, volcanoes, earthquakes and other drastic changes in our world.
I chose this topic because I had some sort of knowledge about the melting and the “changes” that are happening in the world, and the damages that can be severe and hazardous to the society.
In my opinion, these issues won’t be solved until the human race stops interacting badly on the environment, so, as it’ll never happen, we’re certainly doomed, but it’ll probably take a long time for “us” to notice that. =)

Renan Vasconcelos – Edi 1B

Poliana Helmond
Leon Shywas
Maysa Alves

The deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest

        The main sources of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest are human settlement and development of the land. In the nine years from 1991 to 2000, the total area of Amazon Rainforest cleared rose from 415,000 to 587,000 km². The Amazon rainforest continues to shrink but more recently the rate of deforestation has been slowing, with the 2011 figures showing the slowest rate of deforestation since records have been kept.       
      The Amazon Rainforest is being cut away for many different reasons. Agriculture, the valuable hardwood, housing space and farming space especially soybeans are just the main reasons. But the most important cause are cattle pasture. The farmers deforested bigger quantities of trees and natural plants for the livestock.               A  satellite data have found that clearing for mechanized cropland has recently become a significant force in Brazilian Amazon deforestation. This change in land use may alter the region's climate. Researchers found that in 2003, the then peak year of deforestation, more than 20 percent of the Mato Grosso state’s forests were converted to cropland. This finding suggests that the recent cropland expansion in the region is contributing to further deforestation.
                   Analyzing the data, we conclude that action human make seriously problems for the environment (climate, endangered species, fires) and it's very important to find a way to convert this situation.

        We need change to save the Amazon Rainforest. Change our actions. Change our minds. Change our life.

Yuri Silva

Testimonial Pedro e Raphael

Pedro Henrique
Raphael Raggi

Brazil: An example of recycling

The recycling of can has led Brazil to world leadership in business for eleven consecutive years. In 2011, Brazil again beat the world record for recycling aluminium cans for beverages, with the rate of 98,3%. 248.700 tons of scrap cans were recycled corresponding to 18,4 billion of units.

The program's recycling aluminium cans is today a successful experience with great social, economic and environmental influence. In 2011, only the collection stage (purchase of used cans) injected about R$ 645 million into the national economy, equivalent to the generation of jobs and income for thousands of people.

This is the result of a combination of various aspects. The main factor is the fact that the country has a recycling market already established in all regions.

It is indisputably the importance of aluminium cans for recycling activity in Brazil, as it reinforces the ecological awareness of the population ends up creating more jobs, favoring the society and the national economy.



Matheus Augusto Araújo Demétrio de Amorim - EDI 1B

Testimonial - Belo Horizonte Super Expansion

Testimonial - Belo Horizonte Super Expansion
Lucas Meireles e Luiz Simões

FEATURE ARTICLE - Amazon Deforestation

 Amazon Deforestation

The Amazon forest is the largest forest of the planet, the place with the greatest biodiversity, the "lung" of the world. But this scenario has been changed. The Amazon that was once a forest land that housed several species of animals, birds and native, became an area intended for farming, grain production and urban center. If no action is taken, the Amazon can be completely cleared in a few years.

            The main sources of deforestation in the Amazon are human settlement and development of land. Between 1991 and 2000, the total area of Amazon forest cleared for cattle ranching and roads increased from 415,000 to 587,000 km ². In February 2008, the Brazilian government announced that the rate at which the Amazon forest is being destroyed had been accelerating significantly during the time of year that it usually lower: In the last five months of 2007, more than 3,200 square kilometers.

            Besides affecting biodiversity (Amazon owns more than 30% of global biodiversity), Amazon deforestation affects, and much, life of local populations that without the variety of resources of the largest freshwater basin in the world, find themselves without possibility to ensure their own survival, becoming dependent on government aid and non-governmental organizations.

             However, several actions have been taken to prevent the worst from happening and preserve the richness provided by Amazon. NGOs like Greenpeace, SOS Mata Atlantica, WWF, IPAM (Institute for Amazon Research) and several other entities, campaign and study aiming to publicize and facilitate sustainable development and the recovery of degraded areas of the Amazon in Brazil.

Luiz Fernando Simões