We live in a global world and a more connected world from nature to technology, more than ever. So to hear the planet’s most greatest resource, the Amazon rainforest, is in historic danger of fires, we should all jump to assist as we are connected to it in more ways than we know.
Since the beginning of the year, January 2019, there has been a reported uptick of over 72,000 rain forest fires. For the past month and a half, the Amazon rainforest has been in elevated fire emergency alert. The planet’s most biodiverse rainforest, covers 40% of the continent of South America, touching eight countries — this can have the most devastating effect on the future of the planet. The Amazon is situated in Brazil, but neighboring countries of Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay have been affected by more recent western basin Amazon rainforest fires.
Why Are These RainForest Fires Happening?
Below the equator during Winter, is a dry season for the Amazon – July and August. The rest of the year – the Amazon is wet and humid which would make rainforest fires more difficult to sustain. However, mother earth or pachamama is not to blame for the Amazon rainforest fires, humans are.
Deforestation is a common practice in the countries of Brazil and Bolivia where the Amazon soil is rich and allows cattle farming and crops to thrive. The exploitation of the Amazon has been ongoing for nearly a century since the industrial age possibly began. The rainforest is so deep and expansive that deforestation can go undetected. Though legal mining, logging, deforestation for farming is allowed in designated areas, however illegal logging, mining, deforestation activities still occur and go unchecked or conveniently fly under the radar by political and corporate corruption.
Deforestation along with climate change has worsened due to greenhouse gas emissions that make the planet’s temperature rise. Extreme weather situations like hurricanes and droughts increase as a result. Dry seasons are extended directly from the result of deforestation, changing up rainfall patterns. No rain, no growth of forests, biodiversity, agriculture and therefore, affecting human health.
Both the presidents of Brazil and Bolivia, have faced extreme criticism by downplaying the severity of rainforest fires and operating with a sense of nonurgency for not reaching out for foreign aid. Pressure by Bolivian citizens pushed President Morales to contract a Boeing 747 Supertanker airplane. The Supertanker flying in from California, to disperse over 30k gallons of water over parts of Chiquitania in Santa Cruz and Beni departments in Bolivia – the areas where the Amazon rainforest fires are worse. However, this is a global emergency requiring a response from allies, the most powerful nations.
Countries part of the G7 (an intereconomic alliance of seven of the most advanced countries) like Canada and France have offered to be part of $20 million aid package to assist in fighting the rainforest fires and fund future reforestation and emergency response resources. However, Brazil’s Balsonaro showed resistance to Frances’s aid by delaying the process over a presidential feud. As with the United States, according to White House website, Trump will meet with leaders of the G7, but no commitment or financial aid news has been reported.
Land is Life directly supports grassroots indigenous communities, organizationas and leaders globally. Map of South American indigenous tribes.
However, what remains are the voices of the indigenous communities of the Amazon in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru. Some of these communities unseen by media outlets for decades out of respect for their seclusion and way of living.
The fight against Amazon rainforest exploitation is nothing new. In the past, communities of indigenous have risen to fight and win landmark cases for land rights, the uprisings mostly led by indigenous women. As for the current state of Amazon rainforest fires, an attorney launched a Change.org petition and funding to launch a large scale investigation on the deforestation fires which may be pointing to potential corruption.
The global response on the Amazon rainforest fires can be measured via the speed social media awareness however, it seems people raced faster to save and rebuild the Notre Dame versus care about the indigenous and locals, animals and biodiversity of the Amazon. Where are the billionaires and their donations?
Viral tweets #PrayforAmazonias #SOSBolivia are responsible for much of awareness of the Amazon rainforest fires.
We also have movements and Bolivians who are using their platforms to raise Amazon rainforest fires awareness. Valeria Hinojosa is a 31-year-old, Bolivian-born conscious living social entrepreneur who has been featured in Forbes, People En Español, Self, Cosmo, Marie Claire, Airbnb, Telemundo, WWD and many others. Valeria, a former banker turned yogini, is a passionate and values-driven online personality and public speaker on the eco-conscious lifestyle. It’s no wonder she is advocating for her home country of Bolivia and the Amazon rainforest fires – the issue is hitting home.
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With Valeria’s passion and dedicated audience, she has been able to help mobilize donations for the Amazon rainforest fire emergency response in Bolivia. #SOSBolivia
As Latinx, we are part of the global community, we should all jump to assist as we are connected to the Amazon rainforest in more ways than we know.
