January 18, 2023January 25, 2023 by Rose

Welcome to My Blog!

After reading my peers’ amazing blogs, I was inspired to add to my own.

Thank you all for the inspiration!

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Who I am…

My name is Rose Costa, and I am on my last semester at UMD. I will proudly graduate a BA in Women’s & Gender Studies and minors in Portuguese and Sociology. My journey here has been a very long one, but it has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience.

I am passionate about women’s rights and the issues that prevent women and girls from advancing and achieving prosperity and economic mobility. Aside from recycling, reducing plastic waste, planting trees in properties I have owned, and ensuring my gardens are bee friendly, I have not done much activism related to our environment, but I feel it is never too late for us to raise our voices and be heard.

Born and raised in Brazil, I have a natural love for the ocean, plants, gardening, and birds. Growing up in a Portuguese family, we always had a variety of pets including colorful and chatty canaries and parakeets, as well as several very temperamental parrots that greeted us in the morning and bid us good night at dusk. Although we lived in Rio de Janeiro, our home was in one of the historic neighborhoods of the city widely known as “Rio Antigo” (Old Rio), and our backyard was our very own mini farm with fruit trees, vegetable gardens, rabbits, and chickens.

Fighting to Save the Amazon Rainforest

The land and its resources have been the foundation of Brazil’s history, and the native Indigenous Peoples have lived in the region for centuries. They have a deep understanding of the land and its resources, and their way of life has been shaped by their relationship with the environment. However, the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century brought significant changes to the region, as the colonizers took control of the territory and began to exploit its resources for their own gain. This has led to the displacement of Indigenous Peoples and the destruction of their traditional way of life.

According to amazonconservation.org, deforestation in the Amazon has been a significant problem for decades. Since 1978, an estimated 185 million acres of forest have been lost, and the rate of deforestation has been steadily increasing. In recent years, the destruction of the rainforest has accelerated at an alarming rate due to illegal logging, poaching, mining, and land grabbing. The conversion of forest land for these activities has led to the displacement of Indigenous Peoples and has had devastating consequences for the environment, including loss of biodiversity, climate change, and disruption of the water cycle.

Satellite images of Rondonia, Brazil provide the alarming rate of deforestation in the Amazon. ~ Credit: Google Earth

The destruction not only has environmental consequences, but it also has significant cultural and social impacts on the Indigenous Peoples who have lived in the region for centuries. The traditional knowledge and culture of these communities are deeply connected to the land, and the destruction of the forest undermines their way of life, livelihoods and cultural heritage. It’s important for governments, civil society, and the private sector to work together to find sustainable solutions that balance the need for development and economic growth with the protection of the environment and the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Amazon deforestation began in late 1970s almost simultaneously with the new manufacturing advancements and the creation of artificial rubber which replaced latex. With the rubber industry collapse, cattle ranchers bought rights to the land and began clearing it for grazing cattle.

Peaceful, Green Warrior

Chico Mendes was a Brazilian environmental and labor activist who fought to protect the Amazon rainforest and the rights of the indigenous people who lived there. He was a leader of the rubber tappers’ union and advocated for sustainable development in the region. Education was a key factor in Chico Mendes’ development as an environmental and labor activist.

Through his education, he became aware of the issues facing the Amazon rainforest, including deforestation and the exploitation of rubber tappers. This knowledge led him to become a vocal advocate for the conservation of the forest and the rights of those who survival depended on it. He used his education to raise awareness about these issues and to mobilize others to join his cause. His work helped bring international attention to the plight of the Amazon and the need for sustainable development in the region.

Mendes was assassinated in 1988 in a dispute with a cattle rancher, but his legacy continues to inspire efforts to preserve the Amazon and its people.

Here is a short video about Chico Mendes and his work that began the global movement to save the Amazon Rainforest.

“At first, I thought I was fighting to save rubber trees. Then I thought I was fighting to save the Amazon Rainforest. Now, I realize I am fighting for humanity.”

~ Chico Mendes