Tropical Rainforest of Brazil

‘GEA’ says that as off today and for the next 60 days all acts of slash-and-burn clearance shall be illegal and even punishable. That’s what Jair Bolsonaro the president of Brazil announced in a speech.

‘Suedwestpresse’ says that there meanwhile are protests all around the EU against free trade between the EU and the countries that signed the Mercosur-Treaty. Even though there now even is a treaty guaranteeing free trade between the EU and the Mercosur-member states! Some of these people and entire NGOs go so far as to encourage people to boycott products from Southern America – especially soy and especially products made in Brazil. Reason is of course deforestation caused by many Brazilian agricultural products.

By doing a bit of research – also asking a few people working for the company ‘Waleda’ – I found out this week that neither the ‘Waleda Calendula toothpaste’ nor the ‘Waleda Ratanhia-toothpaste’ – contrary to most toothpastes – contain:
soy, palm oil, rice, corn, sugar beet or sugar cane. Plus both of them are vegan. That means you can consume either of these two toothpastes without having to worry about unintentionally supporting animal cruelty, deforestation of the rainforest, cruel treatment of aboriginal tribes or child labor.

‘GfbV’ says that for months now the Brazilian government has refused to give financial support to the SESAI, the governmental office responsible for anything related to the health of aboriginal Brazilians – like medical treatment. As a result a group of aboriginal women occupied the building of this office, threatening with refusal to leave unless the government would promise to support this office again. So far the results have been meager though.

According to a flyer that was spread last Sunday before mass in the Roman-Catholic church of Metzingen (Baden-Wuerttemberg/ Germany) it is now exactly 16 years that the high school of Metzingen has been supporting the Gonzalinho-Project. You see, in Caceres (Brazil) there is a very poor district where many people have to get two jobs just to get by. Some of them have children. Of course they can’t do two jobs AND take care of their children. A daycare or a babysitter is not an option either…for obvious reasons. Thus many parents simply make their children spend the day alone on the street. There these children sometimes start interacting with the wrong people and eventually end up doing bad things themselves – like drug-dealing, prostitution, theft etc. The Gonzalinho-Project basically provides this poor district with babysitters for free and entertainment for children.