Earth's last dinosaur

Leatherback turtles are critically endangered across the Pacific ocean. Their nesting habitats are disrupted by humans in many ways: light pollution, egg hunting, trash and mere curiosity. These magnificent animals can reach weights of 2,000 pounds and 9 feet from beak to rear flippers. They can travel distances of 4,000 miles in the ocean, spend most of their lives without coming to land and are amazing navigators. They are also capable of the most deep and lengthy dives: 1,000 meters deep for as much as 80 minutes of total duration! For these and many other reasons I feel that we are obligated to protect these animals. Their decline is principally due to by-catch from the fishing industry and egg hunting. There are many scientists working on saving these animals and most of the current effort is located at Playa Grande in Costa Rica, their major nesting grounds. I first fell in love with these animals when reading Carl Safina's "Voyage of the Turtle", a book that describes the Leatherback's habits, biology, conservation efforts and habitats. It also discusses conservation efforts and current research into tracking their movement across the ocean. It is a very inspiring read. 

 "The only surviving species of its genus, family, and suborder, the Leatherback is an evolutionary marvel: a "reptile" that behaves like a warm-blooded dinosaur, an ocean animal able to withstand colder water than most fishes and dive deeper than any whale."

There are lots of information out there on these amazing creatures and if you are curious about them or how to help click here. Or watch the video below

Samba and Sustainability?

Ok, you are probably thinking: "What does music has to do with sustainability?" or "Of course, she is brazilian so samba has to be woven into anything". Well, both of these thoughts ran through my mind. Mostly, this connection happened by chance for me. I just recently finished reading "O Misterio do Samba" by Hermano Vianna (there is an english version, for those interested click here) and was amazed by how he describes the "mystery" of how samba went from being rejected by society into becoming a symbol of brazilian nationality and pride. Samba was not only frowned upon, it was banned from being played and danced in public and musicians and enthusiasts were gathering in secret places. What really stuck for me was how culture at the time was in a sense manipulated to reflect the growing sense of nationalism that the current president (Getulio Vargas) was trying to instill in the population. The shift from outcast to spotlight happened with a lot of help from a Brazilian anthropologist Gilberto Freyre who believed in the beauty of the expressions of the african and indigenous people and in a sense rejected all american and european influences in the brazilian culture.

And what about sustainability? Well, a book that I am reading right now is the 2010 State of the World report on "Transforming Cultures" (click here for more info and to download free chapters). Yes, that is the connection, transforming cultures. In this report, several scientists and professionals from different areas discuss the impact of consumerism in our planet's ecosystem. The current levels of consumption are so high that to sustainably support the world's population we would need a third more of Earth's capacity than is available. In other words, humanity now uses the resources and services of 1.3 Earths, undermining the resilience of the ecosystems that we depend on. This report proposes that we curb consumerism and stop shopping for "unnecessary" items. This is a very hard thing to ask. Transforming cultures is no easy task but the samba example gave me a glimpse into a cultural shift that happened when politicians, artists, social scientists and the population were willing.

"Preventing the collapse of human civilization requires nothing less than a wholesale transformation of dominant cultural patterns. This transformation would reject consumerism - the cultural orientation that leads people to find meaning, contentment and acceptance through the way they consume - as taboo and establish in its place a new cultural framework centered on sustainability. In the process, a revamped understanding of "natural" would emerge: it would mean individual and societal choices that cause minimal ecological damage or, better yet, that restore Earth's ecological systems to health. Such a shift - something more fundamental than the adoption of new technologies or government policies, which are often regarded as the key drivers of a shift to sustainable societies - would radically reshape the way people understand and act in the world."

So I wonder if this shift is possible, can culture change at this scale? Can people as a whole (and not just in some specific places) have a sense of pride not by what they own but by who they are and what they stand for?

Back Again

I set up this blog 5 years ago but never really used it...a lot has happened since then. Now, 5 years later, I'm not sure who would be interested in what I have to share but I think this is an exercise of getting everything that is in my head out, clearing space for more and keeping it fresh.
I have been in a phase where all the books and music I read are in Portuguese. It may be that I am homesick, it may be that I want to stay tunned with my roots, or it may just be that I want to understand where I come from and what makes me who I am.
I just finished reading Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro's "Viva o Povo Brasileiro". There is an English version called "An Invincible Memory" translated by the author himself. It is an amazing read. An epic novel that spans 300 years in Brazilian history. Even though the characters are fictional, the historic background is true. Very true.
I feel like it gave me many clues in understanding why we (as in the Brazilian people) are like we are. I am far from an expert or a historian but this book gave me insights that were precious.
Brazilians are a very passionate people, but you dont need to read this to know that. It is everywhere, on everything we do. We go for it. Good or bad. We are also talented, musical and welcoming. But, we are also corrupt, self-deprecating and do try to take advantage of anything and anybody. Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro is very candid about this and regardless of the what anybody say, I am proud to be Brazilian. With all the good things and bad things that come with it. With the corruption and the musicality. I dont live in Brasil anymore and many would say that this is why I'm so in love with my country. I disagree. I lived there most of my life and still live there, at least through my books and music.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%A3o_Ubaldo_Ribeiro