Back in Master Degree program for Comparative International Development, I heavily studied about the Amazonian rainforest and how millions of Brazilians were being relocated to Rio. This relocation was due to more rural areas of the Country were becoming deforested. They were being deforested to create hydroelectric dams. One time there was even going to be a hydroelectric dam in the middle of the biggest part of the Amazon; WHAT?!
In addition, most of the deforestation was also due to farmers creating pastures for cattle. However, the destruction of the Amazon is now front and center in the environmental attitudes toward climate change.
Therefore, having the Olympics in Rio can hopefully bring light to the destruction of the rainforest. Maybe this Olympics we can start to turn the clock back on some of the craziest environmental attrocities known. This olympics in Rio can symbolize the need to reforest the Amazon, to celebrate not just diversity but the bio-diversity of the rainforest.
Heck, Brazil even has gotten off of oil and is only using ethanol or biofuels for their primary fuel for transport. Maybe there are things to learn from Brazil that we can learn for ourselves the need for cultural centers, such as Rio while preserving the integrity of the Country and our environment.
