{"id":61508,"date":"2020-08-16T11:58:08","date_gmt":"2020-08-16T14:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=61508"},"modified":"2020-08-28T19:12:07","modified_gmt":"2020-08-28T22:12:07","slug":"environmental-educators-discuss-initiatives-in-rios-favelas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=61508","title":{"rendered":"Environmental Educators Discuss Initiatives in Rio’s Favelas [VIDEO]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

On August 4, environmental educators and activists whose work occurs in favelas throughout Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, participated in a livestreamed discussion on Facebook and YouTube about their activities and the new challenges presented by the coronavirus<\/a> pandemic. The event was organized by Ba\u00eda Viva<\/a>, an environmental advocacy group focused on the upkeep of Rio\u2019s Guanabara Bay<\/a>. All of\u00a0the participants said that it was essential for favela residents to be involved in environmental issues in their own communities because of how those issues touch all aspects of life, including nutrition<\/a>, health<\/a>, housing<\/a>, general well-being<\/a>, and public safety<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The discussion was moderated by S\u00e9rgio Ricardo, ecologist and founder of Ba\u00eda Viva. Other speakers included Edson Gomes, cofounder of Verdejar<\/a>, an organization promoting sustainable socio-environmental development in the favelas of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a> and its neighboring Serra da Miseric\u00f3rdia<\/a>\u00a0forest in the North Zone<\/a>; Leonardo Bueno, an activist from the North Zone\u2019s Manguinhos<\/a> favela with the Popular Front of Favelas for Democracy; Julia Rossi, coordinator of the Green Mar\u00e9<\/a> project within the organization Redes da Mar\u00e9<\/a> in the North Zone; Jocelino Porto, coordinator of the Precious Stones Ecological Nucleus<\/a> (NEPP), based out of the North Zone\u2019s Hon\u00f3rio Gurgel<\/a> neighborhood; and Maria do Carmo, President of the Quitungo Cooperative, an organization in the North Zone\u2019s Br\u00e1s de Pina<\/a> neighborhood that works with environmental advocacy and recycling<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Democratic participation<\/a> from the residents is crucial, they argued. Rossi argued that only residents can truly understand their realities and challenges, saying that all activists should ask, \u201cHow does the favela express its own environmental fights?\u201d<\/p>\n

Along these lines, Gomes said that it is also important to break free from the typical narrative that the press establishes about favelas, which portrays them as problems and without agency<\/a>. He stressed that people should not fall into the trap of thinking that \u201cthe fault is of those who live in the communities\u2026 It is very important for us not to blame poverty<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ricardo added that this view of the poor as at fault is a form of socio-environmental racism<\/a> that is prevalent in how the formal city views the favelas.<\/p>\n

Environmental education<\/a> has played an important role in mobilizing residents to participate in cleanups and to decrease pollution<\/a> and litter, the speakers pointed out. For Carmo, “[as favela residents] we see the need that exists for cleaning up the rivers, especially the Quitungo River,\u201d which runs through her native Br\u00e1s de Pina.<\/p>\n

One of the fundamental methods of environmental education for favela residents starts in schools. However, Porto, who has been involved with the cause since 1992, lamented that under Mayor Eduardo Paes<\/a>, it was harder for environmentalists to engage with schools. \u201cThey kept us away, and we didn\u2019t want that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

During the pandemic, many environmental groups have stepped into virus response activities, and the speakers stressed the connection between environmental work and promoting public health. Rossi said the pandemic has made the importance of the longtime demands of food security and basic sanitation even more clear.<\/p>\n

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Despite many challenges, the speakers voiced optimism that they will be able to make the most of the situation. \u201cWe have to see how what today is viewed as a problem can turn into an opportunity for the communities,\u201d said Gomes.<\/p>\n

Continuing in this vein of seizing opportunities, Porto put forth a call to action, urging people to plant a tree during National Tree Week, which begins on September 21. He argued that even a small, individual action like planting a tree can serve as a solid step in the right direction.<\/p>\n

For the final twenty minutes of the event, musician and environmental educator Bhega Silva<\/a> of the Parque Uni\u00e3o<\/a> favela in Mar\u00e9, along with his daughter Thaina, joined and performed for the audience. As activists, many of their songs touched on the environment and favela empowerment, demonstrating music\u2019s potential as an educational tool for raising awareness about environmental issues in Rio.<\/p>\n

Watch the discussion here<\/a>:<\/h3>\n