A tour of the Americas for a greener world

• First, we propose to you to look at our vision of things. See briefly how, in the last few years, we have built our analysis around readings, discussions and observations. With our own words we try to illustrate a few of the environmental issues which we are the most sensible to. It is far from exhaustive, so to go further and fulfill your curiosity use our bibliography. We tell you about books, magazines and other web sites.
  
  
• On the other hand we offer you a different text every month from specialists or from people that are highly involved with the environmental cause. You will read articles from newspapers and magazines, but also chapters or short passages from books. We wish those texts will help enlarge everyone’s knowledge in order to build a broader view of the different problems and help us to make links between them.

Our Vision

Where to start when so many problems are simmering under our eyes? Extinction of endangered species, management of our garbage, sea pollution, global warming and what else.

Where to begin? Well let's begin with the examination of our own conscience! We have to admit and be fully aware that our way of living, our actions are strongly contributing to the apparition of most of the environmental problems. Our societies have to put themselves back in the balance. The way of life we follow now is not compatible with the long term survival of mankind on earth.

Deforestation

Our consumption of wood and paper, our western alimentation based on meat and mass agriculture are directly killing our forests. We could probably survive without paper or wood, but not without the oxygen produced by the trees via photosynthesis. Each year the remaining forests are destroyed by 16 millions hectares (1) , which is about the size of Tunisia (more than the state of Georgia in the USA). Thus, at this pace, it would only take 188 years to destroy the equivalent of the African continent. We are cutting down the life-forms that are providing us the air that we need to survive!

IT'S ALARMING!

Soft water

Did you know that it takes 10 000 litres of water to build one car? In the west, in France for example, one person uses 150 litres of water daily. It is important at this point to take note that we are talking about drinking water. To have our corporal wastes transfered to sewers we use 10 litres of drinking water each time we flush the toilet. For every laundry the washing machine takes between 80 and 160 litres of water, still drinkable. It is urgent that we change our ways to treat, distribute and consume water, whether it is in farming, in the industries or in our own houses. In fact, the world consumption of water is doubling every 20 years, that is to say twice higher than the expansion rate of the human population. In 2002, water shortages killed over 7 millions people. Blue gold, as we call it, is not well spread on our planet and capitalist barons want it to be sold just as another product. Even if it is a vital element of life survival, water will be soon sold to those who can afford it only!

IT'S ALARMING!

Global warming

The Amazonian forest plays a vital role as a climate regulator. It is clear that we are not well aware of this because we attack it on two fronts simultaneously. First, very directly we cut its trees for some non essential human needs (paper, beef for hamburger meat). On the other hand, by the constant use of fossil fuels, we contribute to get the climate warmer by sending over 24 billions of tons of CO2 in the atmosphere every year. Among other things, this affects the rainfall level of the amazonian forest and threatens it of drying. Through photosynthesis the forest becomes a carbon well and absorbs a great amount of our CO2 rejections. According to Peter Bunyard and Xavier Brault (2), the loss (dry out) of the amazonian forest could mean the desertification of a great part of the globe. Their hypotheses may sound extreme, but a number of other scenarios, even if less dramatic, justify the adoption of the measures suggested by so many specialists to limit the green house effect which brings about the global warming.

- We have to drastically reduceour use of fossil fuels.

- We have to immediaetly stop the destruction of tropical rain forests, and especially the amazonian forest.

It's URGENT!

The trace of man

The three topics we’ve been talking about have this in common that they put on the balance our way of life based on consumption. Closing our eyes on that matter we keep promoting our way of living to developing countries. It is just to wish for them a good access to health care, but it is unwise to wish for each family to have a car, just as we do. In fact, WE should follow THEIR example and reduce the number of car we have and start to use other means of transportations. The many ecological problems we meet are much more than a resouces problem for man. They touch all life forms animal and vegetal, those which we depend on. Furthermore, not only man’s consumption is highly concerned but health and peace.

Let’s consider the biggest problem first. How can we deal with over consumption when radio stations and newspapers talk joyfully each time households' consumption is rising? Being a good consumer, have the liberal economy to roll, is that our only purpose as a human? Of course not! We have to face the problem by acting. We have to stop imagine that problems will be solved spontaneously by themselves sometimes in the future without the need for us to get involved.

Don’t believe those who tell you that recycling is not worth it or that given the number of cars driving around, the fact that you take the bus doesn’t change a thing. Don’t believe in those who tell you that your efforts are vain. Persist in your numerous individual actions, they change things. Each of us contributes to make the difference.
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OUR contribution for now is the Tour of the Americas. This site is part of it and we hope it can help to raise awareness towards the environment.

Monthly text

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(1)United Nations program for the environment, The future of the world's environment 3, De Boeck, 2002, p. 92

(2)Peter Bunyard et Xavier Brault, The Ecologist, no. 12 April-May-june 2004, p. 55