Dear Readers,

Just as Spring holds the promise of a harvest in each seed we poke into soft earth, so does our project. It has evolved far beyond a gesture to restore a patch of degraded rainforest. It has become a transformational process for everyone involved.

In order to stand up for Nature, in the face of agrochemical companies who help plant GMO forests nearby, simple rural people must feel personally empowered. Buying and donating trees each year is a lovely gesture. But it doesn't create enough encouragement and hope to face the daily challenges for the people whose water and soil are being contaminated by toxic chemicals from neighboring eucalyptus plantations. They wrote, “ They have polluted watersheds, groundwater, soils, people and animals from farms. Fish are dying in big amounts, cattle, pigs and chicken are born with deformities, people from farms located in the surroundings are ill, losing arm and leg movements, getting blind."

So now, rather than to step in and out, as an occasional "rescuer" for the "victims" of the agrochemical "perpetrators" that have destroyed rainforests in Brazil, let's give people some new tools to use. We can translate information, deliver it in a form that is easily digested, so that they are better prepared to stand up to the big name NGOs who partnered with chemical companies, who are funding their "environmental education," while teaching them to use toxic chemicals and GMO seeds.

Would you be willing to chip in toward the cost of translating and subtitling materials for rainforest community education?

We have a number of transcripts and permissions, and are ready to rock with a translator. We can create a powerful series that speaks directly to the heart of the matter, so that simple people see themselves as powerful Creators, wise stewards of native seeds, and remember how to live in harmony with their land as it becomes our international treasury of biodiversity once more.

All contributions received during the month of March on www.iGiveTrees.com will be allocated to this process.

Here's the series we'll be able to present to rural communities, through our partner NGO in Brazil, once the translations are done:

1 - In the Power of T.E.D. (The Empowerment Dynamic) - Victims become Creators. Perpetrators are seen as Challengers. Rescuers become Coaches. This will be the foundation of all that we do, from here on out. It's too easy to get dragged down by the Victim role.

2 - Scientist David Suzuki did a short, powerful documentary called Silent Forest aboutgenetically engineered forests. He has given us a transcript of the movie for translation purposes. This video describes what is going on, while no one knew what they were doing.

3 - Seeds of Freedom by Vandana Shiva's Navdanya International, will be given Portuguese subtitles. This will create another perspective on what local farmers are being taught by the seed company representatives who are pushing for them to convert to GM crop seed in agroforestry projects. Many have already fallen into the cycle of despair depicted in the movie.

4 - Geoff Lawton is a permaculture designer who's done an excellent video on Cell Grazing that will help people who don't want to sacrifice cattle pasture to replant their forest, to learn how they can increase land productivity without sacrificing their familiar livelihood activities. With Portuguese sub-titles, this will be a real eye-opener!

5 - Jon Liu's inspiring video What if We Change documenting permaculture forestry projectin China already has a Portuguese subtitled version. He has expressed interest in our project and we’re hoping he’ll come to collaborate.

6 - Over the course of the last few years, the Awakening the Dreamer Sympoisum was translated and offered in Brazil. Now that the body of work exists in Portuguese, colleagues have requested the addition of videos that address local problems and solutions, be added. The translation of these videos will help to meet that request.

These materials will make our concern and care even more powerful than annual gifts of trees. They will be the fertilizer for minds and hearts and courage to grow. And from that, the diversity of our rainforests will come back to life.

Planting Hope,
Alana
www.iGiveTrees.com

If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren't pessimistic, you don't understand the data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren't optimistic, you haven't got a pulse. 

~Paul Hawken

The Institute for Responsible Technology endorses but is not affiliated with iGiveTrees.