Defending the Rivers of the Amazon, with Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver Narrates New Google Earth Animation on Brazil's Controversial Belo Monte Dam in the Amazon Rainforest. Amazon Watch and International Rivers have teamed up to create a state-of-the-art 10-minute Google Earth 3-D tour and video narrated by actress Sigourney Weaver, with technical assistance from Google Earth Outreach. The video is in support of Brazil's Movimento Xingu Vivo Para Sempre (Xingu River Forever Alive Movement). The tour allows viewers to learn about the harmful impacts of, and alternatives to the massive Belo Monte Dam Complex on the Amazon's Xingu River. A Portuguese version of the video and tour, narrated by well-known Brazilian actor Dira Paes to be released soon.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Belo Monte
• Dam
• Cameron
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• Environmental
• Amazon
• Indigenous
• Brazil

[crispiva1]

One can rest assured: Belo Monte will be built weather you like it or not!

Brazil is still one of the most responsible countries in the world in terms of usage of renewable energy sources and preserving the environment!

But it must meet its energy needs and hydro power plants are still the best alternative.

On the other hand, I think we must try to develop other environmentally friendly technologies and to improve the existing ones: solar, wind, tides and geothermal.

[firstlourenco]

@womaninga Look for information about ITAIPU, built in the late 1970s. Brazil was the first country to worry about the environment and the poorest people in the construction of big dams. If you can travel to the city of Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) and knows the power plant. In this city there are also beautiful waterfalls (much larger than Niagara Falls). It is a very good experience.

[vintagediamond]

There are many out there who don't care about political power or about who's the strongest country.I am not about "who's better or who's running the world" because the truth is we are a family on this Earth.We all need the same resources to survive.No one owns nature.We as a species have a responsibility to use resources sustainably because I am worried about the Earth we are leaving to our grandchildren.The Earth we live in today is not the same Earth we're passing on to the future generations.

[vintagediamond]

We as humans put billions of tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. These trees and plants act as lungs for the earth and absorb and filter the air to produce oxygen so we can breathe. I am not interested in political power or anything like that. I am more concerned for the well being of our home. There is no other like it out there. For those who think you can just pollute and then go find another planet I'm sorry you can keep dreaming. This is our only Earth.

[vintagediamond]

LOL that's such an ignorant comment to put about northern countries and "power". Is that all you think about is to get "stronger" and to have "power"? That's what you think makes the world go round right? That's what you think keeps our natural resources on this earth. It's not about stopping you from making progress. It's figuring out a better way for growth economically and socially, while keeping our planet alive to sustain humans in the long run.

[nickfl1980]

The truth is: Northern countries (US and Europe) are against development of Brazil. They are full aware that once Brazilians allow development, Brazil will only get stronger. The truth is, the northern countries hate that and will do everything to stop it. Since they cannot do it anymore by the world bank or IMF tricks or cannot do it military, they do it through the "green mask" by acting as if they truly care about the enviroment. Reality is, they don't. Belo Monte dam is pro development!

[justanoldman1]

@vintagediamond Just about every country in the world has built dams. It creats a man made lake that brings in animals and fish and the enviroment adapts around it. Like it or not, man is here and he need electric power and you and people like you can not stop progress. If you want to fight something, try and stop the polution of our water by the major cities of the world. Victoria In B.C. for example pumps all of their raw sewage directly into the pacific ocean, there's a fight.

[chrysalis12481]

People everywhere are speaking out, about time

[madaboutrains]

THATS RUBBISH IDEA THE DAM ANIMALS ARE BETTER THAN ELECTRICITY

[dirkstorm]

So true. There is no excuse for this primitive and harmful approach to generating energy. In fact it is highly suspicious to me and smells of them wanting to destroy the area and drive out the natives.

It also should be noted that instead of wind and solar it would be even more effective, affordable and beneficial if Brazil would build methane digestion systems for electricity in place of land fills and sewage plants. It would make more money and energy in cleaner ways even than wind/solar.

[ErikGrutzmann]

@myfreemindforever Brazil doesn't need to destroy the nature to develop.

[vintagediamond]

Many people who say this dam is a necessary project because wind power is not aesthetically appealing need to go and take a class on ecology. Then come back and tell me that the way something "looks" is more important than maintaining a balance in our environment. The earth is everyone's responsibility. YOU FORGET THAT HUMANS NEED THE EARTH TO SURVIVE BUT THE EARTH DOES NOT NEED HUMANS TO SURVIVE!