The New York Times (October 18) reported on on the worst drought in Brazil's history. Huge reservoirs are depleted and water rationing is in place in Rio, Sao Paulo and other cities. Experts are looking at the rapid deforestation in South America as the culprit. Cutting down forests releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and increases global warming. Forests also absorb more solar energy than grasslands and release vast amounts of water vapour driving the rainfall amounts. Each fully grown tree releases one thousand litres of water a day and the entire Amazon rain forest sends up twenty billion tons a day, more water than the mighty river itself. But these staggering figures and the common sense they should engender are ignored in the race for profits and the need to keep up with the competition that is the crazy mantra of the capitalist mode of production. Brazil must destroy its resources or be left behind. Sooner or later, the world's ninety-nine per cent will take over! John Ayers
The Glasgow & Edinburgh Branches Blog. Towards a better understanding of the world, in order to change it.
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