Last night I watched an episode of Panorama on TV. It was a focus on deforestation and how the people of Brazil are looking towards capitalism as a solution. They are currently studying the rainforest, to put values on how much oxygen and water is given out, and how much carbon is stored per unit of rainforest. They will then sell these units to companies and countries.
There was talk of the rainforest as being a utility. Like how we currently get gas and electricity, we would also have carbon offsets and oxygen tax that was paid to the government who would in turn pay for the conservation of 'their' patch of rainforest.
This upset me deeply.. for the first time, my views as an anarchist and as an environmentalist were torn in different directions. Realistically this could be the only way to immediately stop deforestation, that must be a good thing, right??! but then no.. its so inherently WRONG. The state already control our education, our food, our health, our energy, or lives.. the air we breath is all that is left that is free.
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