This study is a tentative approach to the relationship between environmental and occupational health and development in a specific situation: charcoal production in the Jequitinhonha Valley, the poorest region in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study focuses on the labor process, involving heavy exploitation, hazardous working conditions, and extremely precarious living conditions. Working conditions and activities are described and related to the workers' health situation. Social policies and decisive participation by the various social stakeholders are necessary to change this reality.
Este artigo versa sobre as relações entre natureza, homem e ciência e chama a atenção para um tema estratégico na sociedade brasileira hoje: os recursos hídricos. Ele enfatiza a necessidade de repensarmos nossas vidas em relação à apropriação de nossos recursos naturais e é baseado em minha experiência profissional com recursos hídricos, nos últimos 20 anos, na região sudeste do Brasil. Nosso país não é somente um dos países mais ricos do mundo em águas, mas tem também inúmeras experiências negativas e positivas em relação a esse tema. O artigo conclui que é possível construir uma sociedade sustentável, na qual a equidade, a solidariedade e a justiça social seriam elementos comuns na vida diária. Entretanto, esse desafio somente será vencido com trabalho de décadas e contando com a participação efetiva de diferentes segmentos de nossa sociedade, e não apenas de governos. Nesse cenário, a mobilização social pelas águas desempenhará, certamente, um papel fundamental.
Palavras-chave:Meio ambiente; Conhecimento; Recursos hídricos; Apropriação dos recursos naturais; Empoderamento.
Abstract
This article is about a reflection on the relationship between nature, man and science, and emphasizes the importance of a rethink in our lives regards the appropriation of our natural resources. It is based on my own experiences with water resources in South-East Brazil and intends to call attention for an strategic subject in Brazilian society nowadays: waters resources. Brazil is not only one of the richest countries in the world in terms of water resources, but also has several negative and positive experiences on this matter. It concludes that is possible to build up a sustainable society, where equity, solidarity and social justice would be ordinary elements of our daily life. However, this challenge will only be achieved after decades of a struggle for life with an...
An evaluation of major impacts from human activities at the Piracicaba river basin, Minas Gerais State, (southeast Brazil) was used to develop an environmental education programme involving representatives of nine municipalities. The provisioning of local communities with an access to environmental knowledge through a continuous process of information exchange was the basic objective of the programme. The methods adopted were based on a participative planning which defined a set of integrated activities, aimed at the communities, in general (e.g. production of an educative film and public enquiries), and at opinion formers and decision-makers, in particular (e.g. short and longer-courses). The adoption of the programme by the local communities, the area covered, the shortage of adequate literature and specially trained people at the University are pointed out as the basic difficulties for the development of the programme. The proposed methodology and the experience gained during the 18 months has demonstrated the importance of developing activities under short and average time span perspectives, conducted in a planned and participative way. The results also suggest the need for environmental education as a basis in recovering and maintaining ecosystem health. O
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