A BEAN TO PICK
The Amazon is as delicate as it is vital to the health of the planet. Now that valuing the services provided by nature has hit a chord with mainstream media, the catholic church in Brazil have chimed in with their two cents worth.

I've spent some time in Brazil. One of the many fascinations I had was the Brazilian flag. A starry southern sky emblazoned with "order and progress". Like hell!

Order and progress is the criticism aimed squarely at the Brazil government by the church. The church (who hold significant sway) quite rightly "opposes development that deprives populations of their future." Progress yes, but with some order to the pillaging of the land by soy growers.

If you cast an eye over last months National Geographic you wouldn't have missed the Amazon article. There is little order in the Amazon. Soy and beef production is stripping the land bare. The land is barely suitable in the first place so newly cleared forest land is doused in fertilizer.

The ecosystem services provided for "free" by the Amazon is genuinely under threat. Something to ponder the next time you put soy on your shopping list. We gotta start asking questions about the stuff we buy!

Update (6th Mar): keep an eye on this soy thread from Gristmill...