June 1st, 2009
Greenpeace: running may be good for you, hurting the Earth
Luxury product, big American retailers, greedy developing national leaders, resource exploitation. You can almost write the script. This time it’s not soybeans or mahogany or mining. It’s leather for running shoes from Nike, Adidas and their ilk. Greenpeace says consumers buying leather shoes from major manufacturers are encouraging the destruction of the Brazilian rainforest which is far less profitable than another ranchero full of beef cows to be slaughtered for burgers, car seats and sports gear. Environmental groups say Brazilian cattle are the largest reason for deforestation anywhere on earth.
Greenpace names names: Nike, Adidas, IKEA, Reebok, Wal-Mart, Gucci, Timberland, Clarks, Boss, Hilfiger, Prada and Kraft, Tesco and Honda. Other products implicated in deforestation according to Greepeace: leather vehicle seat covers. Meanwhile Brazil is already the #4 nation in the world greenhouse gas league behind only US, China and Japan. And they are expecting to continue to grow their cattle industry and cut down their tropical forests.
POLITICAL BEEF
Brazil’s Environment Minister says he is trying to protect rain forest but he lacks political support within his own government. The minister is co-founder of Brazil’s Green Party and his attempts to regulate deforestation and pollution have angered agribusiness, industry, transport and their political allies. Sound familiar?
A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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