A week in paradise
Now more than ever, our associates are taking action to become more sustainable and minimise their carbon footprints. Their actions help us to remember that small changes to your lifestyle can make a big difference. In this article, Daniela Leite, Category Specialist at Bosch UK, shares her inspiring story about her time at a Sustainable Development Reserve in Brazil.
At the beginning of 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to live what would turn out to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience that changed my life forever. I arrived from the UK in Brazil, at the heart of the Amazon. A one-hour boat trip then took me to a floating lodge located at Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in the Brazilian state of Amazonas.
In this floating lodge, all of the facilities are sustainable: the energy comes from the sun, rain is collected and kept, and tiles are made of recycled plastic bottles. The lodge is a community-run project where most of the employees are from the riverside communities and the objective is to generate income for the local people and to preserve natural resources. The lodge’s team works on a rotating basis to prevent dependence on tourism so that the staff can continue to exercise their traditional lifestyle.
I woke up every morning at 6.30 a.m. to caimans swimming in the river surrounding my room, and the loud sound of wild animals, such as various species of birds and monkeys. During the flood season, the daily journey starts along the river and through the forest in small paddle boats where a native local guide shares his knowledge and experience about the inhabitants’ lifestyle and Amazon wildlife. During these excursions, I learnt about the positive impact of the creation of this Sustainable Development Reserve and the benefits of eco-tourism for the local communities and the conservation of natural resources.
The pioneering Sustainable Development Reserve model for biodiversity, developed by Jose Márcio Ayres, was an important social innovation as it was the first conservation area in Brazil to integrate the sustainable management of resources with the inclusion and participation of its inhabitants, orienting local native communities to work together with researchers to preserve the environment. The model is widely recognized as one of the most successful ethical initiatives in the world in reconciling biodiversity conservation with human needs. This process involved the coordination of social actions, laws, regulations, data, and infrastructure - and it completely changed the way people think sustainability initiatives should operate. This positively impacted the Amazon wildlife, particularly in the Mamirauá area, whilst improving economic and social conditions for the local populations, based on the development of this participative and scientific model.
The Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve opened new perspectives for Brazilian environmental policy, showing that it is possible to maintain a sustainable reserve that improves employment and generates income for local communities. Moreover, it showed that it is possible to use science, technology and innovation for the purpose of social transformation and sustainable development. The seeds of this idea planted by Márcio in the Amazon were so strong that the region continued growing, overcoming challenges, and creating a more favourable story of harmony between man and nature. This initiative has reduced the unsustainable use of resources of the area from those that seek economic advantage, reducing the scale of environmental threats posed to animals, plants and people. Local communities learned about the role they have in conservation and preserving their local area. The outcome is that there will continue to be natural resources for them to share, and better living conditions for them and the next generations.
“The seeds of this idea planted by Márcio in the Amazon were so strong that the region continued growing, overcoming challenges, and creating a more favourable story of harmony between man and nature- Daniela Leite.”
Sometimes, the interest in resources from businesses and individuals can lead to a conflict between economic and ethical objectives and consequently, threaten the future of exploited areas and their inhabitants. There are lengthy debates to be had about political and economic agendas and their effect on the environment, but these suggestions for society and businesses have little impact in the short term. Hence, an individual’s single action can play an important role in sustainability. Today, because of José Márcio’s initiative, our generation is still able to enjoy the song of monkeys and birds, fresh river water and all the amazing landscapes in Mamirauá.
Witnessing the benefits of such an initiative, and hearing from the Amazonian inhabitants about the positive impact it had in protecting their environment and traditions has inspired me to explore the topic of sustainability in more depth. From this story we can acknowledge that one man’s individual actions can make a difference to the planet, so, even at a smaller scale I am trying to be more conscious about my actions. For that reason, during my master’s degree I’ve tried to explore companies with a social and/or sustainable mission purpose, and I am trying to be more conscious about the products I buy so that my behaviour and choices can be less harmful for the environment.
