cool earth project

[chestnutty]

Read about this in today's Sunday times and thought it sounded great.
Basicly people, companies, schools etc buy a bit of the rainforest to protect it against logging. A high price is paid for the land and some of the money goes to the local people towards hospitals, schools etc.
The project is only just starting but its backed by cross party politicans and could be good. More details at www.coolearth.org.
I've signed up for more details but so far no practical arrangements seem available.
Thoughts?

[TooTickyTheAppleMuncher]

Sounds good!

[chestnutty]

just a quick update on the the coolearth project.
Everything is is in the planning stages but they hope to be launching by christmas.
At the moment thet want to gain more supporters , so please register at www.coolearth.org.

[chestnutty]

anyone?

[worldgonewild]

I found something on this project last Friday. Came across this guys blog on which he claimed to be the founder of the Cool Earth Project. I then lost the link! The little I read of it I thought that in principal it sounded like a smart idea ( particularly the by-passing of politicians bit to get it up and running). It will however obviously need Brazilian political and citizen support to succeed.

I'll check out your link to the site and get back.

[worldgonewild]

OK. I've looked through it and it looks good. Very ambitious but it looks do-able. For a summary of The 'Cool Earth' Project go to;

www.environmentdebate.blogspot.com

[chestnutty]

wgw : had a look at the site

[worldgonewild]

Thanks chestnutty. Your comments are welcome on the site of course.

Worryingly for Coolearth I read today in the Indy an article from Brazil regards their attitude to foreigners wanting to own parts of the rainforest for preservation etc. It was written/backed by Brazil's foreign and environment ministers. They didn't name Coolearth or any other organisation but, they made it clear an approach such as Coolearths is not welcome! Doesn't this kinda kill off the idea?!

[chestnutty]

The idea would be pretty dead if this was the case.
Can't really blame them though. Imagine if people from other countries tried to buy all of England's woods and forests.
Perhaps we would be better paying the Chinese not to build any more coal fired power stations. According to the BBC, they are opening a new one every WEEK at the moment. That's got to have a serious impact on global warming!

[DominiConnor]

I do like the term "some of the money goes to local people". Hmmm...
Even if this isn't a scam, it misses a very basic problem. Ownership of land is nealry absolute in civilised countries, but we're not talking about them. Brazil et al have record of confiscating and nationalising things to increase opportunitie for henchmen of the rulers to get rich.

[worldgonewild]

Hi Chestnutty. Yes China are certainly busy building everything. I think they use something like 50% of the world's steel and concrete at the moment for all their construction needs. Course we have to remember alot of what's produced goes west. Hence the world's largest container ship, newly built, which is a 1/4 mile long has just docked in Felixstowe with 45,000 tonnes of Xmas goods for UK consumers! Sometimes I do this instead; xmas gifts .