In July 2009 we organized the first activity for our Éta-nos! project.

Éta-nos refers to ethanol, a clean fuel, which however requires large plantations of sugar cane.  And it means: 'and us', what happens to us, the living beints, human beings, animals and plants, if our machines are more important than nature?

Soon we will all be driving our cars on ethanol or other bio fuels...

Very nice...but how does it affect our nature, our food, our environment? What about nature, animals and people? Don't they need energy to work, an environment to live? That is what Éta-Nós is about, fuel for living souls! In July 2009 we organized a holiday week at the farm for children and adolescents and their parents from Montes Claros and Pau d'Oleo around those questions. And a spectacular wheelchair rally through the forest...

The main goal of this week was creating awareness about the importance of water, the production of food and preservation of nature. We had a mix of activities: a litter-gathering competition, clearing the ecological path along the river for the wheelchair visitors, taking care of trees and plants, making biscuits of manioc flour, swimming lessons, ceramics and berimbau lessons, music class and every day a chat about the nature, water and food.

Farmers in the region of our farm Fazenda Mandacarú stopped producing food, use too much river water, and cut too much vegetation. Understandable if you think only about today, but in the end this has disastrous consequences for the river and water supply. Visitors and day tourists from town wash their cars in the river and throw litter around thinkinga little plastic bag does not hurt anyone.

By organizing activities for young people from the region we hope to create awareness and a sense of responsibility. They are ones who will suffer the most when the river dries up and the vegetation diminishes. But they are also the ones who can make a change and cherish and protect their environment.