Fernanda de Fabre is a student at the Faculdade de Macapá – FAMA, currently coursing Environmental Managment. Along with thirty other classmates, she participated on the action promoted by Navegar Amazônia, in a partnership with Oi Futuro as part of the project for the Environmental Sustainability at the Jandiá Canal. In an open letter, she shares her insights on the action developed.
During our action, on June 20th 2007, I noticed that the public is really prone to change the current conditions of the Canal, which already demonstrates the ability of transforming and idea, or a dream, into a concrete model for a project. Obviously not everybody is willing. We often find if not the total refuse to participate, the apathy commonly shared by our modern society. That only demonstrates a very common picture in any situation, independently from geographic location and/or social and economical characteristics.
In a preliminary and superficial technical analysis, there is a problem related to domestic and commercial residues. But the problem becomes environmentally more serious concerning the occupation and use of the Canal’s margins, where the most frequent kind is the commercial occupation. In my opinion, I believe that these commercial points can be relocated with the future recover of the APP. I highly consider this, for it seems to me that the population here is in great need of resources, and, if there is a possibility of the margins’ immediate recover, leisure will be made available, and with that, it is very likely that the Canal will be inserted on people’s lives and the success of a environmental education project is probable. This action aims the responsible public organs, which should act as regulators, inspectors and the promoters of the well-being and quality of life. With all of this, I intend that the project goes beyond the waste collecting. Not that it should not be improved and regularized, but the public organs actions should urgently be reviewed, especially concerning their absence and/or inefficiency.
The area’s occupation leads us to the recurrent human process of inhabiting locations near water courses. This is not only a reality in the State of Amapá, or even in Brazil, but a worldwide reality, intimately connected to the primal process of organization and space occupation. The reason for this occupation constitutes in a matter of economic character, and, if the wood commerce is relocated, the costs will rise, and that will probably make the problem escalate. But this something that can be measured and studied. Another relevant matter is this: who are the commerce owners and their employees, and where they reside. This information can constitute a very interesting database for the project.
Human beings, for their intrinsic characteristics of commodity and acceptance, are not willing to change, unless it is proven that change will bring them benefits. A joined action of the environmental, social sciences (and/or anthropology), the health, law and other areas personnel can develop a real positive work, for, when we’re dealing with the environment it is impossible to make analysis from a specific (segmented) point of view, due to its global and life essential character.
Besides having an active action when facing the environmental issues, we should, as social agents, engender the necessity for action in local leaderships. What I mean is, instead of being the intruder on the community’s routine, we should be the facilitators for positive action.
I believe that a technical diagnostic is important so it can validate an environmental education project, that is, if it is even possible to separate this from the educational whole (personal unburden!). This action purpose is for us not to fall into the romantic pedagogic vision, so torned and worn down, which ends up turning perfectly good ideas into innocuous initiatives, without any effective results. I wouldn’t like to glimpse this possibility, for through our contact, I had an excellent impression concerning the team and the projects developed by them. I hope the partnership with FAMA allows a multi-disciplinary action and leads to another success.
The issue of water, the quality of life and the environmental spaces, establishes an important work order and as such, it must be taken in a serious and conscious way, which I believe to be possible with the team’s support.
In conclusion, I thank the possibility given to me to have this experience and to have been welcomed so greatly by everyone.
P.S.: I worry about the fact that the practical aspects are detached from theory. I don’t refer to the theory found in books, but to the systematization and maturity of processes. I see that people really do believe in the ease of the execution process, which I don’t believe. People forget that the baggage of knowledge is what propitiates real and productive products and results. It is as if everything can be developed in the easiest way, but in most cases, this is a spur-of-the-moment feeling, or even self-deceit. Theory without the practice is empty, and the other way around can transform into a disastrous and degrading process for the community. However, we can’t leave aside intuition and perception, only utilize them in a rational, conscientious and productive manner. Our state – I can feel it from here- needs stimulation and better structure of knowledge.




