I recently wrote about the use of fire in traditional farming techniques – a practice that is as old as farming itself, but that looks less wise in an age of climate change. When I read about burning off the forest for agriculture, it sounds like the kind of thing that ought to be immediately banned for the good of the climate. But of course I know nothing about it, and the people who still use fire have their own reasons.
The issue is explored in this video from If Not Us, Then Who?, a remarkable agency that produces films about environmental issues by indigenous people. In the video, communities in Brazil describe how climate change has affected the forest and made burning more dangerous and unpredictable. They talk about the measures they take now to keep fires manageable, and how they are learning to do without it.
(If it doesn’t play with the English subtitles, they’re available in the Youtube settings)
The Earthbound Report 