Video

The Tapajós waterway and the push into the Amazon

The Brazilian government has suspended dredging in the Tapajós River after pressure from Indigenous communities. The news may sound technical, but the issue is much bigger: what’s really at stake is the possible transformation of a living river into a logistics corridor.

Today, Brazil plays the role of a supplier of cheap raw materials. Soybeans, corn, and minerals need to move faster and at lower cost. To make that happen, two major projects come into play: the Tapajós waterway and the Ferrogrão railway.

Together, they cut costs, shorten transport times, and increase profits for the big trading companies.

The price of this “efficiency” is paid in the Amazon. Dredging means removing millions of cubic meters from the riverbed, destroying fish breeding areas, affecting Indigenous territories, and potentially bringing back mercury left behind by illegal gold mining.

Studies already show contamination in Munduruku communities, including in children.

On top of that, the river starts to be treated as private infrastructure. Through concessions, companies control traffic, charge fees, and set priorities. Traditional uses are pushed to the background. The river stops being a space of life and becomes a high-speed corridor for cargo.

This model also worsens the climate crisis. Cheaper transport opens up new areas to deforestation, and less forest means less rain. The Tapajós is already facing more severe droughts and could lose up to 20% of its flow in the coming decades.

None of this is abstract. It’s a real dispute over territory, water, and the future!

Want to go deeper into this topic?

Watch the full video and understand why the Tapajós has become the center of one of the biggest environmental conflicts in Brazil.

Disclaimer: The video is in Brazilian Portuguese, but simultaneous translation and subtitles are available in multiple languages.

UGREEN

Not everyone joins the same way

Let me explain how the UGREEN Pass Special Week will work in a simple way.

It starts on March 9 and runs through March 13. During that window, there will be a special condition to join the Pass. But there’s an important detail: the best moment of the week is the beginning. People who join earlier get a better deal. Those who wait get in under less favorable conditions.

It’s not a trick. It’s just how time works.

The idea is very straightforward. This week isn’t about “seeing if you can make it in time.” It’s about timing. About choosing to walk in when the door is wide open, not when it’s already about to close.

If you’re already considering UGREEN Pass, it makes sense to use these days to understand exactly what’s inside. The schools, the topics, the approach, the level of depth, and the kind of conversations that happen there. That way, when the week starts, the decision becomes simple.

And if, after looking, you realize this is more than you need right now, that’s fine too. The Pass isn’t made for everyone. It’s made for people who want to work with sustainability in a practical way, with method and responsibility.

If you haven’t gone in yet, take your time and explore it now.

👉 Explore UGREEN Pass from the inside:

On Monday, I’ll let you know when the Special Week opens. And then, yes — the clock really starts ticking.

Video

When living stops being a priority

Something important is changing in our cities - and it’s not just the rent going up!

Housing has always been the foundation of stability, community, and urban life. But over time, it has increasingly been treated as a financial asset: homes became investments, neighborhoods became opportunities, and the city itself became a product.

In this context, platforms like Airbnb didn’t create the housing crisis, but they did help accelerate it. By turning homes into short-term rentals, fewer places remain available for people who actually live in the city. The effects show up quickly: higher rents, pressure on local communities, and the erosion of neighbourhood ties.

This model also has environmental impacts. High turnover leads to higher consumption of energy and water, more frequent renovations, and more travel. Urban sustainability has never been just about efficient buildings. It depends on cities being livable, accessible, and above all, designed for everyday life.

For those who design, build, and plan cities, the question is simple: are we creating spaces to live in, or spaces to extract value from?

Want to dive deeper into this topic?

Watch the full video to see how this whole process works, understand its social and environmental impacts, and what it reveals about the future of our cities.

Disclaimer: The video is in Brazilian Portuguese, but simultaneous translation and subtitles are available in multiple languages.