Ep. 1: A Murder and a Fire

In December 1988, Brazilian environmentalist Chico Mendes was murdered at his home in the Amazon Rainforest. Chico was a rubber tapper who witnessed the destruction of the forest—of his home—and built a community both in Brazil and abroad to stop the devastation. For this, he was killed in cold blood.

In episode one, hosts Graham Zimmerman and Jim Aikman set off to better understand the Brazilian Amazon. They explore both the politics and biology of one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. They also learn about the history of the conflict in the Brazilian Amazon and why someone like Chico Mendes risked his life to safe it.

Episode sources:

• Hecht, Susanna, and Alexander Cockburn. The Fate of the Forest: Developers, Destroyers, and Defenders of the Amazon. University of Chicago Press, 2010.
• Revkin, Andrew. The Burning Season: the Murder of Chico Mendes and the Fight for the Amazon Rain Forest. Island Press, 2004.
• Pyne, Stephen J. Fire in America. Univ. of Washington Press, 1997.
• “I. Foster Brown.” Woodwell Climate, 2 Dec. 2020, www.woodwellclimate.org/staff/foster-brown/
• Shoumatoff, Alex. “Murder in the Rainforest.” Vanity Fair, 1989.
• Rodrigues, Gomercindo, et al. Walking the Forest with Chico Mendes: Struggle for Justice in the Amazon. University of Texas Press, 2007.
• Rabie, Passant. “NASA Satellites Confirm Amazon Rainforest Is Burning at a Record Rate.”
• Space.com, Space, 27 Aug. 2019, www.space.com/amazon-rainforest-fires-2019-nasa-satellite-views.html#:~:targetText=Firedetections by NASA's Moderate,over the world since 2003.
• Hoover, K., & Hanson, L. A. (2021, January 4). Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/IF10244.pdf
• Pasquali, Marina. “Number of Wildfires in Brazil 2020.” Statista, 14 Sept. 2020, www.statista.com/statistics/1041354/number-wildfires-brazil/.
• Templeton, Amelia. “Eagle Creek Fire Perpetrator Ordered To Pay $36.6 Million.” Opb, OPB, 2 June 2020, www.opb.org/news/article/eagle-creek-fire-wildfire-restitution-oregon-columbia-river-gorge/.
• Kloster, Tom. “After the Fire: A Closer Look (Part 2 of 2).” WyEast Blog, 28 Feb. 2018, wyeastblog.org/2018/02/27/after-the-fire-a-closer-look-part-2-of-2/.
• Borger, Julian, and Jonathan Watts. “G7 Leaders Agree Plan to Help Amazon Countries Fight Wildfires.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 26 Aug. 2019, www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/26/g7-leaders-agree-plan-to-help-amazon-countries-fight-wildfires.
• “Amazon Fires: Crisis Mobilization Update.” Rainforest Alliance, Rainforest Alliance, 8 Nov. 2019, www.rainforest-alliance.org/articles/an-update-on-our-crisis-response-to-the-amazon-fires.
• “It's Okay to Be Smart.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 24 Oct. 2018, www.pbs.org/video/the-largest-river-on-earth-is-in-the-sky-ayxiyl/.
• Surui, Almir Narayamoga, et al. Save the Planet: An Amazonian Tribal Leader Fights for His People, The Rainforest, and the Earth. Editions Albin Michel, 2015.
• Mendes, Chico, et al. Fight for the Forest: Chico Mendes in his Own Words. Latin America Bureau (Research and Action) Ltd, 1989. 
• “Making a Difference : Chico Mendes . . .” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 1989, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-01-22-op-1186-story.html.