In a previous post I mentioned that cities are living organisms that suffer from illnesses, some chronic, and these ills can even lead to their demise. One of the most serious illnesses a city can have is lack of green spaces for its citizens. See entire post

People who are not healthy cannot build a dignified and sustainable nation. Each time we come across scenes of the sick lying around in hospital hallways or in waiting rooms, we have a sensation of horror for the disregard for human life. 

We all watch the misfortune of those unhappy souls who depend on government-provided health assistance, and there is nothing we can do – or is there? Yes, of course we can; a society is comprised of all its citizens and the problems that grieve one group will affect all others. See entire post

Much is said about changing the world, several suggestions come up, many possibilities are discussed, innovative solutions or advanced technologies present themselves as answers to this urgent need to save this imperfect world we’ve created. 

However, the key to taking the first step in this journey to remake that which didn’t work is to offer everybody, indiscriminately, the right to learn, the possibility of universal learning, allowing one of the most important things in our lives to come to fruition: equal rights to knowledge. 

 Health and safety are desired by all and are the cornerstone of our quality of life, but it is good quality education that guarantees equal opportunity for everyone. It is the means for us to conquer our greatest right as citizens, the right to understand the world around us, to improve our lifestyle through our own merits. See entire post

From what I’ve been reading in the press and hearing from people about sustainability in its most varied forms and applications, I’ve noticed that most people don’t really know what it means; perhaps it’s a new concept that only now is gaining importance in our lives. 

In these past few weeks I’ve been posting on the blog with the main intention of spreading the meaning of sustainability. I believe that in order to change the world we first have to understand the concept and then evaluate and discuss it, so that we can make people more aware of the need for change. Then we can start implementing change, even when we face enormous difficulty.   See entire post

When I decided to create this blog my intention was to create a space where I could share my opinions and experience with those interested. 

I expected reactions from a few people, probably from readers who were close to the sustainability subject. 

I was pleasantly surprised, however, by the large number of users who accessed the blog and left me a message. To all of you, my sincere thanks for your words of support and motivation for me to continue this mission of changing the world. 

Yes, I believe in our ability to revert the self-extinction process we have imposed to our species, but this task will require the participation of many people. The will to change the conditions in which we live today, with an escalating perception of risk, is strong and present in many of us. See entire post

I’ve been reading several articles about the end of the world or about catastrophic predictions of our future, but I don’t believe them. I refuse to passively accept the determinism of assigning full responsibility for our problems to an incontrollable and immutable external force. Since the beginning of our existence we have feared death by divine intervention and therefore consigned our fate and our future to a greater power.

Now, as in a distant past, religions, creeds, visions, forecasts, Mayan calendars, the inscriptions in ancient Egyptian pyramids, and a number of other manifestations converge to the same question that engenders curiosity and fear: When will the end of the world come? See entire post

The time we spend inside our cars has increased over the last few years; you no longer measure it in minutes but rather in hours. Traffic in large cities has become a nightmare for all those who need to get around in them. 

One has to analyze the causes of this as well as the consequences to the lives of people affected and to the environment. 

There are several reasons why people want their cars: from the practicality and comfort to speed, safety and status, to mention a few. All or any of them can be a reason to justify purchasing a car. But there is a common motive to everyone: the need to get around. See entire post

These days it’s impossible to talk about sustainability without mentioning North American politician Al Gore (http://www.algore.com/). He is a kind of ambassador to the cause and an inspiration to many, including myself.

Al Gore was vice president of the US during Bill Clinton’s term in office and lost the presidential election to George W. Bush. In spite of his prominence as a politician, which makes him a role model for many people, it’s his work in fighting global warming that stands out.

Those who think he turned environmentalist only after loosing the elections in 2000 are wrong. Since 1978, when he was just an assemblyman, he has been lecturing about the planet’s eminent destruction, as in the 2006 documentary “An inconvenient truth”. See entire post

I thought of several subjects I could approach to start the blog, but I felt that anything I said would be impersonal if I didn’t introduce myself.

My name is Luiz Fernando Lucho do Valle, I was born in Porto Alegre, I’m 53 years old, I have four children, four grandchildren and a degree in civil engineering.

My intention with this blog is to help change the world. To that end I want to rouse in people an interest in sustainability, as happened to me some years ago.

In the end of 2003 I was in Guarapari in the state of Espírito Santo, sitting alone on a rock by the seashore, and I decided to take stock of my life. I thought about my origins, my family, my career and everything I had done so far. See entire post