A new Science? Analysis of the Cycle of Life (ACL)

Leonardo Boff1 comentário

The more general search for a good life and for caring for the global situation of the Earth is causing us to deepen our ecological consciousness. Now we have to analyze the traces of carbon, toxins, heavy metals found in the industrial products we use in our everyday lives. A new science is being born from this concern, known by the acronym ACV (from the Spanish, Análisis del Ciclo de Vida, or Analysis of the Cycle of Life, ACL.) The impacts on the biosphere, on society and on health in each stage of a product are monitored, starting from their extraction, production, distribution, consumption and their elimination.

Let’s take an example: in making a one kilogram crystal vase, incredible as it may sound, 659 different ingredients are used in the different stages until the final product appears. Which are harmful? The Analysis of the Cycle of Life seeks to identify them. It is also applied to the so called green, or ecologically clean, products. The majority are only green at the end, or clean only in their final utilization, as in the case of ethanol. Being realists, we must admit that all industrial production leaves a trace of toxins, no matter how small. Nothing is totally green or clean. Only relatively eco-friendly. This was examined by Daniel Goleman in his recent book, Ecological intelligence, (Kairos 2009).

It would be ideal if each product, in addition to detailing its nutrients, fats and vitamins, also stated its negative impacts on health, society and the environment. This is being done in the United States by Good Guide, an institution accessible via the Internet, that establishes a triple qualification: green, for relatively pure products, yellow, if they contain harmful but not extremely bad elements, and red, unadvisable due to its negative ecologic footprint. Now the roles have been reversed: it is no longer the seller, but the buyer who establishes the criteria for purchasing, or for consuming, a given product.

The mode of production is changing and our brains have not had enough time yet to follow that transformation. The brain has a sort of internal radar that lets us know when threats or dangers are near. Smells, colors, flavors and sounds warn us about the products, if they are damaged or if they are all right, if an animal is attacking us, or not.

It so happens that our brains do not yet register subtle ecologic changes, nor do they detect chemical particles disseminated in the air that can poison us. Through biotechnology and nanotechnology, we have already introduced 104,000 artificial chemical compounds. With the resource of the Analysis of the Cycle of Life we can prove, for instance, the extent to which these synthetic chemical substances decrease the number of male spermatozoids, to the point that millions of men are rendered infertile.

We cannot continue saying: ecological changes are good only if they do not affect costs and earnings. That form of thinking is backwards and alienated, because it does not note the changes that happen in the consciousness. The mantra of the new enterprises is now: «the more sustainable the better; the healthier the better, the more eco-friendly the better.»

Ecological intelligence will be added to other types of intelligence; including it is now more necessary than ever.

UNA NUEVA CIENCIA? ANÁLISIS DEL CICLO DE VIDA

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La búsqueda de un vivir bien más generalizado y del cuidado de la situación global de la Tierra está haciendo profundizar cada vez más nuestra conciencia ecológica. Ahora se impone analizar el rastro de carbono, de toxinas, de elementos químicos pesados, presentes en los productos industriales que usamos en nuestro día-a-día. De esta preocupación está naciendo una verdadera ciencia nueva, conocida con la sigla ACV: Análisis del Ciclo de Vida. Se monitorizan  los impactos sobre la biosfera, sobre la sociedad y sobre la salud en cada etapa de un producto, comenzando por su extracción, su producción, su distribución, su consumo y su eliminación.

Damos un ejemplo: en la fabricación de un jarrón de cristal de un kilo entran, por increíble que parezca, 659 ingredientes diferentes en las distintas etapas hasta llegar al producto final. ¿Cuáles son perjudiciales? El Análisis del Ciclo de Vida busca identificarlos. Se aplica también a los llamados productos verdes o ecológicamente limpios. La mayoría es solamente verde al final o limpio sólo en su utilización terminal, como es el caso del etanol. Siendo realistas, debemos admitir que toda la producción industrial deja siempre un rastro de toxinas, por mínimo que sea. Nada es totalmente verde o limpio, sólo relativamente ecoamigable. Esto ha sido detallado por Daniel Goleman en su reciente libro Inteligencia ecológica (Kairós 2009).
 
Lo ideal sería que en cada producto, junto con la referencia de sus nutrientes, grasas y vitaminas, estuviesen indicados los impactos negativos sobre la salud, la sociedad y el ambiente. Esto lo está haciendo en Estados Unidos una institución, Good Guide, accesible desde el móvil, que establece una triple calificación: verde, para productos relativamente puros, amarillo si contienen elementos perjudiciales pero no gravemente, y rojo, desaconsejables por su huella ecológica negativa. Ahora se han invertido los papeles: ya no es el vendedor sino el comprador quien establece los criterios para la compra o para el consumo de determinado producto.

El modo de producción está cambiando y nuestro cerebro no ha tenido tiempo suficiente todavía para seguir esa transformación. El cerebro posee una especie de radar interno que nos avisa cuando se avecinan amenazas y peligros. Los olores, los colores, los sabores y los sonidos nos advierten sobre los productos, si están estropeados o si son sanos, si un animal nos ataca o no.

Pero sucede que nuestro cerebro no registra aún cambios ecológicos sutiles, ni detecta partículas químicas diseminadas en el aire y que pueden envenenarnos. Ya hemos introducido 104 mil compuestos químicos artificiales a través de la biotecnología y la nanotecnología. Con el recurso del Análisis del Ciclo de Vida constatamos, por ejemplo, cuánto hacen disminuir estas sustancias químicas sintéticas el número de espermatozoides masculinos hasta el punto de generar infertilidad en millones de hombres.

No podemos seguir diciendo: los cambios ecológicos sólo serán buenos si no afectan los costes y los rendimientos. Esta mentalidad está atrasada y alienada, pues no se da cuenta de los cambios habidos en la conciencia. El mantra de las nuevas empresas es ahora: «cuanto más sostenible, mejor; cuanto más sano, mejor; cuanto más eco-compatible, mejor».

La inteligencia ecológica se añadirá a otros tipos de inteligencia; ahora es más necesario que nunca.

Vea el libro del autor, Proteger o planeta, cuidar da Terra,  Record 2010.

Uma nova ciência:Análise do Ciclo de Vida (ACV)

Leonardo Boff5 Comentários

A busca de um bem viver mais generalizado e o cuidado para com a situação global da Terra está aprofundando cada vez mais a nossa consciência ecológica. Agora impõe-se analisar o rastro de carbono, de toxinas, de químicas pesadas, presentes nos produtos industriais que usamos no nosso dia-a-dia. Desta preocupação está nascendo uma verdadeira ciência nova que vem sob o nome de ACV: Análise do Ciclo de Vida. Monitoram-se os impactos sobre a biosfera, sobre a sociedade e sobre a saúde em cada etapa do produto, começando pela sua extração, sua produção, sua distribuição, seu consumo e seu descarte.

Demos um exemplo: na confecção de um vaso de vidro de um kg entram, espantosamente, 659 ingredientes diferentes nas várias etapas até a sua produção final. Quais deles nos são prejudiciais? A Analise do Ciclo de Vida visa a identificá-los. Ela se aplica também aos produtos ditos verdes ou ecologicamente limpos. A maioria é apenas verde no fim ou limpos só na sua utilização terminal como é o caso do etanol. Sendo realistas, devemos admitir que toda a produção industrial deixa sempre um rastro de toxinas, por mínimo que seja. Nada é totalmente verde ou limpo. Apenas relativamente ecoamigável. Isso nos foi detalhado por Daniel Goleman, com seu recente livro Inteligência ecológica (Campus 2009).

O ideal seria que em cada produto, junto com a referência de seus nutrientes, gorduras e vitaminas, deveria haver a indicação dos impactos negativos sobre a saúde, a sociedade e o ambiente. Isso vem sendo feito nos EUA por uma instituição Good Guide, acessível pelo celular, que estabelece uma tríplice qualificação: verde, para produtos relativamente puros, amarelo se contém elementos prejudiciais mas não graves, e vermelho, desaconselhável por seu rastro ecológico negativo. Agora inverteram-se os papéis: não é mais o vendedor mas o comprador que estabelece os critérios para a compra ou para o consumo de determinado produto.

O modo de produção está mudando e nosso cérebro não teve tempo suficiente ainda acompanhar essa transformação. Ele possui uma espécie de radar interno que nos avisa quando ameaças e perigos se avizinham. Os cheiros, as cores, os gostos e os sons nos advertem se os produtos estão estragados ou se são saudáveis, se um animal nos ataca ou não.

Ocorre que o nosso cérebro não registra ainda mudanças ecológicas sutis, nem detecta partículas químicas disseminadas no ar e que nos podem envenenar. Introduzimos já 104 mil compostos químicos artificiais pela biotecnologia e pela nanotecnologia. Com o recurso da Análise do Ciclo de Vida constatamos o quanto estas substâncias químicas sintéticas, por exemplo, fazem diminuir o numero de espermatozóides masculinos a ponto de gerar infertilidade em milhões de homens com foi comprovado por T.Colborn no livro O futuro roubado (1997).

Não se pode continuar dizendo: as mudanças ecológicas só serão boas se não afetarem os custos e os rendimentos. Esta mentalidade é atrasada e alienada pois não se dá conta das mudanças havidas na consciência. O mantra das novas empresas é agora:”quanto mais sustentável, melhor; quanto mais saudável, melhor; quanto mais ecoamigável, melhor”.

A inteligência ecológica se acrescentará a outros tipos de inteligência, esta agora mais necessária do que nunca antes.

Veja do autor o livro Proteger o planeta, cuidar da Terra, Record 2010.

The Dangerous Arrogance of the Empire

Leonardo Boff1 comentário

Leonardo Boff
05-13-2011

I count myself among those who were enthused by the election of Barack Obama as president of the United States, especially coming after George Bush Jr, a bellicose, fundamentalist president, of very limited intelligence. Bush Jr. believed in the imminence of the Biblical Armageddon and followed to the letter the ideology of Manifest Destiny, invented by Northamerican imperialists to justify the war against Mexico. According to this ideology, the United States would be God’s new chosen people, who were to bring human rights, liberty and democracy to the world. This belief in its own exceptionality translated into a historic arrogance, that caused the United States to assume the right to impose on the whole world, through politics or through arms, her life style, and her vision of the world.

I was hoping the new president would no longer be hostage to this dreadful and imaginary divine election, because he announced in his program multilateralism and not hegemony; but I had my doubts, because behind theYes, we can could be hidden the old arrogance. Faced with economic-financial crisis he would proclaim that the United States had shown throughout her history that it could do anything, and would overcome the present situation. Now, on the occasion of the murder of Osama bin Laden, that he ordered, the mask fell. (In a country of laws, with separation of powers, does the executive have the power to kill, or does it fall to the judiciary to issue orders to apprehend, to judge and to punish?) The atavistic arrogance could not be hidden.

The president, of humble extraction, of African descent, born outside the continent, Moslem first and then converted to an Evangelical, clearly said: «What happened on Sunday is a message to the world: when we say that we will never forget, we mean what we say», that is as if he were saying: «terrorists of the whole world, we will kill you.»

There it is revealed, clearly, all the arrogance and imperialistic attitude of being above all ethics.

This makes me remember the phrase of a theologian who served twelve years in Rome as an advisor to the ex-Inquisition. He came to show his solidarity when I was enduring the doctrinaire process. He confessed to me: «Learn from my experience: the ex-Inquisition forgets nothing, forgives nothing and takes back everything: prepare yourself.» In effect, that is what I felt. Even worse is what happened to a moral theologian, dearly beloved in all Christendom, the German, Bernhard Häring. Suffering from throat cancer that almost did not let him talk, he was subjected to rigorous questioning in the dark hall of that instance of psychological terror, as a result of some statements he made about sexuality. On leaving, he confessed: «this questioning was worse than what I suffered under the Nazi SS during the war,» what means: etiquette is of little use, catholic or Nazi, all authoritarian and totalitarian systems obey the same logic, to take revenge on all, to not forget, or forgive.

This is what Barack Obama promised and he proposes to go ahead with the terrorist state created by his predecessor, keeping the Patriot Act, that authorizes the suspension of certain rights and the preventive detention of suspects, without informing even their families, which turns it into kidnapping.

Not without reason the Norwegian Johan Galtung, the man of the culture of Peace, creator of two institutions to investigate about Peace and inventor of theTranscend method in the mediation of conflicts (a sort of win-win politics), wrote: such acts bring the United States closer to a fascist state.

The truth is that we are facing an empire. It is the logical and necessary consequence of the presumed exceptionality. It is a singular empire, based not on territorial occupation or in colonies, but on 800 military bases distributed all over the world, the majority of which are unnecessary for Northamerican security. But they are there to instill fear and to guarantee the United States’ hegemony in the world. None of that has been dismantled by the new emperor, who did not close Guantanamo as he had promised and has sent thirty thousand soldiers to Afghanistan to a war already lost.

We can disagree with the basic thesis of Samuel P. Huntington in his controversial book, The Clash of Civilizations, but there are observations worth noting, such as this: «the belief in the superiority of Western culture is false, immoral, and dangerous.» (p. 395) More: «Western intervention probably constitutes the most dangerous source of instability and of a possible global conflict in a multi-civilization world.» (p. 397) Thus, the conditions for such a tragedy are being created by the United States and her European allies.

One thing is the North American people, decent, hard working, and somehow naive, that we admire, and another is the imperial government, which does not respect the international treaties that go against its interests and is capable of all forms of violence. But there are no eternal empires. The moment will come when it will be just one more number in the cemetery of vanished empires.

Leonardo Boff
05-13-2011