Understand the impact of the products you buy.
Rich in biodiversity, the Amazonian biome is a region with great economic potential, precisely because it offers raw materials in abundance and diversity. This attracts various companies and investors with the intention of boosting and multiplying this power. But do you know what the impact of consuming products that come from the Amazon is? Find out below!
Looking at the environment and people
The unique natural resources found in the Amazon can be transformed into a variety of valuable products, from food to pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. However, not all activities can be carried out, since the functioning of the biome must be preserved. Introducing unknown flora and animal species can cause a permanent imbalance.
In addition, the extraction and handling of supplies originating from the forest must be done by communities that are also part of the ecosystem. These are people who, in many cases, rely on these products for their livelihood and know better than anyone how to make good use of them while maintaining the health and productivity of the species.
Developing businesses in the Amazon in a sustainable way is a means of promoting the empowerment of local communities through the creation and formalization of jobs, which, consequently, generate more income and improve quality of life.
From Brazil to the World
Buying what comes from the Amazon also means strengthening the national market and enabling the export of our riches to the whole world. With this movement becoming increasingly active, investment opportunities become more frequent and our products more valued.
In 2021, the harvesting of Brazil nuts, tonka beans, and copaiba, carried out by indigenous people, quilombolas, and settlers in the region known as the Calha Norte of the Amazon River, generated about R$ 530,000.00 in commercialization revenue from these groups' production, according to figures from Florestas de Valor (Imaflora).
In addition to having proven effects in meeting the global cosmetics market demand, Amazonian ingredients have therapeutic properties and unique aromas. These are features valued because they are difficult to find/reproduce elsewhere.
Green science and high performance
Technology plays an essential role when it comes to extracting resources from the Amazon intelligently. Biotechnology makes it possible to achieve the desired results with the least amount of resources possible. This happens through bioavailability, that is, greater absorption of active ingredients by the skin.
With the advancement of green science, cosmetic production is updating itself in search of non-timber inputs whose extraction causes less impact. Cacay is an example of this: the input is extracted from the fruit's seed, and replanting is faster and simpler than for a large tree, for example.
In Brazil, the economy of non-timber forest products generates more than R$ 1.5 billion per year, according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE).
Consuming products that result from a supply chain that is good for the environment is also part of a greater purpose. Doing good for the planet also means doing good for yourself. After all, our skin and organism suffer direct impacts from the environment in which we live.
