Gretchen Gordon

I’ve been in Brazil four weeks now, following the path of biofuels ethanol and biodiesel from planting to export, and witnessing their impacts along the way. These pictures are from Mato Grosso in central Brazil, at the border of the rainforest. I’m looking out at the rapidly expanding agricultural frontier and the equally rapidly decreasing rainforest and cerrado. The corn you see is in rotation with soy, one of the main drivers of expansion.

Today I’m in a small town in São Paulo state, the land of sugarcane and ethanol. I’ve been talking to ex-cane cutters about their experiences in that grueling work, interviewing people in the supermarket about the lack of access to food as cropland is subsumed by this sea of sugarcane. Needless to say, much of this trip has been depressing. But the people have been amazing. Brazil is huge. Everything is on a massive scale. But the people have the genuine willingness to do anything for you, even if you’re a complete stranger, that you normally only find in tiny towns. They truly redefine hospitality, and have saved my backside now on several occasions.