Green Options » chavez

Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez Seizes Cargill, Minnesota-Based Rice Producer

Gina Munsey — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:26:40 +0000

Want to sell your rice for a cost higher than the government thinks you should? Or slow production to a pace lower than the government’s ideal? Try that in Venezuela, and you’ll have Hugo Chavez’ troops at your company’s doorstep.

On Saturday, Venezuela’s dictator gave orders to the military to “take control” of all rice-processing mills in the country, including some US-owned plants such as the Minnesota-based Cargill. Chavez has been enforcing price caps on food commodities since 2003, and is angered by the rice companies’ recent decisions to reduce production rates in order to catch up on lost profits.

By Distributing Free CFL Light Bulbs, Hugo Chávez Slyly Gains More Political Power and Saves Venezuela Electrical Power

Levi Novey — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:22:52 +0000

Several weeks ago, Venezuela President Hugo Chávez provided free energy-saving light bulbs to some low-income residents of Houston, Texas. This magnanimous act probably gained him a few American fans. In late March of this year, he also announced his plan to fund “an energy revolution” in Venezuela.

The revolution has an emphasis on using Venezuelan produced products like PVC pipes to construct homes. Another major component of the revolution includes an initiative to make Venezuela more self-sufficient in food production, thus quelling the need to import food. Projects to provide additional electrical power through alternative energies like wind and solar technologies are also commencing.

The most notable and measurable success to date for the so-called energy revolution, however, has been Venezuela’s effort to change out standard light bulbs across the country for CFLS (energy-saving compact flourescent light bulbs) exactly like those Chávez donated to Texans. So far, 72.3 million light bulbs have been changed. But the story is perhaps not as simple as it would seem (as is almost any story about Chávez and his schemes).

Bush and Chavez Adopt Fair Trade Deal

Gavin Hudson — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:00:44 +0000

George Bush and Hugo Chavez, former political enemies, announced plans this morning to dismantle the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, replacing it instead with the North American Fair Trade Agreement, also NAFTA.

“The new agreement marks a turning point in US-Venezuela relations,” said Juan Johnston of the North American Monitor of Bribery in Latin America (NAMBLA). “It also underscores the magnitude of recent growth in demand for ethically produced goods.”

World’s Largest Gas Pipeline May Run Through Amazon

Michael dEstries — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 15:30:55 +0000

So much for pristine wilderness. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is building momentum behind the Southern Gas Pipeline; a proposed 21-billion-dollar (U.S.) structure that would connect Venezuela's rich natural gas fields to Argentine markets. Unfortunately, such a pipeline would cross some very ecologically-sensitive areas, including Brazil's Amazon rain forest. Maria Eugenia Bustamante, co-director of AMIGRANSA, a Venezuelan environmental group, had this to say,

"This plan is a gigantic threat to fishing and farming communities, from the Gulf of Paria [between northeastern Venezuela and the island of Trinidad] all the way to the Great Savannah, which is part of the Canaima National Park."

Undaunted by any environmental impact, President Chavez still plans on pushing ahead with the pipeline. His main reasons are to stem regional gas shortages, unite the continent's energy networks, and 'sidestep economic dependence on the United States.' He stands behind his vision of a 'frightening energy crisis by 2020' in Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay if something isn't done.

Ah yes, our continued reliance on fossil fuels. Will money truly hold us back from coming up with a cleaner and more efficient resource? Will we sacrifice everything we have before finally coming to this realization? If there's even a way, let's hope this pipeline is constructed with the environment in mind. It would be a shame to ruin some of the most unique and green locales on Earth.

Soure: National Geographic News