Thunderbird Student Voices

By Kate Robertson ’10, full-time MBA student

Millions of people recently followed British adventurer Ed Stafford on an 859-day trek across the Amazon rainforest. Thunderbird also has a champion in the Amazon.

Brazilian alumnus Luiz Villares ’92 is taking steps to reverse the catastrophic impacts of deforestation as finance and administrative director of Fundacao Amazonas Sustentavel (Amazonas Sustainable Foundation).

During the 2009 Brazil Winterim, “Sustainable Business in Practice,” Thunderbird students had a chance to visit with Luiz and learn about his organization. Luiz also will sit down with participants in the 2010 Brazil Winterim.

Fundacao Amazonas Sustentavel, a nonprofit agency founded in 2007, strives to promote environmental conservation and quality-of-life improvement for the resident communities and users of the Amazonas State Conservation Units.

The organization’s projects include income generation, reforestation, reduction of greenhouse gases, development of clean energy sources, environmental education and technical training. Luiz and the Fundacao Amazonas Sustentavel have gained much-deserved attention throughout Brazil in recent years, and we wish them luck in the future.

To learn more about the organization, watch this video or connect with him on Twitter.

Posted: 08|16|10 at 5:40 pm.
Filed under: Brazil Winterim, Kate Robertson, Winterims.
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