Frequently Asked Questions about the application Amazonia.vc

What is Amazonia.vc?

Amazonia.vc is an application that offers a map with the latest data from the National Institute for Space Research, known as INPE, about fires and deforestation in the Amazon. Installed on Orkut, the application offers the opportunity to protest against specific active fires and deforestation areas and shows a rank of users who protest the most. It also generates summarized data about the destruction of the Amazon. Amazonia.vc is the result of a partnership between Fantástico TV show and Globo.com.

How can I protest in Amazonia.vc?

You need to log on to Orkut and, on the left hand column, click on “Add Apps”. A list of applications will come up. Click on the link to Amazonia.vc. If the application is not in the list, write “Amazonia.vc” in the search field on the right top of the page. Then, follow the instructions that appear on the screen.

I can’t find Amazonia.vc in Orkut.

Amazonia.vc can be found at http://www.orkut.com.br/AppDirectory.aspx. If the application does not appear in the list, write "Amazônia.vc" in the search field on the right top of the page.

If I am not an Orkut member, can I participate?

It is necessary to have an Orkut account to protest in Amazonia.vc. You can create one at http://www.orkut.com. If you don’t want to sign up for Orkut, but would like to follow the fires and deforestation, you can view the map at http://globoamazonia.com.

Why should I protest?

When you protest against the fires or deforestation, you are showing the world your dissatisfaction with the destruction of the forest. Although your protest is not a formal record, it is a way of pressing for measures against the devastation of the Amazon. The protests can also become features broadcasted on Fantástico or published on the Globo Amazônia website.

Is my protest sent to authorities?

No, the protests are published on Orkut and Amazonia.vc webpage, but they are not sent to the authorities. To make a formal complaint, you can use the Green Line set up by the federal environmental agency, known as Ibama, at http://www.ibama.gov.br/linhaverde.

Why can’t I see the flames or smoke when I zoom in the map?

The satellite images presented in the application are not the same used by the space research institute to identify the fire and deforestation points in the Amazon. What you see in the map are previous images to which the fire and deforestation points are juxtaposed to, so it is not possible to see the destruction of the forest.

How frequently is the information about fires and deforestation updated?

The data about fires are published by the INPE and fed into a map daily. The deforestation areas are harder to identify so they are updated at the end of each month. The data refers to what was detected in the previous month.

Read also: Globo Amazônia surpasses 13 million protests against deforestation