People of forest together

Mission

The Institute of Environmental and Social Entrepreneurs (IDEAS) mission is to organize the environmental movement among young people through the promotion of intercultural dialogue and art, education and income generation projects which preserve natural resources, develop and spread models for sustainable relationship between humans and the natural environment.

Focused on raising the awarenes, in particular young people and children, of the importance of developing an active environmental citizenship and the respect of cultural diversity, IDEAS tries to foment around the world the formation of new social and environmental entrepreneurs.

IDEAS works with native traditional cultures, extractive workers, indigenous peoples in order to support their projects, especially union and indigenous leaders, and the urban peripheries leaders from Brazilian Amazonic and Metropolitan forests (Atlantic Forest).

Motivation

The environmental damage caused by the destruction and exploitation of the forests, the uncontrolled urban occupation of forest areas, drug trade, as well as social instability and poverty in the slums lead to higher degrees of vulnerability and underdevelopment among the
inhabitants of the largest urban forests in the world (Cantareira and Tijuca) in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, adding to the general problems of the megalopolis, especially the poor. Facing the
intensification of these problems as well as the lack of programs and policies that satisfy local needs, the Institute of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs invests in the youth and the communities that inhabit the forests in order to implement actions that favor education, protection of the environment and democratization of information.

Featured

The construction of the highway Rodoanel in Sao Paulo is threatening the biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest nearby. The impact on the natural resources and trees are already noticeable. 

Main Projects: