Wildfire REI Co-op

In episode one, hosts Graham Zimmerman and Jim Aikman set off to better understand the Brazilian Amazon. They explore both the politics and biology of one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.

While learning more about Chico Mendes' young life, our hosts explore the past of the rubber trade in the Amazon, the rubber tappers' relationship with the forest, and their plight.

Chico begins organizing against deforestation and starts a war with the local ranching community. Hosts Graham and Jim see first hand what the burning looks like on the ground.

Activist, environmentalist and rubber tapper, Chico Mendes, reaches out to the Indigenous communities in Brazil to help his cause in the forest, a resource on which they both rely.

Environmentalist, Chico Mendes, takes his message to the national and international stages, where he finds both support and increased threat of violence.

After Chico’s death, he became a martyr for the rainforest, and his work continued with significant success.