Into the Amazon
6/2/202635 min
Industrial agriculture has wrapped itself in a green cloak in Mato Grosso, promising jobs, money and endless opportunities, all in the name of "sustainability." But the good times are only happening for a select few. Local residents are dealing with extreme weather, lack of access to fresh food, and a pesticide overload that has increased the risk of birth defects and lowered lifespans. Meanwhile, Bruce and the guys have now ventured into new territory: the Amazon.
This season is a collaboration with the Intercept Brasil. You can get the show in Portuguese on their feed as well, and companion stories at: https://www.intercept.com.br/
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsAmy Westervelt· Host0:00
This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human. [instrumental music plays] Pushkin.
Felipe Sabrina· Host0:11
[background music plays] The first time I visited Lucas do Rio Verde in Mato Grosso was in May 2025. On my first day there, I decided to head over to Bruce Rastetter's ethanol refinery, FS, Fueling Sustainability, to take some photos. The day had been a bit cloudy, but it was hot, over 30 degrees Celsius. After lunch, a cold wind started blowing. At 3:00 in the afternoon when I was outside the refinery, the sky suddenly darkened. The wind started whipping up sand, and everything turned reddish. I managed to film a few seconds of the scene before rushing into my car. The wind was shaking the imperial palm trees violently, and I was afraid one of them might fall on me. On my drive back to the hotel, I saw palm branches scattered across the road, a fallen utility pole, and a torn billboard. Then the rain came, and the temperature dropped to about 15 degrees. I kept wondering if that had been an extreme event or if this happened all the time.
Damazilia Santos· Guest1:26
When I arrived here, it rained for