Is Rio Ready? | Teen Ink

Is Rio Ready?

March 3, 2016
By KMante PLATINUM, Leicester, Massachusetts
KMante PLATINUM, Leicester, Massachusetts
27 articles 0 photos 1 comment

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Maybe its not about the happy ending, maybe its about the story.


Not just too long ago, in the summer of 2009 Brazil's Rio de Janeiro won the bid to host the Summer Games and welcome millions of people to their country. But almost a decade later, who thought that we'd have so many problems just about a hundred days away from one of the most important global and prestigious events in the world. The first problem that has come up in Rios upcoming 2016 Olympic preparation, is the pollution that has littered and impurified the waterways of the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro. On the east side of Rio de Janeiro, is the Guanabara bay. The bay has made national headlines for its putrid content of raw sewage, and massive amounts of garbage, and till this day, the state's environment secretary, Andy Correa has said that that at this point in time , the clean up of the Guanabara bay will not be done/ready for the Olympic Games, even though Brazil agreed to clean up to 80% of the river, but as of now are 31% short of their goal. Another problem in Rio, is their water and energy crisis. As alarming as it sounds, Rio is yet to act up on this problem. First of all, Rio runs on hydropower, but the country's going through its worst drought in about thirty years. Sao Paulo, Brazil has already started to conserve and limit water use. So in all this confusion could Rio find itself limiting water use? When about 70% of Rios energy comes from hydropower. And if there is a shortage of water come Friday, August 5, the beginning of the summer Olympics the end result will be a shortage in power, and with a shortage of power, could Rio power enough energy to occupy all its 300 events in 28 sports for about 2 weeks and a half, 16 days to be exact.? Another problem in Rio, when heard about for one could be one of the most heart wrenching problems one could ever here. Over 8,000 families have had to be forced out of their homes, off their plantations and properties, off the land that had fed them, the land that put money in their pocket. The government has promised marketrade compensation to its people, but we really don't know if they're going to be paid accordingly and truthfully for every square foot taken from them. Then there's the Zika Virus, the fast spreading epidemic that's slowly swallowing the country of Brazil, steadily buzzing toward the southern tips of North America at a leisure pace. The Zika Virus is a disease caused by an infection through the bite of an Aedes mosquito causing the Zika Virus. The most common symptoms of the virus is a fever, rashes, joint pains or conjunctivitis (red eyes) . The most scariest part of this horrid disease is the effect it can have on unborn children. If a pregnant woman is to be bitten by a mosquito with the virus, the disease can spread to the woman's fetus, in which a serious birth defect can occur, called Microcephaly(AMinatureHead). In which the baby's head is much smaller than expected. This disease can cause these infants to grow up with abnormalities, such as hearing loss, vision problems, seizures, and developmental delay. Pregnant mothers have been advised to stay home instead of going to the games, in order to ensure their safety. But with over 500,000 tourists expected at this year's games, from all around the world , researchers are also beginning to weigh another risk, the risk of the Zika Virus spreading worldwide. Even though Rio and Brazil may be facing so many mountains of endless challenges and problems before them, as well as public attention worldwide. After a successful host of the 2014 World Cup, having the seventh largest economy in the world, Brazil is still equipped with strong weapons to get themselves out of this hole they've dug for themselves, only if the people of Terra do Brasil (land of brazil wood) can join hands and corrupt politician can change for the better.



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