Guia Cultural da Costa Verde

Angra dos Reis • Ilha Grande

O ECO – JORNAL DA ILHA GRANDE

A voice on the community’s behalf

Divulgação: Jornal O Eco

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The only Ilha Grande newspaper was founded 14 years ago by Nelson Palma and is focused on ecology, culture, tourism and news concerning events on the island.

Using a very democratic approach, O Eco relies on the support of inhabitants and anyone else interested, to contribute with texts and photos of events and facts of interest to the community. Tourists also publish letters with suggestions, criticisms or compliments on their experiences on the island. In other words, cooperation is always welcome and there are people from all over the world who write to the newspaper.

The editor came to live on Ilha Grande in 1996 with only the intention of enjoying the idyllic island. When he realized that there were no communications media at all, he decided to open a newspaper to be useful to the community. At first he himself funded the editions in black and white and that printed 1000 copies. The newspaper is currently printed in color and prints 5000 copies, handed out free of charge. Supported by a legion of readers and fans, it also circulates around the world by means of the thousands of tourists who visit the island and insist in taking home a copy.

O Eco has already given rise to controversy and has struggled to defend community rights. Nelson from the south of Brazil is of Italian parents, with a strong personality and very outspoken, and often brings up touchy subjects and spares nobody. He himself says that O Eco does not tolerate unruly behavior.

Nelson also cooperates with the island’s preservation through OSIG – Organização para Sustentabilidade da Ilha Grande, which among other positive actions holds a Natal Ecológico project, consisting of putting up a large Christmas tree decorated with recycled refuse such as CDs and PET bottles, which results in visually beautiful ornaments and an ecologically correct tree.

O Eco is no doubt a steady voice always prepared to speak loudly and firmly on the woes and pleasures faced by the Ilha Grande community.

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