The Amazon forest absorbs one-fourth of the carbon dioxide absorbed by all the land on Earth. Called the ‘lungs of the earth,’ this tropical rainforest has been serving this planet since centuries, however, the CO2 absorbed by it now is 30% less the amount in the 1990s. Plainly stated, the reason is deforestation that is executed there to make more pasture land and a wider space for agriculture. Though the nation states responsible for this are coming forward to reduce deforestation, climate action urgently needs to be in the direction of reforestation. When Luigi Cani took up the responsibility to reforest the basin alone in January 2022, the world was awestruck. A Brazilian aerial athlete, he planted a million seeds from 27 native species in one dive in the air.
Before the D-Day
11 times world record holder, Luigi Cani has performed more than 13,000 training jumps in his 22-year professional career. An expert in his field, Luigi had decided to secure permits from the Brazilian aviation authorities to execute the project. He took to craft a biodegradable distribution box on his own to distribute the seeds without leaving any pollutant residue in the forest. He had prepared for this particular jump for five years, and it took enormous strength and will to execute it; with such a heavy box needing to be handled by just one person in the middle of the air, it was not easy. But, as the seeds hit the soil after a fall from 6,000 feet above the ground, Luigi and the entire team behind the feat expressed pure joy.
Luigi has worked with the United States Army, the British Army, and the Canadian Army to train their Special Forces. Along with hitting unique targets in his athletic career, he also studied advertising and audiovisual productions at the UCLA. This helped him produce visually document his projects for the cable and broadcast television around the world. Luigi’s climate activism does not end here. Having crossed the age of fifty, the zeal for danger has been overridden by the urge to utilise his skill for doing a great good. He plans a project to help clean plastic from the ocean the next time. Luigi continues to inspire young athletes to push their limits and open their wings to fly.
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