A new interactive multimedia tool that features a timeline of with the successful history of the Brazilian sugarcane industry and its major contributions to a more sustainable future, is being viewed for the first time during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio +20) under way in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, until June 22nd. Developed by the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) in partnership with Apex-Brasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, the tool will be displayed in an interactive touch screen monitor on exhibit at the “Brazilian Pavilion,” an area created by Apex-Brasil to represent the country during the event.
 
With the title “The Brazilian sugarcane industry: a path of evolution”, the new tool created for UNICA by one of Brazil's top multimedia production companies, the TV1 Group, will also be made available online as a section on UNICA’s website following the Rio + 20 Conference. The entire timeline, including videos and other visual content, can also be downloadeed as an application for iPads, iPhones or similar devices using the Android platform.
 
“The idea is to show the importance of sugarcane and its products, such as ethanol, bioelectricity, bioplastics, biohydrocarbons and beyond that, on the green path to a post-petroleum era, and we wanted to do this in an easily accessible format”, explains UNICA sustainability manager Luiz Fernando do Amaral. Among other vital aspects portrayed in the timeline is the sharp reduction in greenhouse gas emissions achieved by sugarcane ethanol: up to 90% compared to gasoline.
 
Starting with the arrival of sugarcane in Brazil almost five centuries ago, the timeline covers the growth and development of the industry, its numerous sustainability programs, consolidation of flex-fuel technology in the Brazilian automotive industry, arriving eventually at the emergence of bioplastics, ethanol powered aircraft and other future prospects. The information, in chronological order, can be accessed in text, audio and video formats, allowing the user to "travel" while learning about key developments and perspectives for the sugarcane industry.
 
“It was designed to be a permanent communication tool, which can be adjusted and improved over time with new information and features, resulting in a package that interests both Brazilian and international viewers. And users can take home this interactive tool, to access it at any time and in a number of ways, explains Eliana Arndt, Executive Director at TV1 Group's Video Division.
 
This is the second interactive multimedia tool developed by the São Paulo-based TV1 Group for UNICA. In 2010, the "Virtual Mill" was launched at a biofuels event in Brussels, Belgium, and has been a mainstay at numerous presentations and events where UNICA has established a presence. The Virtual Mill provides detailed information, in interactive high-definition video segments, of all phases of sugar and ethanol production, from harvest to finished products.