(CMR) A couple in Brazil is facing backlash after they decided to dye the waters of a 60-foot waterfall bright blue as part of their baby's gender reveal party. Reports from Brazil claim that the gender reveal stunt was a violation of Brazil's federal environmental law.
The incident, which took place in the town of Tangará da Serra in the state of Mato Grosso, was seen as an environmental disaster by locals, as the river that supplies the town could potentially be contaminated. The town has experienced droughts in the past, which have affected its water supply, making any contamination of the water source highly unwelcome.
After the couple's video of the event went viral on social media, local law enforcement was alerted to the situation by outraged users. An investigation was initiated, and a team was dispatched to the waterfall to assess the damage.
The video received scathing criticism online and has since been removed by the couple, but before it could be deleted, it was picked up by social media users and shared widely around the world.
Comments included:
“We don’t deserve this planet,” one person captioned a post sharing the video. “Couple in Brazil dye a waterfall for their gender reveal.”
“What happened to the freaking cute cakes,” one person asked.
“Ah yea the water is contaminated, they probably put another sensitive habitat at risk and the people nearby have no more potable water, but hey!! At least they all know this couple’s baby is a boy,” said another.
“Please parents should keep their gender reveal parties in their backyard. It’s not necessary to cause accidents or wildfires or pollution to reveal what your tiny human has between their legs,” said a third person.
The environment secretary for the state of Mato Grosso (Sema-MT) announced that an inspection would be conducted to investigate the environmental harm caused by the items thrown into the water. If an environmental crime is found to have been committed, those responsible may be held accountable.
The municipal environment department is also monitoring the situation, and Anderson Reis, who was reportedly involved in the waterfall dyeing, denied using chemicals to create the blue color. He reserved further comment until the environment secretary completed their inquiry.
The Queima Pé River waterfall, located six kilometers from Tangara da Serra's center, is a popular spot for ecotourism activities. The couple's plan backfired, and many on social media called for them to be imprisoned for their environmental violation. Others warned about potential water contamination for those living downstream.
The Mato Grosso state secretary of state for the environment announced that an investigation is being conducted to see whether any environmental crimes have been committed. Environmental engineer Vanessa Costa commented, “Congratulations … you will be the parents to a beautiful environmental crime.”
The stunt has caused many to question the necessity of having gender reveals at all. As couples continue to attempt to outdo each other with more elaborate baby reveals and engagement stunts, many are calling upon the general public to be mindful of the impact these things can have on the environment.
Um casal de Tangará da Serra (MT) decidiu tingir de azul uma cachoeira para anunciar que o filho que estão esperando é menino. Os vídeos publicados no Instagram foram apagados depois da repercussão negativa. pic.twitter.com/Kw4wRmg0Se
— Lázaro Thor (@lazarothor1) September 26, 2022
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