St. Maarten Private Eye

SXM and Global Warming - What can we do?

Global Warming and Climate Change are a reality, very few now claim otherwise and those that derided and scorned those who saw it coming have now moved on to a new argument, about what is actually causing it. Their arguments are weak and you can find answers to many of them right here. They were wrong before, they are wrong now.

Most people do not need convincing that it is a real problem, the implications of it are too big to be ignored and once you start to inform yourself you will have few doubts. If you have a basic understanding of your fellow man and the global economic system then the problem becomes so insurmountable and complex that you begin to think that there is nothing you can do. Yes, I'm guilty of this.

Please go and read this article and watch the video too if you can, then join me below for a look at what we all can do as individuals and what we should be pushing the govt to do for the island.

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There are times when there is only one truth, supported by facts. Far too often in the effort to appear fair and balanced, the media goes out of it's way to present both sides of a story, even when one side is totally discredited or has no basis. This happens all the time, but in the case of GW it is often scientists or pundits, mostly supported by Exxon or other oil companies, that cast the seeds of doubt, infertile seeds. What this does is give people the impression that there may be some credence to these doubts, that an issue is not 100% confirmed with science and fact. You can always find someone who thinks the sun revolves around the earth, or that the earth is flat, or that aliens control our governments, it doesn't mean that their point of view should be given the time of day. Please take note St. Maarten Journalists.

A while back someone posted a comment suggesting that many people are waiting for someone to take the lead and that I should include more suggestions on what we, St. Maarten, should and could be doing. Considering that we are doing basically nothing right now, there is plenty to write about.

Some of my ideas and proposals are extreme and drastic, but they are what I honestly think is needed, such is the situation facing us. We need to set our sights high, targets to work towards and goals to achieve, because as long as we have them to reach for we will be moving in the right direction. There will be resistance, some will take longer than prefered, some might be unreachable or may change as the years go by according to new information and technology.

It will also cost money, that's the easy part.. As mentioned in numerous reports now published around the World, it is clear that spending money now to prepare and deal with the problems we face, it will cost far far more to us not to do so. The money required for the programs and ideas I present can be found by adding a percent or two to all imports, particularly those that use a great deal or power or generate waste. Dutch and EU funds are also becoming available as the EU leads the way in combatting pollution and emmissions. People need to ask themselves if they would be willing to pay a few cents more for a beer or airconditioner so their children and SXM can have a chance at a future.

The Tour Map currently being used as a guide needs to be thrown in the bin and a professional and qualified committee appointed to come up with a new report and a new Tour Map that represents the future that Climate Change and overpopulation are promising the World. At the top of the list is an immediate moritorium on all major hotel and condo developments while the report and new plan is compiled. We need a clear picture of where we are and what the future holds for the island before we go any further.

Below you will find links to several pages I have started, one for each of what I think are the main areas which should be looked at, new ones can be added if anybody wants to suggest one I have missed. Please make your comments in the relevant page, ie, if you want to make a comment about Energy then do it on the Energy page. If it's more of a general comment then make it here, this way we can keep these pages as an ongoing discussion.

SXM and GW - What can we do? - Education

SXM and GW - What can we do? - Energy

SXM and GW - What can we do? - Waste

To ignore this issue and do nothing is really, harsh as it may sound, an immoral and outragous crime against our children and ourselves, not to mention a betrayal of our ancestors and our heritage. SXM may be small, but we are part of this world, hundreds of thousands of small communities around the World are working and planning to make a difference, we should be one of them, part of the solution, not part of the problem.

The future is not a hopeless case, we can do something about it, but time is running out. Again, I appeal to all those wealthy business people who have made St. Maarten their home. Step forward, hanging onto those resources you have when the situation is turning so grim for us all is immoral, it's up to you to start the process of change, we all know govt isn't going to do it. Make a commitment, $100 a month to a Climate Change program, if enough people step forward then we can put together a plan. If no one steps forward then we will just have to rely on Roy's plan.

Good luck with that.

Caribdude

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