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.

Click here to Read More
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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

Caribdude's blog | add new comment

Submitted by Caribdude on Sun, 2007-05-20 22:52.

Remarks from Caribbean Community Climate Change Center at Initiative for the Development of a Caribbean Regional Climate Change Strategy

In February of this year, seventeen years later, in its Fourth Assessment Report, the IPCC confirms:

“warming of the climate system is unequivocal”
rainfall patterns are changing, resulting in both drought and heavy precipitation events
sea level is rising at an accelerated rate, and
the frequency of stronger tropical cyclones has increased during the latter third of the last century and continuing into the current century.

THE LAUNCH OF THE INITIATIVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CARIBBEAN REGIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY - 18th October 2007

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Three news stories from this past week stand out to me and they should to you. Time really is running out, no joke and no pessimism intended. Here's a message for Masood and Spadaro. In 15 to 20 years there will be no tourists staying in your hotels and no customers for your insurance, we will likely be too busy trying to survive.

The first story is the news that the first 4 months of 2007 have been the hottest on record. As Climate Progress points out, this is especially worrying when you look at the chart below showing temperature anomalies (differences from normal) and think about Permafrost thawing. Much of the permafrost regions are frozen vegetation and when it thaws it starts to release methane, a gas that is 20 times more damaging than CO2. Methane is also found on the ocean floor and this large resevoir could also be released as oceans warm.

They also point out that the Arctic Sea Ice is now the least since records began in 1979. You can find lots more information here.

The second bit of news I would like to bring to your attention is this story about Polar ocean 'soaking up less CO2' and then follow it with the third story about how drought, which is going on in many places all over the World, is causing plants to soak up less CO2 too.

These stories could all be considered Tipping Points, events that trigger or have knock on effects that send our planet's climate into a tailspin. Time is really running out.

The technology and knowledge is available, all it takes is good people to do something, instead of nothing.

Caribdude

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I am not sure what this temperature diagram has to do with global warming. This graph is about meteorology and not about climatology. Measurements of methane show that there has been no increase in atmospheric concentration since 2001. So this anomaly isn't having much of a measurable impact. So Joe Romm's (the reference) speculation is just that.

As I am sure that you know, atmospheric processes are very complex. In addition to forcing, there are feedback processes that mitigate the forcings. Even if this anomaly occurs over a long period of time, the oceans may absorb the excess methane. The oceans sequester very large amounts of CO2 and methane. The amount of ocean absorption and release depends upon the water temperature which is primarily dependant on the amount of solar radiation.

Most of the methane is on the bottom of the ocean as a compound of water. Ocean temperatures are stratified. Changing the surface temperature of the ocean a few degrees would have almost no impact on the deep sea temperature, certainly not enough to release enough methane to make a difference in the methane concentrations in the atmosphere. Mr. Romm's statement doesn't pass the laugh test.

Most of the "soaking up" of CO2 is done by trees / plant life in the tropical zones. Planting a tree in SXM will have more impact than a dozen trees planted in New York.

Water is over 200 times as radiative as CO2, but it is not considered a forcing, but a feedback for a number of scientific reasons. Methane competes with CO2 and water for radiative absorption in the atmosphere. Just to state that methane is 20 times (actually the real value is 27) more damaging is not correct if you mean to insinuate that this is the case in the earth's atmosphere & not just by itself.

I don't mean to be negative (I suppose that I come across that way), but some of the AGW claims are not sustained by any scientific evidence and some of the data is cherry picked.

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Billions don't, but some of us do. It is difficult to be positive and upbeat in the face of such news and the disconnect or indifference from so many. As much as I love my island home, I am beginning to think that unless we start getting our act together here real soon, SXM is not going to be a place you will want to be in 15-20 years.

Flipper

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What is extremely sad is that , the extensive environmental damage done to little SXM , is mostly permitted by its own natives. Permitting anyone to trample with this small island is a crime committed by its own governement not by the investors.
Let's not blame Spadaro ,Westin and others. let's just blame the ones who allowed these crimes to be committed. The investors go away sooner or later , the natives stay, they can only blame themselves one day.... may be a little too late.

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The natives have been ringing the same bell you have for years, however the minute we start to talk you hear things like..... dont rock the boat...etc etc.

I really dont get it, one day the locals should stand up for the say...the environment and the other day if we stand up and say anything about preserving sxm for the locals and other nationalistic ideas, we get beaten to a pulp.....

Unreal!

p.s. you cant blame the locals for the mess only, why? name one local who is undertaking any of these current projects!

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I have heard Roy Marlin is on the Board of the Westin, but this is unconfirmed. Perhaps someone can ask him? Oh, and there are rumors that some politicians are involved in the concrete business. Are they local?

Flipper

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Why wouldn't they have a Board as large as they are and in fact Suxxex Corporation out of Kentucky has a Board as well. So which one could he be on, if at all??????

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Flipper, this is just another example of you being slanderous again, assuming that Westin even has a board and your accusations about concrete business.

Why dont you bring the facts and then we will believe you instead of again, just blasting out anything you heard.

Why dont you reveal your identity and mabye people can start to mis-judge, slander and drag you through the mud, instead of what you do now, just hide in the shadows.

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The rumor that Roy is in 'a board' of Westin has been heard from a few people. It is a legitimate question to ask about, and ll he is asked then he can confirm or deny it. Simple.
Secondly, did you read the concrete article, did you see ths document in it which states that several commissioners are involved in the concrete business? Is this document a forgery? I would like to know and again, why are they not questioned about it?
As for my ID, I like to live thanks, being dragged through the mud dosn't concern me much, being buried in it that does. Some people REALLY are unhappy that SXM PE permits people to discuss rumors and information in order to get to the truth and to see clearer what goes on. Anything posted on here can be countered, corrected or confirmed by other readers.

You know, all this could be avoided if the government truely embraced transparency, a code of conduct and an ombudsman. If they are are so wonderful and honest as you seem to want us to think, having these things would work in their favor. By the way, even the Lt Governor called the island govt's attitude to his code of conduct 'immature'.

Flipper

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Flipper:
I agree that it is great to have this opportunity to express my view on things taking place on St. Maarten but I have long been concerned with the way the most unreal
rumors make the rounds here. People say and Print the wildest most bizzare things about people without a jot or a tittle of evidence to support their claims.
The bit about Roy Marlin being a member of the board of Westin is a perfect example. Another is the story about some of our politicos being involved in the concrete business is just as bizzare, where is the proof? For me the saddest thing is that SXMPE losses credibility as I believe this site is a real boon to the island.
Keep on keeping on Flipper.

Well, first of all, because some piece of information is a rumor, does that mean that questions should not be asked in order to find out the truth or untruths behind it? Do not the police, journalists and others go about investigating cases and stories by asking questions and following rumors and leads?

The first case. It is very easy for a journalist to ask Roy if there is any truth to the rumor about him being on the board of Westin. It is a perfectly legitimate question to be asked of a public servant such as he is and I see no reason why it should not be asked.
Secondly, the cement business. It is common knowledge about certain commissioner's involvement in various businesses that benfit often from govt contracts. The document that was sent to us clearly states that Theo and Roy are involved as partners with Windward Roads in Central Concrete, those red trucks. Again, why are they not asked about it?
Until our politicians and PUBLIC SERVANTS are required to declare thier business interests and to put them aside when entering politics so as to avoid suspicion of graft and self enrichment then these rumors will persist.
And I myself think that asking questions to find out if rumors are true or not is the only way to find out the truth. Isn't that what we all want? - Flipper

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Flipper;
I expect a case can be made for running down certain rumors, my concern is that
many of these rumors seem to take on the aura of fact, at least in many caes. Ask
yourself if it makes any sense for a company like Westin to make Roy Marlin a
memer of the board? Bizzare in the extreme

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I am so surprised that no one has posted anything regarding the new policy of the Governor coming up with a plan on ridding all N.V's or BV unless they bring in 550.000 guilders per year and that they will have a year by year contract. What are we going to do with all the new construction. Does the Government really think that we are St. Barth's, apparently so, our enviornment is screwed up, sewage running everywhere, illegal business, houses and developments being built with no enforcement Is the Government planning on being a transient society, one year contracts with people running out on their taxes and not contributing anything to the Island. Why would they when they know they only have a year. Their would no incentive.

We are starting to get a bad name thruout the western hemisphere. Garbage piled up. robberies in daylight as well as nighttime. Is this really want the Locals want. Believe they will be left holding the bag, sitting on major developments empty and I guess they can become an extension of our prison system. The Island will be like Mullet Bay without a hurricane.

So sad for such a beautiful Island, I am sorry, but the Locals cannot do it alone. We have relied on tourism for years and that is our main source of Income, and the cost of living is just too high for what the locals have to sacrifice. Go to www.enviroweek.com and you will see some of the ecological and environmental problems we have and trust me the tourist are hearing about it on different news stations in the States and elsewhere around the globe.

So much for Paradise and the Friendly Island(?)

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SXM and Global Warming - What can we do?

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