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Climate Change Roundup - 6th July 2009
I've been reading a book by Jared Diamond called Collapse, I've been reading it for a few months now, a few pages or a chapter every now and then, it's quite heavy, in content and size. When I finish I'll write a review, but please take a look at the video in the link above before reading the latest round up of news below on Climate Change.
In the book, Diamond postulates 5 main aspects of why societies and civilizations succeed or fail, one of them is that the decisions and policies that are made by those leading the society in response to threats, be it threats from neighbors or to the economy, or threats from a changing environment. Ergo, the decisions made today will affect the lives of those who live tomorrow. I don't think I'm being pessimistic, just realistic, when I say I think future generations will curse those of the late 20th and early 21st century.
SXM does not have the resources to be self sufficient, even most big countries rely heavily on others for raw materials, trade and innovation. But I've said it before and I'll say it again for our new island government.
Long Term planning and investment is urgently needed in the fields of energy, waste, food production and public transport for SXM to have a healthy future. Being totally reliant on the outside World for absolutely everything as we are now is unhealthy and bad governance.
Solar energy needs to be encouraged, with GEBE leading the way and with tax breaks and subsidies to encourage private investment from home owners. At the same time, linking SXM with Nevis, St, Kitts or Saba Geothermal energy should be a priority in planning. Other alternate energy sources such as wind and wave should also be monitored and incorporated as viable and on long term merit.
Remember how tobacco companies covered up, distorted and maintained doubts about the dangers of smoking? Well, the oil companies have been doing exactly the same thing with Climate Change, creating doubts and funding contrary reports and bodies to refute the mounting evidence it is caused by green house gases, of which CO2 is a major player.
ExxonMobil continuing to fund climate sceptic groups, records show
That's right. In order to maintain business and profits these companies have decided to risk our planet and climate, after all, we are all just statistics to them and what matters is the bottom line, making money. Oil causes so many ills around the World, it's like humanity's cocaine and our addiction is extremely unhealthy and will end in tears.
When it comes to food production, most of the land that used to be used for agriculture has been built upon, Cul de Sac, Dutch Quarter, Cole Bay. But there are micro farming possibilities and maybe there could be a sort of allotment style area that could be created, perhaps in EWE, for individuals or families, a small rent could be paid for lots in an agricultural project there.
Building communities around small organic farm areas is becoming a selling point for developers, rightly so. Just think how much more healthy that would be for your family, in so many ways.
Organic Farms as Subdivision Amenities
And most of all, public transport. Instead of building a road around the Salt Pond, build a monorail, with stops around the pond. Subsidize it a little if need be so it can be cheap to use, with daily, weekly, monthly and yearly passes available. No need for filling, just pillons and small stations, and it would create 50 or more long term jobs. The creation of a public/private Bus Company would provide adequate and frequent bus routes and service, the introduction of metered mini cabs would solve the gypsy cab problem and open up their use for people making short trips and errands. Let's be honest here, our taxi drivers have no interest at all in servicing us the common public with reasonable prices, they just want the big bucks tourists.
Anyway.....just some thoughts. Below is a bunch of news stories, in no particular order, from the past month or so related to Climate Change and our Planet's environment. Read and weep :)
Caribdude
Sea level rise: It's worse than we thought
Meadows of the sea in 'shocking' decline
Poor face more hunger as climate change leads to crop failure, says Oxfam
Fungus threatens wheat around globe - 'Stem rust' could wipe out 80% of world's crop.
Evolution meets Climate Change
House Passes Historic Climate Change Bill
Key role of forests 'may be lost'
Pun Alert: Geothermal Energy Gains Steam
Carbon emissions creating acidic oceans not seen since dinosaurs
Al Gore Refuses To Dignify Debate: "It's Not A Matter Of Theory"
GM, Segway "PUMA" Vehicle Unveiled (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
And last of all.... highly recommended documentary about the plastic garbage dump building in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
If Obama can't defeat the Republican headbangers, our planet is doomed
GEBE Continues Research in Alternative Energy. - Wednesday, 08 July 2009
Nice blog!
You know that someone told me the gov will install solar streetlights in Backstreet? So we're progressing, slowly yes, but nevertheless we are! :)
Somewhere you mention small organic farm areas...it's so weird that I've never seen ONE here. I do remember some people gardening on Pic Paradis though, but then again, le french side is a totally different world :P (they even eat vegetables!)
Hey I read Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel, pretty interesting stuff. Too bad no one ever wants to discuss hunter-gatherers with me... or why people in western civilizations are far more successful than say, the people living on the African continent. In other words, why are Western European and Asian countries rich and African countries less so?
In the Collapse Jared Diamond writes that ecological factors are crucial in answering the question why some societies fall and others don't. It all depends on how we treat our environment.
Well, shall I answer that question focusing on this Island?
At this very moment there are toxic fluids seeping out of the landfill, into the soil. There's trash all around the Pond and you may even come across some dead fish if you're lucky. May I be so free as to classify the landfill as an ecological catastrophe? Yes?
And even if we're going to have an incinerator or gasificator, I don't know which one it's going to be, then it'll take ages to clean up the waste mountain! The damage is already done.
Once again, SHIP IT OUT!!!
But what can you expect from people who cannot even spell WASTE (they type: waist) correctly?
XOXO
PS. Why didn't the environmental organizations of SXM push for cycling lanes along the great ring rd? A missed chance!!
I read GJ&S too and I am next in line for Carib's copy of Collapse. I'll discuss hunter gatherers with you, but not sure what to discuss because if you read the book then you know as I do the reasons for the questions you ask. :)
Personally I think, unless the island's politicians buck up and wake up soon, the future for sxm is rather bleak, sorry to say.
Hady
Why didn't you push for cycling lanes along the great ring rd if you think it is such a good idea? A missed chance!!
I come here every so often, but really, I have to sometimes scratch my head reading some comments.
Response to Cassie, if you so want cycling lanes along the ring road, why didn't YOU write your elected officials and request this? Why wait for environmental groups or others? you have a computer, I am sure a pen and paper... do your own thing and stop telling others what they should or should not do. Who knows... Maybe the plans do have cycling lanes. If so, I hope to see you be the first to jog around the polluted Great Salt Pond and inhale the smell of 'Aire de la terre fume"
(Title edited. Please don't be insulting and rude, thank you. - LH)
So now I get it.
It's perfectly normal and human to react as you do, dear commentor.
You are just so angry with the whole situation that you find yourself in a deadlock which, I gather, leads to quite some frustration.
But please, this is not constructive. This is just Cassie-bashing.
Please try to find yourself once more (inner-poise) and pretend you have some respect for my words.
XOXO
OKAY, here's a response to everyone from le bête-noir :P
Let's start by explaining that enviro orgizations ought to represent the people, their wishes, their interests and all that with a serious regard for the protection of our planet.
So that the whole population may feel quite at ease and not pressed to send private letters to gov. which may result in jobloss.
When decisions have to be made, it's the enviro's and the gov. that ought to be sitting around the very same table to come to a solutions everybody can live with.
That's what people in other countries do.
Stakeholders working with gov on a better St Maarten, a brighter future.
So please don't pitch me lines like (which is the easy way out), 'that's not possible here' or 'this is just the way we do business and there's nothing gonna change'...
I heard it all before.
Once again, the easy way out is pointing a finger a whichever person dares to criticize the whole project. So that's me in this case. But the thing is, it doesn't get us anywhere.
The pond doesn't get cleaned up and the landfill will still be the cancer of the island.
Why is it that we so put such limited trust in the hands of our environmental organizations? Won't they be the ones whom gov. will take seriously? I know for a fact that gov. doesn't take me seriously...haha but then again who am I?
I am not Jadira Veen or Rueben Thompson, am I?
Well, they have sent letters. That is what everyone expects them to do, and it's the right thing. But, that doesn't get you a seat on the decisionsmaking table, does it?
Because if they would've been there, maybe some other visions and ideas might be constructively discussed, so that a new ameliorated project could be drawn up. One or those ideas an enviro group could include in its input is, cycling lanes along the rd. Another could be, pressing for solar streetlights. Another could be a deal, like this: your road but then an assignment of an acceleration manager for a better waste management, or maybe my shipping-it-all-out solution. I know the latter is short term, but at least something is done to put out the fires and the soiltoxification.
Anyway, dear commentors, I hereby invite you all to shoot at the above. May your bullets not be wasted ;)
XOXO
Environmental groups represent the environment. Not the people, their wishes and their interest. That is the job of the politicians.
The environmental organizations are, I believe, opposed to Ring Road and filling more of it in. So why then would they appeal for bike lanes in a project that they don't support??
Another thing, are our politicians so bereft of vision and ideas to think of such things themselves?? Yes, I believe most of them are!.
Hady
The environmental organizations are, I believe, opposed to Ring Road and filling more of it in. So why then would they appeal for bike lanes in a project that they don't support??
Yup, good question.
Well, that's because a smart enviro org takes another position than the stubborn todler.
The position I would like to see, is one that leaves space open for discussion. That would be a partner to take seriously and also a partner to invite to the decisionmaking table.
XOXO
PS. there are houses on this island sporting green solutions. Go and multiply!
Who is not doing what they should be doing here?
Objections are 'frivolous' details.
It's not for lack of wanting to be included in discussions and planning, it's not for want of providing information, ideas or attempting to get in the door. But the doors have been locked, name me one politician who has expressed any real understanding, respect or concern for the environment, other than empty words.
I don't think you can Cassie. As for the Ring Road, there are people, myself included, who question the value, expense and need for a RR,, until those questions are answered then there can be no discussion about any cycle path can there. There has been, as far as we know, No STUDY or REPORT on traffice for about 20 years, and any that have touched up on it have recommended as a major point the need to reform and build an efficient and reliable public transport system.
But those bus and taxi driver votes are too important for any politician to tackle, at least that's what I suspect. And besides, certain politicians have financial interests in the road building plans, so obviously they prefer those instead.
Caribdude
Indeed, I can't give you the name of one politician who has expressed any real understanding, respect or concern for the environment, other than empty words.
They local 'politicians' have proven to be the firmest of firm believers in further development of the tourist industry without ANY regard for Nature. Nada.
I'm going to cry in my bed now and wait till something happens.
Maybe the Courthouse will crumble down to pieces...maybe someone will build another hideous concrete block...maybe the Lime Greens will hand out their Manifesto of Lies...maybe I'll go and walk the dogs and pretend I am blind.
XOXO
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