St. Maarten Private Eye - Climate Change

Red Cross in financial hole.

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:06:32 -0700

For most of us, the news that the SXM Red Cross is in financial trouble doesn't really mean a great deal, if you are reading this then most likely you are well off enough to be living in a home you are relatively comfortable with or have somewhere safe to go in a storm. This isn't about you, it is about the people at the lowest level in our society, the ones living in plywood shacks, shacks which were supposed to be eliminated after Luis.

The Red Cross supplements the services the Govt provides at shelters and you would be guessing right if you assume that isn't a great deal, few if any of the shelters even have generator and old, young and sick people could be packed away in dark and dangerous conditions.

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The Economy, Energy and Development

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:11:42 -0700

It was just over a year ago that I wrote a blog about the SXM condo market being past it's prime. Less than two weeks afterwards the island's Economic Affairs Dept reported a positive assessment of the real estate market with a nice big bold headline. Remarkable coincidence eh?

Just like in the US, where Dubya and McSame are trying to convince the public that everything is just fine and that really, it's mainly psychological and people whinging, if only people would think positive then things would look better, we have the same here. Only problem is, the facts keep intruding.

SXM economy to be stable next 2 years - 24th May 2008

Maria: Island's economy successful and resilient - 25th March 2008

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Climate Change and World Resources - Update

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:53:48 -0700

It's been a while since I wrote a blog rounding up the news on Climate Change and I had tons of links saved up in my bookmarks, it was time to clear them out.

Below you will find a selection of news and video links that I think are well worth checking out, I've added many more to the SXM PE Global Warming / Global Resources Thread. i don't time to write much about them now, but I think most of them speak for themselves anyway. Feel free to add your own links and comments below.

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GEBE & Geothermal energy

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:13:24 -0700

From West Indies Power Holding BV

"Geothermal Power is the use of super heated hot water and steam located in the Earth (Geothermal Resources) which are extracted by specially designed wells (Well field) and allowed to convert to steam when it reaches the surface. That steam is then collected in pipes (Gathering System) and sent to a geothermal steam turbine which uses the steam to generate electricity (Power Plant)."

Let me start by stating that I am not in any way affiliated with West Indies Power Holding BV or do I seek to do so. I am an objective observer and a consumer of GEBE electricity and am of the opinion that GEBE is currently overcharging their customers and do little (nothing) to seek ways of reducing the price of electricity.

From recent reports in The Daily Herald, one can gather that local energy and water supplying company GEBE has been made an offer by Nevis based West Indies Power to buy geothermal derived energy (= clean energy) but up to this point (June 19th, 2008) GEBE has not responded to their offer of buying clean energy from them.

Why, you ask. Please read on.

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Enviro Week - EWE - 4-8 June 2008

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:42:23 -0700

Imagine... a park full of green products and services that will help St. Maarten become a bit more of a nature friendly island and a more livable island for the younger generation. With our eco-expo we make it a reality and you can even participate with your green products or services.

A solar cooker contest, a car that runs on water (French Lycee), a car that runs on biofuel, local biological food, green cleaning products, wood crafting, local natural art, solar heaters, water saving and energy saving products, water from air and a raffle. There will also be workshops in between with related to agriculture, solar power, energy and water saving and some interesting keynote speakers. Details, updates and press releases below.

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Fewer, But More Intense

Mon, 26 May 2008 22:13:54 -0700

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department does a lot of prediction and research of weather and climate-related events. It works with its federals partners in more than seventy countries and the EC to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects. A new study suggests some decrease in tropical storm and hurricane numbers.

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GEBE, EcoFest and Climate Change

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:57:50 -0700

Island Vision long ago lost my respect and I don't plan to be sending in nominations this year for their enviro awards, I just can't be bothered, sorry. It's not that I can't think of people to nominate, the usual crowd spring to mind along with a few newcomers like Laura Bijnsdorp and her team. There are people out there who deserve to be recognized for sure.

It's not the lack of transparency with the nominations or votes, nor is it the plagiarizing. No, it's more to do with the people he invites to present awards and make speeches, it's partly to do with Stephane's desire to 'be Someone" and his enabling politicians, officials and businesses to fraudulently portray an environmental image when they have none. I cringe and feel ill just being in the same room as some of the people he invites. No thanks.

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Climate Change Roundup - 25th February 2008

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:06:08 -0800

It's been a while I know, maybe some thought because I hadn't written a blog about it in a while that the issue had gone away, sadly I have to report negative to that thought. Climate Change is still with us, it''s going to be with us for the rest of our lives, and our children's lives too. How our grand children are going to do is anyone's guess right now, I think it's quite sure to be a different World than you reading this have grown up in.

The problem now is that Climate Change news is common, most people like myself who have been paying attention to the issue are resigned to the inevitability of it, it's happening now and it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better. It's no longer a question of stopping it, it's too late, the only questions and challenges now are if we can slow it down and reverse it before it sets off a chain reaction that is unstoppable.

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See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil- Ignorance is Bliss?

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:54:00 -0800

Who gives a damn what we say? Are they listening to us? Do they really care?
Who will they blame next when SXM becomes a country?

It was a pitiful sight to see how our Commissioners behaved before the Dutch? Like the picture above, Roy had his hand over his mouth, Louie had the SXM flag over his eyes and Theo became deaf after he fell in a pothole. The others suffered immediate amnesia.

The headlines below confirm that we are doomed under the Democratic Party.
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The Environment

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:43:34 -0700

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