Did you know..............

1) The largest nesting populations of the Leatherback Turtle in the Atlantic is Trinidad

2) The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago produces the second highest fossil CO₂ emissions per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. Fossil CO₂ emissions in this country reached 26.2 metric tons per capita in 2018.

3)The Government of Trinidad and Tobago approved the ban of Styrofoam - however, proper implementation is essential.

4)Hunting is illegal between the months of October- February with fines up to $10,000tt- Trinidad and Tobago's Senate plans to increase fines up to 100,000tt.

5) The Piping-guan, also known as the Pawi is endemic to Trinidad and has been listed as a Critically endangered species according to IUCN Red List.

6) Trinidad and Tobago has three (3) Ramsar sites currently, totalling an area of 15,919 hectares. They are : (a) Buccoo Reef, (b) Caroni Swamp and (c) Nariva Swamp.

*Ramsar Covention-  is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

7) The Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve is on record as the oldest legally protected forest reserve geared specifically towards a conservation purpose.

8) The Pitch Lake in Trinidad is the world’s largest natural deposit of asphalt. It covers about 99 acres and is 246 feet deep.

9) The world's largest brain coral colony is found at a dive site named Kelleston Drain. It is  located south of Little Tobago, and is 3 m (10ft) high and 5.3 m (16 ft) wide - physical damage, bleaching, ocean acidification and sea temperature rise are some threats to the brain coral.

10) Fines and penalties were doubled by Government for littering and illegal dumping in 2019 in an effort to crack down on polluters with fines increasing to $5,000tt.

A FLOURISHING EARTH..... Is this a dream?

Do you feel as if you are in a deep dream and you can't come out of it? it feels like this, doesn't it? What if I tell you No! You are in the present and ....YES! This really is 2020!

But isn't 2020 supposed to be the year for success and greatness? What if I tell you it is. IT may not be for you and I or even the rest of the human population (in terms of what you think success and greatness is) but it is for nature and the universe.

This year will go down in the books of history. We all never thought that we will ever experience a pandemic in our lives. Unfortunately we are all living it. We may see it as a disaster and how it is ruining many "lives" (which it is). However, have you ever thought how nature has flourished since this happened? Throughout our daily lives in the past, forests have been destroyed, animals have been hunted and nature altogether has been depleting at a rate faster than it can be replenished and recharged.

The lack of human activity during this year has drastically been decreased causing nature to replenish itself. We've seen clean canals of Venice, clear waters in the Ganges,  even blue skies over certain cities which were heavily once polluted and noise vibrations considerably being reduced by over 50%. Nature has a way of thriving once being treated with respect. This pandemic should be a lesson well learnt to everyone. Do your part in conserving and persevering the richest treasure you have. Remember one day our kids will have to live on this Earth. Make it a better place for them!