Urbanization- A Human's Control

Human beings have become increasing controlling and powerful over the Earth and its resources over that last 10,000 years. With the advent of agriculture, we began to change the land. Then came the time of the great Industrial Revolution, where the world began to see an increase in population and with that came major changes in the atmosphere.

Urban development causes a change in which we interact with the environment, such as: consumption of food, water, energy and the land itself. With an increase in population, an increase in food production has to happen. Thus, changing agricultural production methods that, in alternative ways, made it possible to generate surplus crops to feed a growing non-agricultural population. More crop production in fact means more use of fertilizer which increases run off pollution. Additionally, with soaring urbanization, energy consumption is much higher due to transportation development. According to Barbara Boyle Torrey (2004), today we have a car for every two people in the United States. If that became the norm, in 2050 there would be 5.3 billion cars in the world, all using energy.

Some Urban Environmental Threats are:

-Deforestation

-Inadequate water

-Flash flooding due to deforestation

-Water & Air Pollution

 

Solutions:

-Plant and incorporate green spaces

-Reduce air pollution by implementing effective transportation

-Involve local community in decision making

-Provide proper waste disposal methods

Let's do our part: 8 ways to conserve water

 1. Be mindful of running water- turn off faucet when brushing teeth; take shorter showers and turn off showers when soaping; turn off faucet when washing dishes

2. Fix leaks

3. Harvest rain water when you can and use it for outdoor watering

4. Wash full loads in the washing machine and dishwater. This saves both energy and water.

5.  Perform appliance maintenance to prevent potential leaks

6. Maintain sprinkler system- do not water lawn during peak periods, try using a rainwater system for watering your lawn.

7.  Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste.

8. Share your knowledge about water conservation to others

"Blue Planet"

The global consumption of water has been increasing daily; an estimate of 1% per year since the 1980s due to population growth and an increase in demand in the industrial and domestic sector . Every day we use approximately 10 billion tons of freshwater worldwide. We've known to call earth the "Blue Planet" since it's covered by 75% water but little do we know is that only 2.5% is freshwater, while the other 97.5% is salt water.

Over the past decade, environmentalists has been saying that the supply of water is decreasing. However, several people and industries disregard these words since they see water all around us. Safe drinking water and sanitation is considered a basic human right such that ‘no one is left behind’ when it comes to enjoying the various benefits and opportunities that water provides. Yet,  several countries has been facing a water shortage and have little to no access to clean drinking water. According to the United Nations, by 2025 30% of the world’s population residing in 50 countries will face water shortage, thus making it a bigger problem now than before.  Not only are we using up our supply on a daily basis, our population continues to grow also causing global warming to add to the problem.

The only way to stop this water crisis from happening is to heed  those words by the environmentalists and change our actions otherwise, we will no longer be living in a "blue planet" .

Indigenous People & challenges

Conservation itself is a social and political and not a biological process, according to Alcorn (1994). One social aspect related to biodiversity and its management is the world’s indigenous peoples. They occupy and inhabit territories of high levels of biodiversity in which, their culture is associated with the maintenance of the natural ecosystem. These indigenous people are frequently categorized as impoverished and are treated as unseen.

Indigenous people play a key role in climate change mitigation and adaptation by making reference to a climate change agenda with the full involvement of indigenous peoples rather than involving only the government and private sectors. Indigenous peoples have the knowledge to many solutions. For instance, over years, indigenous peoples have developed landscape designs that can counterattack the negative effects of climate change as well as, they have developed several genetic varieties of medicinal and useful plants and animal varieties that is resistant to climate change and ecological variability. Indigenous values and beliefs have brought about livelihood strategies to provide essential input into understanding low carbon development schemes which are used and how they can be endorsed.

Over centuries the relationship between indigenous people and the environment have degraded because of forced removal of their traditional and sacred lands. This removal of indigenous people is caused by many challenges of social and economic wants from forestry activities, mining and development programs. For example, commercial plant varieties have replaced locally adapted varieties used in traditional farming systems thus leading to an increase in industrialized farming methods. These activities have cause severe environmental damage of flora and fauna species in which some have become extinct. They also face discrimination in terms of culture, language, religious beliefs and rights to land ownership where they lived for hundreds of years and thus has never been high on the list of priority by the global community.

Another is, economic challenges over their traditional knowledge. For example, many commercial products such as medicines which are derived from traditional knowledge have been developed and patented by big companies for commercial use in order to gain hefty economic earnings. Unfortunately, there is such no economical benefits for the indigenous peoples who have been developing and using the same products.

It has often been discussed that indigenous knowledge and their culture cannot survive this ever changing environment unless the government wants and has the political will to protect them, both locally and globally. Government along with private sectors need to work in cooperation to integrate indigenous persons and knowledge into policies to protect the current existing biodiversity . This will not only improve accountability and authority of approaches taken but also strengthen capacity building and managing of natural resources and the ecosystem.

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!

A losing battle

For the past decade the world has been losing a battle against deforestation. There have been several reports on the loss of biodiversity and the continuous impacts humans have on the environment. According to BBC News, on average, an area of tree cover the size of the United Kingdom was lost every year between 2014 and 2018 and this year, 2019 things did not improve. Instead, the Amazon rainforest has seen a high number of fires and was the burning spotlight in August.

Naturally, forest fires are common to occur during the dry season. However, according to reports most are caused by intentional human actions. With respect to the Amazon, many questions were raised….. “Was this deliberate deforestation?” Reports stated that since President Bolsonaro took Office in January 2019, there have been a hike in forest fires used as a way for clearing land to support ranching. These fires continue to emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide which is known to have adverse effects on human and animal life.

If the above statement is true regarding the clearing of land for crops and grazing, this will be detrimental for the future generations to come. According to FAO, total emissions from global livestock equates to 7.1 Gigatonnes of Co2-equiv per year, representing 14.5 percent of all anthropogenic GHG emissions.

With this being said, halting deforestation and restoring forests could aid in the mitigation process. However, this will not be possible if obligations and assurances are continuously being tainted.

 (Google Image) 

"The Man-Hungry Predator"

Several sharks have fallen victim to this stereotype as being a man-hungry predator due to society’s mythical stories for example “JAWS”. In fact, what humans should fear is a world without these apex predators in our marine ecosystem. Each year millions of sharks are being killed as there is a growing demand for shark fin as an ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Furthermore, in Trinidad our local JAWS are being hunted for our prominent beach food, bake and shark. Sharks are large bodied animals that are top of tropic levels therefore structuring food webs and regulating prey behaviour and their dynamics.

Coral reefs play an essential part of the Caribbean’s marine ecosystem. It promotes habitat and species diversity in abundance. Shark depletion in a reef ecosystem can be detrimental to marine life since it can trigger a negative chain reaction which can be felt throughout the food web. For example, macro algae/ seaweed usually compete with coral for settlement on the reef. These corals depend of herbivorous fish to consume this algae. Without these fish, corals are not able to thrive and create available niches for species. The decline in the number of sharks as top predators allow the number of groupers in the Caribbean coral reef ecosystem to increase which feed on these herbivorous fishes (parrotfish, gobies). This in turn causes a decline in herbivorous fish therefore causing overgrowth of macro algae.  This shift in abundance in species diversity following coral decline changes species diversity and composition of the entire reef system. For the past 30-40 years Jamaica’s species composition has changed drastically, and coral abundance has declined over 50%.

Continuous support of this Chinese cuisine along with our famous local bake and shark is allowing sharks and coral life to be depleted at a faster rate. We as a community should join hands and stand ground to refrain from buying these meals. If we don’t consume, then there will be no need to slaughter these wonderful creatures of life. It starts with us today! Let’s take charge and make a change!

Adverse Fiscal Effects of Climate Change on the Caribbean

The increasing build-up of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere results from anthropogenic actions which exceeds the threshold that keeps the Earth habitable. The vulnerability of the Caribbean and its population is because of its flat island characteristics and inadequate economic resources to construct buffers against climate change. Several Caribbean locals live in poverty by world standards and for developing nations worldwide, paying the price for safeguarding measures is simply unthinkable (Bueno et al. 2008). If climate change remains uncurbed, funds which could be used for poverty alleviation or social and economic development will now have to go towards efforts to prevent and recover from the impacts of climate change (IPCC 2007). With higher temperatures, it will have a negative impact on infrastructure in coastal regions, hurricane damages, health impacts, pressing concerns for energy and food security and negative consequences on agriculture and ecosystems. The Caribbean islands depend on tourism since it contributes to 15 percent of the region's national revenue and gross domestic product (GDP). In a survey done, it was found that 80 percent of tourists will be reluctant to revisit the islands if the environmental beauty was negatively affected by climate change (Bueno et al. 2008). Despite the Caribbean nations' emissions are very small, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide affects everyone no matter where in the world they are produced. The ultimate challenge is global fairness which is at the centre of the problem. However, it is also the key to the trials of meeting the needs of its citizens by developing in a sustainable way while arranging for the negative concerns of climate change in the region.

Other constraints which face the Caribbean nations' ability to effectively and efficiently address climate change issues are:

·         The absence of research on various areas of vulnerability and reliability which have led to reduced technical capabilities to produce reliable scientific data and research for public policy;

·         Poor communication between stakeholders and the lack of awareness by the population;

·         Limited reports on the economic and social influences of climate change and poor prioritization in the management of these issues at both national and international levels.

Recommendations

The introduction of several policy instruments not only in Trinidad but throughout the Caribbean can help reduce greenhouse gases by putting a price on it. These may include:

·         The removal of environmental harmful subsides, permit schemes, carbon taxes, and promote the implementation of existing and future United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC agreements. 

·         Investing in educational and awareness programmes to increase the understanding about sustainable use of resources and production practices

·         Reduce energy consumption by implementing the use of efficiency measures. Predominantly in the case of gasoline and air-conditioning usage.

·         Monitoring and measuring all situations and trends which can have an impact on climate change. Improving the accuracy of data by training individuals to collect and analyze data as well as the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to improve collection of data can aid in monitoring and evaluation of impacts.

The role of indigenous people and biodiversity

According to Alcorn, conservation itself is a social and political and not a biological process. One social aspect related to biodiversity and its management is the world’s indigenous peoples. They occupy and inhabit territories of high levels of biodiversity in which, their culture is associated with the maintenance of the natural ecosystem. These indigenous people are frequently categorized as impoverished and are treated as unseen. However, several studies have shown that they are the ones that hold the key to successful biodiversity conservation and management.

Indigenous peoples have the knowledge to many solutions. For instance, over years, indigenous peoples have developed landscape designs that can counterattack the negative effects of climate change as well as, they have developed several genetic varieties of medicinal and useful plants and animal varieties that is resistant to climate change and ecological variability. Indigenous values and beliefs have brought about livelihood strategies to provide essential input into understanding low carbon development schemes which are used and how they can be endorsed.

Over centuries the relationship between indigenous people and the environment have degraded because of forced removal of their traditional and sacred lands. This removal of indigenous people is caused by many challenges of social and economic wants from forestry activities, mining and development programs. For example, commercial plant varieties have replaced locally adapted varieties used in traditional farming systems thus leading to an increase in industrialized farming methods. These activities have cause severe environmental damage of flora and fauna species in which some have become extinct.

It has often been discussed that indigenous knowledge and their culture cannot survive this ever changing environment unless the government wants and has the political will to protect them, both locally and globally. Government along with private sectors need to work in cooperation to integrate indigenous persons and knowledge into policies in order to protect the current existing biodiversity. This will not only improve accountability and authority of approaches taken but also strengthen capacity building and managing of natural resources and the ecosystem.

Plastic pollution and turtle nesting

IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN! Nesting season has opened for turtles and we all know the beauty of the Leatherback Sea Turtle. It’s one of the most magnificent creatures on earth which are the only remaining representatives of a family of turtles that traces its evolutionary roots back more than 100 million years. Despite we are lucky here in Trinidad to have such wonderful wildlife; one major threat to their survival is plastic pollution.

Many Leatherbacks fall victims to plastic debris. They ingest these floatable pieces which are often mistaken for their favourite food; jellyfish. According to National Geographic, some individuals have been found to have almost 11 pounds of plastic in their stomachs. What does that say about us humans? Is it that we don’t respect nature or our world? People often fail to realize, we have damaged our planet at a rate beyond which it can replenish itself and we have produced more waste than can be reabsorbed.

With increasing population, there has been an increase in demand for more resources and more use of plastic. However, plastic has a tendency to retain large amounts of heat. Microplastics have also been found to affect Leatherbacks. These sesame seed-sized plastics can increase sand temperature which modify and determine turtle sex as eggs incubate. This is because sea turtles have temperature dependent sex determination, which means their sex is determined by the sand temperature.

With this being said plastics can be detrimental to life and have major effects in population structure which can cause a collapse in species life.

My personal take on subsidies- TT Budget 2018

As we all know, Trinidad and Tobago’s budget was held on October 2, 2017 with varying opinions on what was stated. However, the main issue that stole the spotlight was the reduction on fuel and electricity subsidies. As everyone knows, T&T pays a very small percent for both fuel and electricity due to such high subsidies.

Before I state my view on this, I would first like to define what a subsidy is. A subsidy is a form of financial aid extended to an economic sector which has been granted by the government. With this being said, while subsides are known to make gasoline and power more accessible to persons and, transportation as well as electricity rates cheaper, several other aspects has been casted from our minds. Therefore, it is safe to say we do not look at this in a holistic approach but, only view it as one way forward; human gain regarding the protection of “our pockets.”

Often, persons forget or discard the environment when making decisions, not taking into consideration this is the only reason you are alive. A poor environment = poor health. When we have subsidies on things such as gas, this encourage persons to use their private cars regularly, which in fact is unsustainable and contributes highly to pollution, due to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which is directly linked to global warming. This is then linked to public health issues as a result of pollution. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 7 million premature deaths are annually linked to air pollution. Furthermore, gas is a finite energy source and unlike sunlight, water or wind energy, fossil fuels cannot be renewed. This means that, once the gas reserves have been completely used up, there is nothing more left.

Additionally, despite several persons believe that subsidies are actually helping them; I have to say this may not likely be true.  Since, many rural communities are still lacking proper energy services and are not able to get water and electricity every day. This is because energy service businesses may have weak incentives to provide access of quality energy services to the poor, mainly because of the low population densities, which makes it costly to serve remote locations, and the low incomes of the poor, who often use little energy compared with wealthier households. At the end of the day, subsidies benefit the rich (ownership of several vehicles, use of a greater amount of electricity) over the poor (greater use of public transport due to less ownership of cars, less households that use a vast amount of electricity), believe it or not.

If the government’s goal is to improve the living standards of the environment and poor, there may be other ways to do so. Renewable and green energy sources are something we as a Caribbean Island should be focusing on in 2017. The need to focus on solar, hydroelectric, wind, tidal and geothermal energy is of great importance. As it was mentioned before, once our natural resources are used up, there will be nothing left. Better transparency, planning, communication, and consultation prior to implementation of price increases are needed for success in the complete removal of fuel subsidies.

Tell me, what is your take on this?

Future Ecological Collapse?..... Maybe!

Over the past few days there have been much controversy on the poaching of our national bird, the Scarlet Ibis, and I am extremely shocked and disappointed to even know that this has been happening for some time. We as human beings have failed our nation on several occasions by destroying our biodiversity. I’ve always considered Trinidad and Tobago to be one of the richest Caribbean countries because of our striking biodiversity and natural resources. However, majority of us have seen this as a way to earn money (I call it black money) than just sit back and enjoy what God has created for us.

My question to you Trinis is, “why is it that every wildlife you see, you must kill and make a cook?” Because that’s the nature and thinking of several persons. According to a post yesterday made on social media, the fine for poaching a Scarlet Ibis would be $100,000 tt. I must say despite I am happy that this matter has been somewhat looked into; I can positively say having a fine means absolutely nothing without implementation.

There are several questions that are unanswered when it comes to this situation, and if anyone can answer them I would be grateful:

1. Why is it that poachers are the only ones getting fined? What about the buyers and consumers?
2. Would this $100, 000 go into conserving the Scarlet Ibis as well as several other species, wetlands and other protected areas?  
3. Why is it that other wildlife species are not being protected or as of major concern as the Scarlet Ibis? What about the ocelots? (Earlier this year an ocelot was found shot.), what about our turtles? Despite there is a fine or jail time for poaching other wildlife, this mechanism is not implemented nor is the fine substantial.
4. The Caroni Swamp is protected under the Ramsar Convention which is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. REALLY????????? BECAUSE IT DOES NOT SEEM SO!!!!
5. What about game wardens? Clearly I think there’s a need for them!
6. Why are our policies not updated?  We have a National Environmental Policy which is dated 2006. Why is this so old? And a DRAFT National Wildlife Policy. Why is this still a draft?

Unfortunately we are losing more of our country as each day passes by. I do believe if nothing’s done soon, our future generation will not be able to experience such natural wonders of our country. There’s more to life than urban development and money.

We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity.

---E. O. Wilson

Observing World Wetlands Day

Despite being a day late I would still like to wish Trinidad and Tobago a happy World Wetlands Day. As many of us know, this day is celebrated on February 2^nd every year since it concurs with the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. Currently in Trinidad and Tobago, there are three sites designated under the Ramsar Convention: Caroni Swamp, Nariva and the Buccoo Reef Bon Accord Lagoon Complex.

These wetland sites are a main hotspot for species biodiversity and are home to threatened species such as the blue and gold macaw and the manatee. We as Trinbagonians should be delighted to have such rich biodiversity in our little twin island. However, these wetlands are often viewed as mucky and dirty and have no value to humans. This misunderstanding has caused wetlands to be threatened by: agriculture, pollution, human settlements and industrial developments. Unfortunately because of these threats, most of Trinidad and Tobago’s wetland areas have been destroyed and only 1% is presently covered by wetlands. It is important to remember that management of these wetlands is significant in order to sustain their healthy functioning which is essential for stakeholders because of the use of the multi-resources produced such as:

·         

         Protection of coastal areas and shorelines

·         They act as nurseries

·         They allow ecotourism and recreation sites

·         They filter pollutants and sediments

·         They act as flood storage

·         Maintain a balanced carbon cycle

·         Retain nutrients

With this being said, initiatives should be taken to encourage other Caribbean islands to join the Ramsar Convention and to increase its acceptance. Training and education courses for stakeholders should be encouraged as to prevent the degradation of these wetlands in order to uphold our biodiversity.

Be the Solution, not the Problem- Conserve and Protect

Threats to Biodiversity in Trinidad & Tobago

With population growth increasing in Trinidad and Tobago, there is a demand for food, shelter and infrastructure. These social issues regarding the increase in population density is considered to be the ultimate threat to biodiversity of the twin island (CBD 2009). High population density is renowned as a secondary driver to biodiversity as an increase in demand for natural resources such a food and fuel play a main role of biological diversity deterioration (CBD 2009). Over-exploitation of resources and habitat loss and fragmentation contributes to the great risk of extinction in animals and plants. This is especially in areas where individuals are greatly dependant on them as a means of support.

For example, the piping-guan, Pipile pipile that is endemic to Trinidad has become critically endangered to due hunting and forest degradation (EMA n.d). This endemic bird endures limited disturbances in order to persist. However, due to a high demand for housing, agricultural lands and trail development in Trinidad, disturbances to its habitat have caused the population to decline so rapidly that in 2001 the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) declared that the population now consists of 77 to 200 individuals (EMA n.d).

Squatting is also another factor of increased population density that threatens the biodiversity of Trinidad and Tobago. The challenges of unemployment, housing and poverty have led to illegal squatting in private and state lands around the twin island. These illegal settlements are often unregulated and ignored. These practices cause a great amount of habitat loss and fragmentation. It was projected that 250,000 individuals in Trinidad and Tobago have been squatting along the coasts as well as along the old train lines (ODPM 2014).

An increase in population density increases urbanization in a country. Thus, rich ecological habitats are continuously disappearing in Trinidad and Tobago. Mangroves are effective and protect against erosion perpetrated by waves and also provide a habitat for a wide range of plants and animals (e.g. Caroni Swamp) (FAO 2005). In the 1970’s at the mouth of Maraval and Diego Martin, mangroves were reclaimed for housing, highways and port facilities. In another example, between the periods of 1922-1985, 494ha were lost from the Caroni Swamp due to the development of roadways (FAO 2005). Additionally, with respect to Tobago, the Buccoo Reef is also being threatened because of tourist activities such as snorkelling. This can affect the habitats of marine life thus, affecting biodiversity and disrupting the marine food chain for some.

Trinidad and Tobago faces several impediments in resolving these threats. One such impediment is ineffective laws and legislation. Trinidad and Tobago has over 50 laws, plans and policies which directly and indirectly address biodiversity, however, many of these are disregarded (The Cropper foundation 2010). Various environmental legislations in Trinidad and Tobago was passed in 2001, thus being outdated and others not being implemented, indicating there is little to no progress to enhance law enforcement. For example, both the National Environmental Policy (1998) and a National Wetland Policy (2001) were developed over 15 years ago, making it no surprise that the country's biodiversity is continuously under threat from the increase in population density leading to the actions of humans (GORTT 2011).

In order to assist in participatory mechanisms to increase biodiversity throughout the twin island, the capacity of various stakeholders need to be built. There is a lack of training in personnel within the field area. For example, several individuals lack technical skills as well as practices and management skills (GORTT 2011). Additionally, there is a lack of balance between the environment and cultural practices in Trinidad.

Another challenge Trinidad and Tobago is faced with is the lack of monitoring and evaluation to aid in the increase of biodiversity. Several of Trinidad and Tobago's policies include proper monitoring of protected areas and on the environment as a whole. However, forested areas are continuously being degraded for squatting as well as slash and burn activities continue to rise due to the need of agricultural lands (GORTT 2011). These unsustainable practices lead to the loss and fragmentation of natural ecosystems.

Management among multiple agencies and the government poses complication to the overall management of safeguarding the biodiversity in the country. In some instances, there is a lack of management with respect to the environment and tradition/culture (GORTT 2011). With the increase in population density in Trinidad and Tobago, means there is also an increase in religious beliefs.  For example, the Marianne River in Blanchisseuse provides a site for Hindu worshippers for certain festivals (EMA n.d).  The water quality of this river is affected and needs to be managed to prevent social issues.

As biodiversity continues to dwindle at a faster rate than natural influential by human activities, there is concern of various species to become extinct, thus threatening the human population since we are dependent on its goods and services. Biodiversity entails all parts of plant and animal life and provides us with natural resources for the use of survival. For example, animal matter which has been decayed over centuries has provided us with fossil fuels, which are a major part of human life since it is needed to power vehicles for transportation (Ibish and Bertzky 2006). Even the rise of some medicines, the use of plants is needed to manufacture these. If it is that all biodiversity is lost we (that is, if we still exist) would become homogenous and thus have identical vulnerabilities (Ibish and Bertzky 2006). Therefore, an epidemic can kill the entire human population at once since we would have no biological differences which would help us to adapt and survive (Ibish and Bertzky 2006).

If actions are not taken to conserve and preserve existing biodiversity, extinction can occur at a very rapid rate. Proper management, monitoring, education awareness, evaluation and effective legislation needs to put in place in order to save what is left on earth.

References:

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). 2009. “National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.” Accessed January 29, 2016. https://www.cbd.int/kb/record/nbsap/19488?RecordType=nbsap&FreeText=trinidad%20and%20tobago.

Environmental Management Authority. n.d. “Environmentally Sensitive Species: Pawi Trinidad Piping-guan (Pipile pipile) Trinidad and Tobago.” Accessed January 29, 2016. http://www.ema.co.tt/new/images/pdf/pawi.pdf.

Environmental Management Authority. n.d. January 30, 2016. http://www.thecropperfoundation.org/pubs/NRAssessRep/NRA_chp6.2.3thru6.3.2.5.pdf

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2005. “Thematic Study on Mangroves.” Accessed January 30, 2016. http://www.fao.org/forestry/9411-07da9602b1de14060617ee3abf5de0591.pdf

Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (GORTT). 2011. “National Protected Areas Policy.” Accessed January 30, 2016. http://www.ema.co.tt/new/images/policies/protected_areas.pdf

Ibish, P and M. Bertzky. 2006. “Halting Biodiversity Loss: Fundamentals and Trends of Conservation Science and Action.” Accessed January 31, 2016. http://www.bsi.org/bsi_info/conservation/Halting_Biodiversity_Loss.pdf

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM). 2014. “Preliminary Vulnerability Assessment

of Trinidad & Tobago.” January 30, 2016. http://www.odpm.gov.tt/sites/default/files/Preliminary%20Vulnerability%20Assessment%20of%20Trinidad%20and%20Tobago%20Rmaharaj%202014.pdf

The Cropper Foundation. 2010. “Fourth National Report of Trinidad And Tobago to The Convention on Biological Diversity.” Accessed January 30, 2016. http://www.biodiversity.gov.tt/pdf/4th_National_report_CBD_2010_changes_inc.pdf.

Don’t just see yourself as 1 but as 7 billion!

As World Environment Day is being celebrated today, I would like to state “Don’t just see yourself as 1 but as 7 billion.” Our daily activities have a major impact in our environment today. Before you buy a car for personal interest when owning one already, think! Imagine if 7 billion others think just like you and buy another car for personal interest. Before you throw one piece of paper on the floor, imagine 7 billion persons doing the same, before you degrade our forests for housing developments; imagine 7 billion others doing the same. Where will that leave us by 2030-2050? What will become of our future generations? It begins with US! NOW! Our unsustainable use of our natural resources and increase in carbon footprint is affecting us seriously by increasing global warming. Instead of thinking about yourself, think about others, think about your future generation. We will like for them to enjoy life as we did. In order to do this, try conserving, preserving and using resources in a sustainable manner. Before you think about your WANTS focus on your NEEDS. One positive act towards the environment per person will lead a long way. Try planting a tree, carpooling, reduce the waste of food- the poor will be thankful (we waste 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year), unplug cables from circuits when not in use. Don’t just see yourself as 1 but as 7 billion! – IT STARTS WITH US! 

Remember Pakaskas? Have a look- www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vCNoPKl2rw we may end up like this one day.

Threats Affecting Hawksbills (E. imbricata)

The hawksbill turtle (E. imbricata) is one of the many marine turtles which are being threatened today.  During the 20th century, the species nesting population has dramatically been reduced (84%- 87% decline) over the last ten years due to various threats imposing on the species, therefore being listed as critically endangered throughout its range.

Some threats include:

Trade and direct take of products

This is one of the most severe threats affecting E. imbricata. Capture of this species is done intentionally for the consumption of its meat or selling of its shell. It is renowned that several fishermen strategically catch hawksbills with nets and harpoons. An additional commercial good extracted from the hawksbill is the utilization of its egg which has become an extreme commercial item that is used in trade for funds or other commodities.

Incidental catch

Some hawksbills are caught in longlines which can have a major negative impact on some populations of the hawksbill with very few members such as causing an entire population to diminish and this in turn can affect the marine food web. Fishermen capture hawksbills incidentally by the use of traps, gillnets and trawls and specimens between 3-20 kg are accidentally caught in fishing traps whereas larger species members are more frequently trapped in gillnets.

Pollution

Debris and logs are transported and deposited on the shorelines of beaches which cause large barriers to nesting. Debris can cause ingestion risk and entanglement to hawksbills and also reduce their ability to grow, feed and survive. Also, chemicals such as copper and mercury from homes, cruise lines, factories, vehicles and farms are discarded in various water paths and end up in the oceans. These excess nutrients can cause harmful algal blooms and can damage their health by causing hormonal imbalances.

 Coastal development

Construction of structures (hotel sites or houses) alter the morphology of the coastal zone which encourages increase of human presence, noise level, sand mining, erosion and lighting. Hatchling survival is reduced, deterrence of nesting occurs and even eggs shed at sea when the quality of nesting beaches are compromised. Artificial lighting interferes with the nesting behaviours of adult female hawksbills. The artificial lighting confuses the hatchlings by moving in the direction of the brightest area as they find their way from nest to sea.

While individual populations worldwide prolong to disappear because of the present establishment of exploitation, degradation of habitat and additional threats towards hawksbills can cause the species to go extinct in the foreseeable future. Relevant activities such as enforcement of law and proper management need to be universally initiated if populations of E. imbricata.

References:

IAC Secretariat. 2010. Report of the “Regional Workshop on the Hawksbill turtle in the Wider    Caribbean and             Western Atlantic.” Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México. 23-25   September 2009. IAC, CITES, SPAW, CONANP, SEMARNAT, WWF. 56 pp.       Accessed         March 15 2015.             http://www.iacseaturtle.org/engdocs/publicaciones/Hawksbill_Report_Final_ENG.pdf

IUCN. 2014. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed March 17 2015.             http://www.iucnredlist.org/static/categories_criteria_3_1

National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1993. "Recovery Plan for   Hawksbill             Turtles in the U.S. Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico."    National Marine Fisheries             Service, St. Petersburg, Florida. Accessed March 18 2015.             http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/recovery/turtle_hawksbill_atlantic.pdf

Salafsky, Nick, Daniel Salzer, Alison J. Stattersfield, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Rachel Neugarten, Stuart         H. M.             Butchart, Ben Collen, Neil Cox, Lawrence L. Master, Sheila O’connor, and David            Wilkie. 2008. " A             Standard Lexicon for Biodiversity Conservation: Unified    Classifications of Threats and Actions."             Conservation Biology DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-  1739.2008.00937.x

Practicing "Sustainability"

Our concerns about the environment are countered by our need for economic development which entails the use of energy to increase production to generate income to sustain society.  Our cleanest sources of energy are solar energy from the sun and wind to propel windmills and lastly the power of flowing water to turn water wheels also, in all cases generate electricity. And here in lies the predicament. How do those who generate wealth from our usual source of energy generation prevent people from using sun, wind and water to create their own electricity? Simply, by the price of obtaining the technology.  In oil and gas industry, prices are falling to maintain a competitive advantage to secure their sources of income, not only for personal profit but to sustain production and utilities to citizens in their charge.  Technological research should be geared towards counteracting the effects of carbon footprints by creating systems to utilise the carbons we produce. Carbon is a basic element in all facets of evolution. We are a carbon based evolution in all life forums and the foods we require for survival. Without carbon we cannot survive. Where are the creative minds we need to recycle carbons we produce?  Global warming and its opposite, ice age are all part of the history of evolution. Man, even before advent of technology adapted to suite. Over 300,000 years of ice sits on our polar caps. The caps are melting. Why aren't we harvesting our ice for future use? An Arab state, which I can’t recall, towed icebergs into the Middle -East to make use of fresh water. Global warming will adversely affect temperate regions more so, than tropical regions. But the crux of this issue lies in the fact that developed countries have trampled the environment with carbon footprints now, being aware of their abuse, want to blame developing countries for adapting their methods for economic development and success. Like an European warned, they will be flooding the tropics to survive and we in the tropics would once again be subjected to their exploitive missions. Be warned.

No Bees- Decline in our Ecosystem

For the past few years in Trinidad we've all heard about deaths caused by bees which brought us to think of them as a danger to our livelihood. But does that give us the right to judge our ecosystem and put practices (bee-killing pesticides) in place to decline the bee population? Ask yourself this question: What if there were no bees?

In Trinidad, bees are of major importance to us in 2 main categories: 1) Pollination and 2) Our local produce-Honey. Without pollinators such as bees, many food produce will decline and die off such as: cabbage, broccoli, watermelon, carrots, paw paw, pigeon peas etc. which sustain our human diet. Also with this decline, will lead in a drop of animal produce as well since most depend on plant material as a food source.

Another major factor is the production of honey. It was stated that local honey production exceeded $7 million in sales before the decline. The production of wax from beeswax has also contributed to our economy by the construction of candles, hair food and creams locally made.  Since 2005 there has been a decline in beekeepers going from 720 to 350 which is leading to a devastating impact in our country.

Despite we are in the trials of educating the public on bees, a ban on bee-harming pesticides and the promotion of ecological farming should be 2 other practices in place.

With this, I leave you with a quote: Einstein once said- “If the bee disappeared of the surface of the globe then man would have only four years of life left.”  

Patents Go Green

            There are numerous possibilities which are enabling today’s population to mitigate the impact of human activity on the environment. One of the main possibilities lies with technology. This resolution involves research into technical methods to help safeguard the environment without the disturbance of human activity. In other words, “clean” or “green” inventions are being created to conserve and protect the destruction being imposed to the environment, so that we would not have to radically change our lifestyles.

Over the last few years, the relationship between environmental sustainability and intellectual property has frequently captured the headlines. Patents are the most significant vehicle to foster technological revolution.

Technology in the 21^st century is becoming more and more innovative with respect to ideas and the expressed creations of the mind. New inventions are being thought about and made to help mitigate or reverse the effects of human activity on the environment.  The fact remains that inventions and patents are the key to the green revolution, for only technological innovations will allow us to contain the effects of human activity on the environment.

            For example, several brands of cars are now “Going Green” in order to enhance sustainable development. According to the CleanTech focused website, “CleanTechnica,” Toyota is moving and shaking in clean energy patents and leading green technology patents for the third consecutive quarter according to reports. Toyota’s patents were first and foremost in the fuel cell technology. This will have strong benefits over conventional combustion based technologies, in that, the product is water vapour instead of greenhouse gases and air pollution which create smog and cause health problems.

            On the other side of things, Nokia is a mobile company which is trying to move in a more sustainable way. The company has filed a patent application in which the phone will charge up based on the movement of the user. Based on the article “Piezoelectric Kinetic Energy Harvester,” reports are wondering if this could be the start of the next generation of renewable energy cell phones. This will be a major advantage and opportunity for persons in developing countries with restricted electricity access. Imagine a person going about their everyday activities and the device is charging itself. A patent like this is major news!

            With this being said, these two corporations, Toyota and Nokia are examples of industries utilizing more ecological technologies. Imagine the possibilities that still exist for not only industries, but us as individuals to create a more eco-friendly environment.