Mangrove Swamps such as Graeme Hall add both functional and aesthetic value to a country and need to be preserved.
Your role in preserving the environment
11/25/2008
By Kathy-Ann Fletcher
DRAMATIC changes in the ecology has made the environment a pressing issue within the past 12 months. Record melting of the polar ice caps has put the polar bears and other animals such as penguins and seals that reside at the Poles in peril. Additionally, island nations have been threatened by rising ocean levels with states such as the Maldives witnessing the disappearance of portions of their islands.
We here need to be careful as well. Experts put islanders at the greatest risk. We are realising that not only animal species and habitats are being threatened, but ours as well. One may surmise that with every animal that becomes extinct or every habitat obliterated, we move closer to the demise of our own species.
One observation is that Barbados was reported at one point as never having temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius because of the north-east tradewinds, but for the past few years temperatures have been rising to 32 degrees. These could be attributed to the decrease in trees here that do a good job of providing shade and ventilation for our country. Also the recent floods we’ve seen have been argued by some to be a result of poor environmental management.
Nevertheless, at this stage it does not matter whose fault or whose actions caused “climate change”. What matters is what we will do to address these changes.
Is there anything that we can do about this issue? Pundits are proposing ways not necessarily to reverse the effects, but to slow them down or neutralise them. Many are calling on governments to force its citizens and industries to live “greener”. But how can we each live “greener” and is it worth it?
Saving our planet for our descendants is worth the effort. First, preserving our environment will add to the quality of our life, in terms of the healthiness of the foods we eat and also of the air that we breathe and some environmental tactics can act as money savers as well. So whether we adopt these ideas as individuals, communities or as a country we all have an important role in preserving the environment.
The individual
The use of local products where possible and eating local produce is one way to reduce the amount of carbon emissions associated with bringing in products from overseas. Apart from the reduction of carbon emissions, this will also boost local manufacturing and agriculture.
Don’t forget to bring your own cloth bags to the supermarkets and stores. This reduces the amount of non-biodegradable waste that ends up in the landfill. Try to lessen the use of plastic cups and disposable products. Use reusable containers instead of foil to keep food and use cloth towels instead of paper napkins around the house.
We have all heard of conserving electricity and water. Doing things like switching to compact fluorescent bulbs and energy efficient electric products go along way in preserving our environment. Turn lights and appliances off when you are not using them and even unplug certain appliances because even turned off, once plugged in they continue to require electricity. We can all take more efficient, shorter showers and use the water in our house wisely.
Planting trees and vegetation in our property can also bring shade and ventilation together with beauty to an area. Leave grass clippings on the lawn as this acts as a good fertiliser when it breaks down and stops them from ending up in plastic bags in the landfill. Additionally, refraining from littering is one way to protect the oceans as litter gets washed into the ocean and kills fish and corals.
The community
There are some great ways to build community spirit and develop a culture of preservation in your neighbourhoods.
The creation or development of community parks, community walks to areas in your vicinity and even to places such as Cherry Tree Hill or Welchman Hall Gully can inspire us to appreciate that Barbados has areas that need to be preserved.
Community clean up drives to rid our surroundings of brush and litter that can harbour rats and prove not only unseemly but unhealthy are also great ways to bring life and vitality into a community.
The country
There are some things that we can do as individuals or communities to preserve our environment, other things need to be done as a country either through collaborative efforts or as a result of government policy.
An immediate step that can be taken as a country could be to combine efforts in the acquisition and preservation of key ecological sites, such as the Graeme Hall Swamp. We could also improve drainage systems not only in that swamp but the rest of the country.
Other steps that can be done is to increase the fuel efficiency of our cars, review our dumping policy in terms of dealing with waste. Our government may consider developing infrastructure that would make it easier for individuals and communities to recycle, which saves resources and cuts energy use, conserves water and reduces pollution and waste in the landfill.
We need to adjust our lifestyles now to ensure that we have a habitat in the future.
