The aim of this non commercial website is
to raise awareness about the destruction that we - the human race - are
inflicting upon the earth and it's biosphere, that which sustains us -
providing us with the air we breath, the water we drink and the food we
eat. Unless we change our ways, respect nature and each other, the
future for our descendants will be a bleak one.
We have become both dominant and populous and must now accept our
responsibility as "custodians" of our planet's rich diversity of life.
Dominica is a small island nation in the East Caribbean - just a tiny
microcosm of the big picture, though with a roll to play in adopting and
pioneering sustainable and environmentally friendly methods of farming
and development. In so doing, we in Dominica hope to set an example for other nations to observe and follow. We now often feel the extreme effects of
climatic changes affecting global weather patterns.
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This current crisis is not the result of any natural phenomenon, but caused by nothing less than the IMPACT OF MANKIND. We have inhabited our planet for an estimated 3 to 4 million years as bipedal beings, gradually improving our abilities to adapt, improvise and to succeed as a species, even in the most remote and extreme conditions. Yet it is only in the past few hundred years that our impact has begun to inflict serious damage to our planet of a permanent and irreversible nature. The extent of this damage is accelerating at an alarming rate! We have, in fact, become too successful, expanding our numbers to populate every land mass available, driven by our unique curiosity, our ability to explore and to learn, to co-operate, to extract and exploit our natural resources and to invent. Almost inevitably we have arrived at a worldwide consumer society driven by ownership, cash, lending and spending, where success is measured in material terms and where true power is administered not by elected governments, but by the super wealthy.
A handful of informed scientists and environmentalists work tirelessly to set alarm bells ringing - to bring the crisis we are facing to our attention so that we might appreciate its significance and attempt to do something about it. Both individually and collectively, nationally and internationally, urgent measures are needed to restrict or reverse the rapid impoverishment of our planet. Governments, however, are barely listening and measures so far adopted or being considered are "too little and too late". There are many reasons for this attitude of denial, but two major stumbling blocks appear to be:
1. Those who own and control the big super rich corporations, who's primary goals are profit and growth, have succeeded through a process of political interference to dodge regulation and accountability. They should really be made to revisit and repair environments they have already trashed.
2. Complacency. This is an era of plenty, where almost everyone in the western world is incredibly well off by comparison with previous generations. Most live in a comfortable home with climate control, modern appliances, at least one television set, dvd player, music centre, personal computer etc., more toys than the kids will ever play with and motor vehicles outside. We walk around with our digital watches, mobile phones, ipads, camcorders and a set of credit cards in our wallets. All our food requirements are met by the local supermarket down the road. Our favourite pastime has become shopping. We spend several hours a day in front of the television set and with so many channels to chose from, its primary function is to keep us perpetually entertained and a vehicle to advertise. Mass media news has become more and more biassed and misleading, whilst audiences for documentaries are sadly dwindling. Even when informed of some major atrocity, abuse of our democratic rights or restrictions on our civil liberties, the general reaction mustered is often no greater than "Oh how awful! Let's have another cup of tea".
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When measured in
global terms, Dominica's presence and impact is
minuscule. It is a small, comparatively young volcanic island in the
Eastern Caribbean with a land mass of less than 300 square miles and a
population of around 70,000. Due to its rugged terrain, not conducive
to development, Dominica has remained relatively unspoilt, much of the
landscape still cloaked
in primordial rainforests veined with rivers. There has, of course,
been some development but this has been fairly limited when
compared to that which has completely transformed our
neighbouring islands, in many ways to their detriment. Dominica is
known as the "Nature Island of the Caribbean". Dominicans, both at home
and abroad, are fiercely proud of their beautiful nature island, boast
about it and wish to keep it that way. It's many mountains, some
approaching 5,000ft. in height, generate much rainfall, hence the lush
green vegetation which dominates the landscape. Fresh, unpolluted air
off the Atlantic, fertile soil, a tropical climate, an
abundance of natural healthy locally grown food plus an
active outdoor lifestyle, have all contributed to Dominica being home
to
more
centenarians per head of population than any other country in the
world. |
On this website, we take a look at the earth's place in the solar system, our galaxy and the universe, we are introduced to Dominica as an economy reliant on tourism and farming and we examine the modern day forces that are having such negative effects on our global environment. As the site is developed further, we will also examine the mechanics of how the planet works, the conditions for life on earth - how they came about and how they are now being compromised to the future disadvantage of our successors. We have to fully understand the problem (and make sure our leaders do also) before we can formulate and implement global solutions that will work. We will also be taking a look at how tiny Dominica can play a roll in demonstrating how to live a relatively modern lifestyle yet in harmony with nature. Organic farming is still in its infancy but gaining momentum. Already almost half our electricity supply comes from hydro - but we can do better. Geothermal is being explored, wind and solar can also contribute.
100% renewable energy for our national grid should be goal number 1.
Phasing out agro chemicals and transforming the island to a totally organic farming nation should be goal number 2.
Strict planning control is also essential to ensure the development that takes place is handled sensitively and sympathetically to our natural surroundings, thus in keeping with our Nature Isle concept.
Implemented sensibly these changes could prove financially advantageous, reducing our expense and dependence on polluting fossil fuels, on fluctuating oil prices on the world market and our reliance on health threatening and environmentally destructive imported agro chemicals. Then 'agro tourism' and 'energy tourism' could become bywords - ways for Dominica to demonstrate its benefit from these positive adaptations. Our pristine forests become more valuable with each passing day, as elsewhere the rainforests of the tropics are being cut down at a disturbing rate. An area of rainforest the size of Scotland is currently being destroyed each year, along with the fragile and complex network of life it supports. That is not sustainable!
April 2014 update
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) was founded in
1988 by the the United Nations Environmental Program and the World Meteorological Organization to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the
current state of knowledge on climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.  Its data is collated by
thousands of scientists from 195 member countries. It has just released
its 5th comprehensive report, affirming that global warming IS happening
and that it IS man made. The continuing effects are melting glaciers,
warming and acidification of the oceans, dying coral reefs, rising sea
levels, effects on the pattern and flow of ocean currents and weather
systems, an increase
in the frequency and magnitude of weather related natural disasters, an
increase in both flooding and desertification, atmospheric pollution and
an almost 50% increase in the carbon content since the beginning of the
industrial revolution. Since 1850 each decade has been warmer than the
one before. Read more...
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| 2020 update
As we enter the 3rd decade of the 21st century the lungs of the earth
(our precious forests) are going up in smoke. From California to the
tropical Amazonian rain forests to Australia, our oxygen machine and
the diversity of life it supports is being destroyed and replaced by
more greenhouse gas. Fracking, a futile industry that costs more to
implement than it can recover in sales, not only leaves in its wake a
trail of contamination, but contributes significantly to global warming
by the accidental release into the atmosphere of
methane, a greenhouse gas multiple times more potent than Co2. Extreme
weather events are becoming more frequent and greater in magnitude. In
tiny Dominica alone we have endured two major climate catastrophes in
just the last 5 years - in 2015 Tropical Storm Erika dumped 15 inches
of rain in only 12 hours, washing away homes, cars and bridges that
dissected the island for many months, then in 2017 category 5+
Hurricane Maria repeated the process accompanied by high winds that
ripped off roofs, littering the landscape with debris. Whilst the
leaders of the largest polluting countries remain oblivious, I believe the domino effect has already begun and we are now facing an uncertain future as climate apocalypse looms ahead. With global commitment there is sill the chance of some limited mitigation. Even though we are making considerable progress globally with regard to the utilization of wind and solar to generate power and the transformation of vehicles away from use of the internal combustion engine, the amount of fossil fuel being burnt each year is still on the increase. A huge factor here is the continued policy of western governments to keep on subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, using taxpayer dollars to do so, without our consent. In a democracy, governments are elected to represent the will of the people and in this respect they are failing in their duty. So it is up to each and every one of us to lobby and pressure our political representatives relentlessly until a total ban on fossil fuel subsidies is achieved. This is a vital first step. Though climate change is at last becoming a more common topic of conversation, climate is not the only factor threatening our continued survival on this planet. The earth owes its success story to diversity but we, the human race, are willfully reducing that at an accelerating rate. What forests are not being accidentally destroyed by fire we are removing, to be replaced by cattle ranches and moncrops. Widespread use of chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers are causing illness, degrading the soil and wiping out wildlife, bees and other insects that pollinate our crops, whilst the run-off is adversely impacting our rivers and oceans which are already suffering the effects of commercial trawling that destroys life on the ocean floor. Oil industry accidents and waste disposal also contribute, and so the list continues. This, all before we even consider the risk of pandemics which, through ease of transport, could reach all corners of the globe, and a military industry that is constantly generating war for profit. Dare we mention the risk of nuclear conflict, which could destroy much, if not all, of humanity. Enough doom and gloom - humanity owes its success to our inclination to co-operate. That is what we must all do globally now to give our offspring the chance of a decent life ahead. If we nurture the earth, it will nurture us. |
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An introduction to
our tiny island paradise |
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The Earth - it's
place in our Solar System, the Milky Way and the
Universe |
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The banana sector in
Dominica has suffered as a result of the farm barons of North America
exploiting cheap labour and undervalued currencies of the Latino
countries of South and Central America |
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Global warming is
accelerating. Scientific data and
studies link it to man made emissions of CO2 and methane, which provide an atmospheric blanket which entraps heat.
Do we, collectively, have the common
sense, determination and ability to reverse it in
time to give our descendants a
fair chance of survival? |
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A
rich elite uses
corporate expansion as it's vehicle of conquest for global domination,
displaying disrespect for humanity and our fragile environment |
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A lot has changed in
the aftermath of 9/11 - the generation of "Terror" paranoia prepared us
for illegal invasions and the dismantling of personal freedoms and civil
liberties |
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Water laced with sand, poisons and toxins is injected into the earth's crust to release methane. This almost unregulated industry employs 'here today, gone tomorrow' cowboy contractors. Not only has fracking left in its wake a trail of death, illness and environmental devastation, methane (much of which escapes) is a greenhouse gas at least 30 times more potent than CO2 thus contributing significantly to Global Warming. | |
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In 2000 George W Bush
inherited a $6 trillion budget surplus. Due largely to the launching of
two illegal and expensive wars in the Middle East he left office with a
$9 trillion deficit, exascerbated by the 'heist of the century', in
which a delinquent banking industry was rewarded with a $7 trillion
payout of taxpayers money in reward for their misdeeds. The $16
trillion debt ceiling is now regularly being revised upwards. |
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A poem about the
beauty and joy of life on the Nature Isle and how we have coped with
the external problems of man made climate change, a pandemic and
competing world powers. |
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A page for reciprocal banners and links to relevant and appropriate web sites to improve exposure and visibility |