Living green in a small island community

‘Biodiversity is life – Biodiversity is our life.’ This is the song that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is singing as it seeks to focus our attention on the part we play in the web of life on our planet, earth.  The IUCN has declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity in an effort to wake us up to the realization that we are losing biodiversity on the planet at a much faster rate than we can conserve it. Some of the main goals of the organization’s efforts are to enhance public awareness of the importance of conserving biodiversity, raising awareness of accomplishments to save biodiversity realized by communities and governments, and encourage all parties, individuals, organizations and governments to halt biodiversity loss.

Humans are part of nature’s rich biodiversity and have the power to protect it or destroy it. We rely on the diversity of life to provide us with food, fuel, medicine and other essentials. But this rich diversity is rapidly declining and it is estimated that we lose 150 to 200 species every 24 hours.

Biodiversity refers to the variety and complexity of life on earth. Every living thing, plant, animal and microorganisms are part of this biodiversity, which has been built up over billions of years.

Island communities are very rich reservoirs of biodiversity, which are not only unique, but are also very fragile and are home to some of the Earth’s most exclusive life forms and ecosystems.

Here in the Virgin Islands, our islands ecosytems are constantly under threat from rapid economic growth and the struggle to balance the preservation of our unique environment and provide employment, facilities and attractions for our visitors. Other threats include climate change and natural disasters.

The Caribbean Islands are considered one of the global biodiversity hotspots, and many of the unique habitats and species found here are already under threat of extinction. The Virgin Islands contributes significantly to this biodiversity with over 160 species of birds, 7 species of sea turtles, 34 species of reptiles including the rare and critically endangered Anegada Rock Iguana and over 500 plant species.

Our predominantly Caribbean dry forested areas such as Sage Mountain and Gorda Peak National Parks, Mt Alma on Beef Island, the salt ponds and sand dunes on Anegada are reservoirs for many of these plants.

Living green means living in a way that keeps the environment in harmony with our lives and the lives of those who will be here long after we have departed this life. It means caring, protecting and preserving our ecosytems, and the plant and animal life therein. Whereas our forefathers did a reasonably good job in their time, we in our time have not always been mindful of our responsibility to a green environment. Our craving for more leisurely demands have caused us to turn a blind eye to the environmental cost of our comforts. Failure to take our responsibility to environmental preservation can have disastrous consequences in a small island.

There are some habits we should cultivate and actions we should practice so that we do our part to make our community greener and conserve our biodiversity. And since we depend to such a great extent on tourism, we should be concerned with our environment for two reasons. Firstly, it is the greenness of our environment that is attractive to the tourists. If the environment loses its greenness, then tourists will choose other destinations. Secondly, if we are not concerned about our environment we cannot expect the tourists to be more concerned about it. So the message is for everyone, residents and visitors alike.

Here are some simple things that can be done to assist in conserving biodiversity not only here but also elsewhere in the world.

Reduce electricity consumption.

Electricity comes at a high price. Not only is it expensive in terms of cash to the consumer, but its production requires burning fuel. This is bad for the atmosphere and puts pressure on our plants and animals. Furthermore the production of the fuel uses up a finite resource and also pollutes the atmosphere at the point of production and refining. By reducing electricity consumption we not only help ourselves financially, but assist in reducing demand for electricity.

Turn off lights when not required, and reduce high consumption use. The Electricity Corporation gives helpful advice on consumption reduction.

Reduce the use of plastics.

Use biodegradable and recycled materials. Plastics do not degrade naturally. Disposal of plastics is an international problem. They remain in landfills for eternity, or when burned they produce noxious gases into our atmosphere. Our oceans and seas are filled with plastic bottles, plates, cups and sheets. These items kill our marine life.

Reduce water consumption.

Water also comes at a high price, as most of our domestic water is won by desalination. Furthermore, domestic water waste adds to our drainage problems. Some of this water could be productively utilized if stored in catchments and released slowly. At home, we can reduce our water consumption and also use our drainage water as grey water to irrigate the home garden. Turn off the tap when applying soap while bathing, and when cleaning your teeth use water only to rinse.

Here in the Virgin Islands, the National Parks Trust is playing its part by adopting the IUCN’s International Year of Biodiversity 2010 for its Arbour Day celebrations this year. The local theme is ‘Lets Celebrate Biodiversity in the Virgin Islands’, which was highlighted at an Arbour Day Ceremony and an exhibition of the parks of the Virgin Islands at the St. George’s Primary School on November 19th 2010. The exhibition continues at the East Atrium, Central Administration Complex from Tuesday 29th November to Friday 3rdDecember, 2010.

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