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ENVIRONMENT

1/24/2021 0 Comments

WHY ARE CORAL REEFS IMPORTANT?

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Coral reefs are the most productive shallow water ecosystems in the world. an ecosystem is a community of living organisms, their habitat, their interactions with each other and their physical environment, and the flow of energy and matter through the system. even though coral reefs cover less than 0.5% of the sea floor, they contain roughly 25% of the ocean’s species and 33% of the world’s fish species.
Coral reefs:
  • protect coastal areas by reducing storm damage, coastal erosion and flooding
  • are a habitat for fish and shell fish, which are important sources of protein for humans
  • provide shelter and food for many species of marine life and birds
  • provide jobs through fishing and tourism
  • are a source of drugs for cancer, aids, arthritis, asthma and many other illnesses
  • offer us an extraordinary underwater world to study and enjoy

What are we doing to coral reefs?
  • We pollute them with sewage, oil spills, fertilizers and pesticides
  • We overfish grazers like parrot fish, allowing algae to grow over the reefs
  • We destroy them with dynamite and other harmful fishing practices
  • We smother them with silt from deforestation and development
  • We drop anchors and ground boats on them
  • We step on them, break them and take them for jewelry and curios

What can we do? Remember, what you do or don’t do makes a difference to the survival of coral reef ecosystems.

​Fishermen and Boat Handlers
  • do not anchor on coral. always check that the anchor is properly set in sand and that the chain rope is unlikely to snag coral
  • do not fish using dynamite, poison or fish nets with small mesh sizes
  • do obey closed seasons and protected area rules

Divers and Snorkelers
  • when diving or snorkeling, look but do not touch. do not grasp, stand or sit on living coral
  • do avoid stirring up sediment
  • do take all trash back to land for disposal. a plastic bottle takes about 450 years to biodegrade!

Coastal home owners
  • do keep construction well back from the high water mark
  • do encourage the growth of indigenous vegetation above the beach to prevent erosion
  • do reduce/eliminate pesticide and fertilizer use
  • do conduct coastal clean-ups
  • do not remove mangroves and sea grass beds
  • do use phosphate-free detergents
  • do treat sewage properly

All concerned individuals
  • do remember that what we do on land always ends up in the sea. reduce/eliminate the use of pesticides and excessive amounts of fertilizers
  • do recycle as much as possible and always dispose of garbage properly
  • do avoid the temptation to buy coral jewelry and other products made from marine life
  • do tell your Member of Parliament (MP) to ensure we do everything possible to protect our reefs

An excerpt from Earth Facts
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7/31/2020 0 Comments

Heat in the place

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Climate Change & What We Can Do About It


Climate change is a phenomenon that affects the entire planet. Climate is not the short-term weather condition of a place but rather the long-term weather conditions averaged over a period of 30 years or more. Major precipitation and temperature changes that last for many decades contribute to climate change. Any significant variation in measures of climate extending over long periods of time is referred to as climate change.  

Human activities such as deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels (eg, coal, oil) have led to the climate change that is imminent. These activities have ushered in a new era of climate change characterised by global warming and sea level rise. Worldwide changes in average climatic conditions are not simply affecting distant places and wild species, such as the drowning of polar bears due to melting of the Arctic ice shelf. Climate change is already affecting us in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

How Does Climate Change Affect Us? The effects of climate change include:
  • temperature increases; as cooler nighttime temperatures evanesce, both days and nights are now hot in the Caribbean
  • changes in rainfall and river volumes; in Jamaica the intensity and frequency of rainfall is changing more flooding and droughts; the Caribbean is presently experiencing more extremes in weather patterns

What Can We Do? Here are a few things that we can do in Jamaica to help reduce climate change:
  • reduce population growth rates
  • reuse, recycle and reduce garbage output
  • drive fuel-efficient vehicles
  • sequester carbon dioxide by planting trees
  • expand solar and wind technology training to all levels of the renewable energy sector in order to create jobs
  • increase the use of solar energy
  • cut fossil fuel use
  • minimise urban sprawl
  • tax each unit of fossil fuel  consumed and use 1/3 of the revenue from this tax to engage the services of farmers to plant native trees

​In order to reduce the effects of climate change we need to act now, to prevent future regrets. We can each play a role at the individual, community or national level. Some of these efforts will require lifestyle or political changes. However, these changes will result in long-term financial savings, business profitability, job creation, protection of biodiversity and a healthier human populace.

 - - - Chandra Degia, PhD, is an Environmental Consultant

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7/13/2020 0 Comments

Sticking to our Goals: The SDGs Show Jamaica the Way Forward

What is an SDG?

It sounds a little like a food additive, doesn’t it! Seriously, though, this acronym stands for Sustainable Development Goals – global targets set by the United Nations (UN), which all member countries signed onto in 2015 at the UN General Assembly. There are 17 of them, and they are all connected, so that doing well (or not so well) in one will affect another. The SDG vision is to “Leave No One Behind,” aiming to bring our most vulnerable citizens up first, before working on the large goals.

​First, what does “sustainable” mean? We need to break it down. In essence, sustainability is something that will last; that can be renewed; that can be handed down for future generations. Most importantly, sustainability means something that will not be used up. There is always something saved for generations to come. We must nurture what we already have, and build resilience going forward. We must find the right balance between our lives and families, our work and aspirations, and caring for the environment. It’s a tough one, but we must find a way.

The United Nations Development Programme office in Jamaica keeps an eye on our progress with the SDGs, and provides updates (as it does with countries around the world). So, how is our island doing? As we explore each SDG in future issues (starting with the Big One: No Poverty) we will take a look at this in detail. Meanwhile, click here to find out more about why the SDGs are important to us.

Like Jamaica’s own  Vision 2030 (the island’s National Development Plan), we are supposed to achieve the SDGs by the same year, 2030. The theme of leaving no one behind also ties in very closely with Vision 2030, which has as its top goal “Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential.” That means every Jamaican, including our most vulnerable citizens. Goal 2 is to ensure a secure and just society and good governance; Goal 3 is for a prosperous economy; and Goal 4 is about the importance of our natural environment, including preparing for the dangers and disasters that climate change might bring.

How important is this in today’s complex world! Stay tuned as we explore each one of these goals in the current context of COVID-19 (which has changed everything), climate change, and other concerns that we live with every day: growing inequality, social unrest, and food security.

Yes, these are daunting problems, indeed. However, the SDGs tackle these issues in a proactive way. They are all about looking to the future and finding solutions. They are a planning tool for governments, civil society, private sector organizations, and citizens who are looking to head in the right direction. What kind of future does Jamaica want? As we move past and slowly emerge from the “COVID era,” what changes would we like to see? Perhaps our lenses need adjusting. Let’s think about it.

Here is a list of the UN Sustainable Development Goals:

Goal 1: NO POVERTY:  End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2: ZERO HUNGER: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages  
Goal 4: QUALITY EDUCATION: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5: GENDER EQUALITY: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7: AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8: DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all
Goal 9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10: REDUCED INEQUALITIES: Reduced inequality within and among countries
Goal 11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable
Goal 12: RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13: CLIMATE ACTION: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14: LIFE BELOW WATER: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15: LIFE ON LAND: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16: PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17: PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE GOALS: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development


To learn more about each SDG, click on the boxes below.

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7/5/2020 0 Comments

go plastic free july 2020

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Plastic Free July is a global movement which aims to help millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution.  – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. 

In the spirit of Live ECCO we are continuing to make going green easy, simple and fun and exciting. We have created a weekly challenge for you. Under the theme of the 4R's: reduce, reuse and recycle + refuse, we will guide you on ways to lower your impact this month. 

​Here's a sneak peek:

  • REDUCE - Reduce the amount of plastic packaging you use
  • REUSE - Ordering coffee - Most cafes offer discounts when you bring your own mug
  • REFUSE - Refuse take out packaging made from plastic packaging that is NOT recyclable in Jamaica
  • RECYCLE - Start recycling today.​​

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6/18/2020 0 Comments

Glass recycling 101

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Glass is one of the most popular materials recycled today, both because of the purity of the ingredients and the quick turnaround of recycling. Your glass containers actually begin their life as readily-available domestic materials, such as sand, soda ash or limestone.
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Glass makes up a large component of household and industrial waste due to its weight and density. It is not biodegradable, and so, can have negative impacts on the environment and/or health through the accumulation of litter. In addition, broken glass is often a key factor in starting bush fires, which can have a devastating effect on the environment and impact on the health of nearby populations.

Why recycle glass
The good news is that glass is 100% recyclable with no loss to quality or purity of new product. Scrap glass or cullet, as it is more commonly known, is a key production ingredient added to the raw materials used to produce glass. Recycling glass containers provides for unmatched production efficiencies and significant environmental benefits.


  • ​Saves raw materials - Over a ton of natural resources are conserved for every ton of glass recycled, including 1,300 pounds of sand, 410 pounds of soda ash, 380 pounds of limestone, and 160 pounds of feldspar.
  • Lessens the demand for energy - Energy costs drop about 2-3% for every 10% cullet used in the manufacturing process.
  • Cuts CO2 emissions - For every six tons of recycled container glass used, a ton of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced. A relative 10% increase in cullet reduces particulates by 8%, nitrogen oxide by 4%, and sulphur oxides by 10%.
  • Extends furnace life - Including cullet in the manufacturing mix makes it less corrosive and lowers the melting temperature (from 2800 degrees F. to 2600 degrees F.), prolonging furnace life.
  • No processing by-products - Glass recycling is a closed-loop system, creating no additional waste or by-products.

What to Recycle 
Recycle Glass Containers Only​ - Check to make sure it’s a bottle or jar.
  • Iced tea and soda bottles
  • Food jars
  • Beer bottles
  • Wine and liquor bottles
  • Juice and water containers

Keep It Clean - Keep out all non-container glass.
  • Ceramic coffee cups
  • Drinking glasses
  • Mirrors
  • Pyrex
  • Light bulbs
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