Earth Day 2013

Image via staugustine

 So often when it comes to reporting on the environment, it's a heavy message of grey gloom and impending doom.  But today we get to celebrate Earth Day 2013 and celebrate the billion acts of green and beyond that millions of people worldwide are taking action to protect and preserve our planet.  This year, on the 43rd anniversary, we view

Image via tafter.it

Earth Day 2013: The Face of Climate Change

"Climate change has many faces.

A man in the Maldives worried about relocating his family as sea levels rise, a farmer in Kansas struggling to make ends meet as prolonged drought ravages the crops, a fisherman on the Niger River whose nets often come up empty, a child in New Jersey who lost her home to a super-storm, a woman in Bangladesh who can’t get fresh water due to more frequent flooding and cyclones…

And they’re not only human faces.

They’re the polar bear in the melting arctic, the tiger in India’s threatened mangrove forests, the right whale in plankton-poor parts of the warming North Atlantic, the orangutan in Indonesian forests segmented by more frequent bushfires and droughts…

These faces of climate change are multiplying every day.

For many, climate change can often seem remote and hazy – a vague and complex problem far off in the distance that our grandchildren may have to solve. But that’s only because they’re still fortunate enough to be insulated from its mounting consequences. Climate change has very real effects on people, animals, and the ecosystems and natural resources on which we all depend. Left unchecked, they’ll spread like wildfire.

Luckily, other faces of climate change are also multiplying every day.

Every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change: the entrepreneurs who see opportunity in creating the new green economy, the activists who organize community action and awareness campaigns, the engineers who design the clean technology of the future, the public servants who fight for climate change laws and for mitigation efforts, the ordinary people who commit to living sustainably…

On April 22, 2013, more than one billion people around the world will take part in the 43rd anniversary of Earth Day. From Beijing to Cairo, Melbourne to London, Rio to Johannesburg, New Delhi to New York, communities everywhere will voice their concerns for the planet, and take action to protect it. We’ll harness that power to show the world The Face of Climate Change. And we’ll call on our leaders to act boldly together, as we have, in this pivotal year.

Between now and Earth Day, we’ll collect and display images of people, animals, and places directly affected or threatened by climate change – as well as images of people stepping up to do something about it. We’ll tell the world their stories. But we need your help. We need you to be climate reporters. So, send us your pictures and stories that show The Face of Climate Change.

On and around Earth Day, an interactive digital display of all the images will be shown at thousands of events around the world, including next to federal government buildings in countries that produce the most carbon pollution. The display will also be made available online to anyone who wants to view or show it.

Together, we’ll highlight the solutions and showcase the collective power of individuals taking action across the world. In doing so, we hope to inspire our leaders to act and inspire ourselves to redouble our efforts in the fight against climate change."

  (text from earthday.org)

To be inspired and uplifted, view the faces from all over the world working for change at theadvocator.  Locally in the Turks and Caicos we celebrated with the TCI Shines Clean Up Campaign last Saturday.  To learn more about the history of Earth Day, please click here.

Celebrate Earth Day with TCI Shines April 20!

Dear Stacie, Earth Day is here once again! As part of our efforts to keep the island of Providenciales clean, we invite you to participate in our 5th annual TCI Shines Clean-up Campaign, on Saturday, 20th April 2013 at 6:30 a.m. LOGISTICS: Volunteers are asked to meet at their selected zones to start the clean up from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Join us at The Children's Park in The Bight afterwards for a short presentation and refreshments. As is customary, we will work in teams,  attached below is a list of the zones:- ZONES - TCI SHINES You will notice that Amanyara has already confirmed their participation and have selected zone 1. Please advise us of your selection and the number of volunteers who will be a part of your team. DONATIONS: It would be appreciated if you could donate bottled water, gloves, garbage bags, hamburgers and hot dogs. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely Nicholette Thomas Tel: 649-941-5787 Email

Less Plastic Please

  Last month Alison was kind enough to write to me, linking to this absolutely incredible infographic she helped create:

Please Include Attribution to OnlineEducation.net With This Graphic

 Image via onlineeducation.net/fantastic-plastic

Do you have any Eco-conscious goals for 2013?  I have many; start a vegetable garden, promote our native vegetation through many field+guide+Friday posts, plan a TCI rubbish-runners event, find ways to make fleurdelysvilla and tcmillwork more eco-friendly, and in everyday life waste less and recycle more.  Thanks Alison and comrades for continuing to wage war on plastics and spread awareness on this very important issue!

A Call for Letters to the Governor and Planning

Jo Jo March 2008

On October 5th, local headlines read "$3million Dolphin Park Proposed for Providenciales" and the Turks and Caicos community responded within the week with a petition boasting 800 plus signatures and a comeback headline "PRIDE Questions Dolphin Attraction in TCI."  Many of us believed our current legislation within the Endangered Species Act forbade the import of  Cetaceans but new reports have surfaced that these laws have been changed so that Dolphin Cove may open for business on TCI shores.    

 Jo Jo March 2008

Those that would welcome Dolphin Cove may not understand the truth about dolphins in captivity.  To begin to grasp the ethical issues one must first research how these dolphins are forced into captivity in the first place.  An  eye opening look into that industry is available through the award winning documentary film  The Cove.  I wrote this post after having seen the film myself, I never imagined such horrors.

PRIDE has written an excellent letter to the government highlighting the historic ways the Turks and Caicos Islands have served as a safe haven for dolphins for decades.  Please read the full letter here.  Yesterday I wrote my own letter to the governor:

October 31, 2012

To Governor Ric Todd,

I am writing to express my deep disappointment of the change in legislation to allow the import of animals for the purpose of human entertainment.  Months ago you took a very brave stand in this country with a push for the advancement of the Equality Bill, surely realizing that you would face controversy and opposition.  With that great stride in forward thinking and action, you have now taken a giant leap backward in amending a righteous law to an unrighteous law.  I would strongly encourage you to dedicate a few hours on researching the captive dolphin industry.   A great resource is the WDC, Whale and DolphinConservation website which posts here

“WDCS believes that the arguments against the confinement of cetaceans are so over-whelming, that any proposal to keep them captive, for whatever reason, should be rejected on animal welfare grounds alone. WDCS has a series of well-substantiated concerns about interactions between humans and dolphins in captivity. These concerns, relating to the welfare of humans as well as dolphins, apply equally to DAT. They include the welfare of the animal; the risk of aggression towards people; the potential for disease transmission from human to dolphin or vice versa; the fact that dolphins may be forced into interactions with humans and have little respite from these actions, and the fact that in so many DAT and other interaction programmes, dolphins are captured from the wild and are transported thousands of miles to suffer the effects of confinement in captivity.
Dolphins are large, strong animals, perfectly adapted to the conditions of the open ocean. Held in a confined space and subjected to forced interaction with humans, aggressive behaviour can have serious consequences. A recent study carried out by WDCS into dolphin/visitor interactions at marine parks in America records many incidents of aggressive behaviour by dolphins towards human visitors such as threats, biting and butting. This study also raises serious concerns regarding the potential for the transmission of disease between human visitors and dolphins. Inadequate regulations exist in relation to interactions between captive dolphins and members of the public. WDCS is bringing its concerns and evidence to the attention of relevant governments and other interested parties, who must address the potential consequences for both human and dolphins of these interaction programmes.”

  If you are a visual learner with a strong stomach I suggest you watch the award winning documentary “The Cove,” which will surely open your eyes to the complexities of this issue. In this country we have a fiercely dedicated environmental community.  We know we have one of the rarest ecosystems on the planet and though we are few in numbers, we know the necessary channels to pursue should our arguments fall on deaf ears locally.  We desire only positive international media attention for the good of the country but will resort to the opposite should this law not be returned to its former righteous state and the permission to the Dolphin Cove Proposal denied.

Sincerely,

Stacie Steensland-Gaudet

  Today, I received THIS response.  I plan to drop this letter addressed to  planning today, along with another letter opposing the Leeward-dredging-proposal-up-for-consideration. I am asking everyone who cares about our environment and our "Beautiful by Nature" reputation to write their own letters to the Governor and to Planning as soon as possible.  Please sign the petition here.  Share your opinions and show your support on the facebook page No2CagedDolphinsInTurksandCaicos.  To read more about the scientific evidence on why dolphins should not be kept in captivity, see these publications on WDCS. To read the Review of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Proposed Dolphin Park in Hanover by the Jamaica Environment Trust, please click here.

The Bleach is Back

I do hate to be the bearer of bad news.  Last July I stumbled on loads of bleach bottles washed up on Longbay Beach.  I took a month long inventory which tallied over 50 bottles of bleach and notified the DECR of the findings, concerned that they were evidence of illegal lobster catching.  Now, nearly a year later, the same trend has emerged.  After the windy and unusual weather of last week, the beach has accumulated a great deal of seaweed and amongst it, litter. LOTS of litter.  Scattered within all the garbage (mainly plastic), have been these dreaded white squeeze bottles.  In two days of rubbish runs I have collected just shy of 50 bottles.  However, for one of the first times in the 8 years I have been cleaning up the coastline, I was not alone one morning with my big bag o' trash!    There in front of me was not one person, but two, with a giant trash bag between them, collecting garbage on their morning walk. I almost cried I was so ecstatic!  This nice couple who were staying at Villa Esencia and I had a chat and they too had been picking up many of these bottles and guessed that they had seen around 15 in addition to mine.  Sincerest gratitude to this couple who spent their very valuable vacation time making the Turks and Caicos a cleaner, greener place.  I have just spoken to a conservation officer at the DECR and hope that our marine police can determine the origin of these bottles and hopefully prosecute the criminals if indeed they are being used for foul purpose. 

Biodiversity Day!

May 22nd marks the International Day for Biological Diversity and this years theme Marine Biodiversity is one especially relevant to the Turks and Caicos Islands.  You must read their 2012 booklet; an excellent overview on the importance of our oceans and the issues we currently face with their health and stability.  Not only is it filled with important facts, new research, and beautiful moving photographs, it concludes with a Strategic Plan of action to help alleviate the largest issues. 

 Image via andthetrees

Tim Silverwood, an Australian surfer, is doing his part as an ambassador to our oceans.  He started the Take3, A Clean Beach Initiative in 2009.  Big thanks to Lynn for sharing this video with her fellow TCI Rubbish Runners, avid supporters of  lifting litter.

Are you willing to take 3 for the sea today?

  Image via take3theblog

From 101+ Ways to Make a Difference, to Ten Simple Things You Can do To Save the Coral Reefs, learning is the #1 way which you can help!  I applaud everyone who will get out there today and read, research, or take action.  Here is a fantastic Interview with Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Operation Blue Rage, a great source of inspiration.

For further reading, please check out:

plasticoceans

oceanlink

ECGYC Environmental Clean-Up

The Edward C. Gartland Youth Centre finished their spring environmental program and celebrated by giving back to the community with a litter pick-up from the downtown area surrounding the centre.  Great job to all the kids who participated (and braved the mosquitoes who attacked us as we invaded their homes)! 

Field Guide Fridays - Poisonwood

Above and following two images below from duke.edu

It has been far too long since I posted in field-guide-fridays!  I have a project at hand to create signage for the longbay-beach-barn nature trail and the decision of which sign to make first was simple. If there is only one species you should recognize and remember, this species would be it! Locally known as Poisonwood, the Metopium Toxiferum species is one you should go to great lengths to avoid in the Turks and Caicos Islands!  A member of the cashew or sumac family (Anacardiaceae), the urushiol the plant produces is a severe skin irritant.

 First sign completed!  I hope to identify and label a dozen prominent indigenous species so trail hikers and Provo Ponies horseback riders can familiarize themselves with our beautiful bush!  In the meantime, you will want to steer clear of this species after reading the below excerpt (and photo) from sfrc.ufl.edu.

"Its range in tropical America extends from Florida to the Bahamas, Honduras, and the West Indies. The sap contains alkaloids that cause serious skin and mucus		Twigs and leaves
irritations after skin contact. Any part of the tree may carry the sap so handling any part of the poisonwood should be avoided. If you live or work in south Florida the ability to recognize and identify poisonwood is beneficial. You can find poisonwood inhabiting hammocks, pinelands, and sandy dunes near salt water. The wood is dark brown streaked with red and is heavy and hard, but is not strong. The wood has no commercial value. The gummy sap of the bark has been used medicinally but with extreme caution. The fruit of the poisonwood is a favorite food source for the rare white-crowned pigeon. Other birds and animals also enjoy the fruit."

Identifying Characteristics
Size/Form:	Poisonwood is an evergreen shrub or medium tree that reaches heights of 25' to 35' or taller. It characteristically has a short trunk with stout arching limbs and drooping branches that form a spreading, rounded crown. Poisonwood is often a shrub in the pinelands and a larger tree in the hammocks.
Leaves:	The leaves are odd-pinnately compound, alternately arranged, 6" to 10" long, and have 3 to 7, usually 5 leaflets. Each leaflet is 3" to 4" long by 2" to 3" wide and broadest near the base or middle. The oval to elliptical leaflets have smooth, glossy, dark green upper surfaces and are paler underneath. The leaf stem is smooth or finely hairy and swollen at the base. The leaflet base is wedged, rounded, or heart-shaped and the tip is acute or rounded. In addition to its leathery appearance, the leaflet has a margin that is thickened, slightly curled, and entire. Many leaflets will be blotched with irregular spots of black resin.
Fruit:	The fruit is a yellow-orange drupe that is about ½" long. The fruit hangs loosely in clusters and each drupe contains one, ¼", hard, brown seed.
Bark:	The reddish-brown or gray bark is thin and has dark, oily patches from the gummy sap. Older trunks have scaly bark.
Habitat:	Poisonwood grows near salt water on shorelines and in sandy dunes, tropical and coastal hammocks, and rockland pinelands.

Five Eco-Friendly Facts about Fleur de Lys

Thinking green is a constant consideration at Fleur de Lys Villa and we hope that our guests follow the same practice.  There are so many gorgeous vacation villas in the Turks and Caicos, choosing one can be time consuming and quite the challenge!  When we holiday, we like to make certain that we are making conscientious decisions when visiting a new place; where will our hard earned dollars get utilised the best?  What local businesses can we support to help make a difference in the community?  What foods are sustainable?  What local charities are in need of assistance?  All of these questions usually involve a great deal of research online to answer, and even then, one hopes that the information is honest.  We hope to make the process simpler and easier to access for our guests and visitors to the island who may be reading this post.  Living here for the last decade, we aim to keep current on these topics and are happy to share the information with like minded individuals who are looking to vacation as eco-friendly as possible.

Image from here



#1 CONSTRUCTION: Fleur de Lys Villa is not a five story hotel with massive energy consumption and excessive waste required to operate daily.  The villa is a four bedroom, not too big - not too small, just right sized home owned, operated, and maintained by . . . US!  Thats correct, we do all the landscaping, the cleaning, the greeting, the carpentry, the cabinetry, the handyman housecalls (unless time constraints or expertise require otherwise).  Both construction and Caribbean architecture enthusiasts, we designed the villa to function ideally in this climate and all the concrete foundations, block walls, insulated roofs, louvered shutters, bi-fold windows, dual doors, patios, pergolas, and balconies attest to that.  The layout and location were specifically designed to best utilise trade winds, keeping inhabitants cool in the summers and comfortable in the winters. 

Image from blisstree

#2 CONSUMPTION: Fleur de Lys is a conservative consumer.  All the water heaters are on timers, the split unit A/C's are designated per room,  majority of lights are on dimmers, and appliances not in use are kept unplugged.  At an average cost of .50 per kw, energy consumption is not only an ECO concern but an ECOnomical one as well!  We encourage our guests to keep the water coolers unplugged as room temperature water is healthier and more hydrating and also to use the more beneficial Caribbean solar line drying versus the power guzzling dryer.   We weekly monitor all usage to make certain the precious island  resources of water and power are not wasted.

Images by Adam Sherwin for resource magazine

#3  REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE: We have highlighted above many ways in which we reduce consumption and waste at Fleur de Lys Villa but we also try to reuse our resources.  Our gutter drainage feeds a large cistern for collection of rain water, the grey water is recycled for irrigation, and food waste is composted, the nutrient rich soil later fed back to the hundreds of trees, plants, and flowers on property.  Avid DIY'ers, the villa is full of reused items, from discarded lumber to louver blades (shown pictured) to Bedroom sets and beyond.  We support the Campaign to Ban Single Use Plastic by  providing reusable shopping bags and aluminum drinking bottles at the villa for guests use and as of November we are very thrilled to contract TCI Waste and Disposal for our recycling needs! 

Image from here, wonderful demonstration of how every little decision should be cradled with thought



#4 ACT GLOBAL, BUY LOCAL: This is one of the most important and effective strategies for making the planet a cleaner, greener place.  Every person CAN make a difference; you and me, there is no doubt about that WE can change the world with what we BUY.  There will be no demand for pollutants the day we stop purchasing them!  We want you to consume wisely when you are in the Turks and Caicos.  Here is a list of recommended options but this blog is full of information on local people, charities, events, businesses, and organisations that could use support.  Feel free to do a search for an area or topic that might interest you, this volunteer-in-turks-and-caicos post is a great place to start.

- EXCURSIONS:

Image from website below

big blue unlimited eco adventures - learn about TCI's unique environment while having eco-friendly fun hiking, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, kiteboarding or bicycling and support local businesses/people while island hopping.  You can be certain the staff will be sure to follow all rules and regulations put in place to protect the National Parks.  Ask questions, they are happy to oblige.

sail beluga- Sail away on board a unique catamaran that utilises solar power and very little fuel.  Twenty-five year veteran and Turks and Caicos Islands enthusiast, Captain Tim, is both a National Park protector and a wealth of history and information.

Image from wherewhenhow

Provo Ponies- Horseback riding on the beach.  Started as a rescue operation for abused and malnourished horses and ponies, over the course of seven years two have grown to a healthy stable of twenty-one!  Plus dogs, cats, chickens, birds, frogs, fish, and you may even find a rescue in care such as a piglet or baby donkey . . . animal lovers will not want to miss this!

-EATING- Look and ask for locally grown produce while grocery shopping; tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, basil, cilantro, mint, and other home growns you will find are far more flavorful than those that have traveled thousand of miles and burned hundreds of gallons of fuel to arrive at your plate.  Visit the Farmer's Market at Fresh Bakery, the five-cays fishery for local catches, and the Conch Farm to learn about the island's only export.  Before ordering or purchasing seafood, check SeafoodWatch to find out what is sustainable for the region.  Make requests at restaurants for tap water (a steripen is great for traveling), straw free drinks, and styrafoam and plastic free to-go containers.  We suggest bringing your aluminum water bottle with you and buying an eco-clamshell at home to travel with.  Ask restaurants what local dishes they suggest and inquire if they recycle and if not, why not?  Patronise the Greenbean-Cafe, a flagship eatery that boasts eco-friendly products and recycling bins within the restaurant.  Be sure to try TCI coffee, island scoop, Turks Head Beer, bambarra rum, and visit Flavors-Of-The-Turks-And-Caicos for a wide variety of locally made products sure to set the taste buds soaring.

Image from link above

-SHOPPING- Find all kinds of incredible locally made products while supporting a noteworthy organisation, the tci national trust (see their site for must see cultural and historical sites to explore) at their Souvenir Shop.  Attend the Graceway Gourmet Market the second Saturday of the month from 9am to 1pm for a great selection of local art, crafts, jewelry, accessories, eats, and treats.  When looking to buy any product, check the ingredients whether it is a food, a beauty product, or an article of clothing.  Stay away from ingredients that are toxic to us and to wildlife.  We use as many eco-friendly cleaning, landscaping, and amenities products as possible at the villa.  If you have a great product tip, please tell us about it!

Image from nature.com

#5 BIODIVERSITY:  Fleur de Lys Villa lies just steps away from one of the consecutively voted best beaches in the world, which lies on a sparkling, breathtaking beauty of an ocean that boasts the the third largest reef system in the world.   These are well known draws to the destination that have earned the Turks and Caicos the reputation as the new darling of the Caribbean, but what makes Fleur de Lys Villa stand apart from many villas is a unique attribute regarding her location.  No, it's not the beach!  There will be no beach traffic peering in the windows to admire the furniture nor noisy passing boats to disturb an afternoon snooze.  It's better than the beach in my book.  Fleur de Lys Villa  borders a nationally protected reserve which provides a spectacular looking glass into the biodiversity that thrives in this part of the world.  On any given morning you are likely to see a bahama_woodstar_hummingbird  gathering nectar from the firecracker flowers, a no-bigger-than-a-fingernail frog resting on a courtyard vine leaf, or a vivid green lizard sunning on the deck.  The courtyard and extensive landscaping were designed to create a lovely, relaxing haven for humans and the many wonderful Caribbean creatures we are lucky to share it with.  Villa guests enjoy unprecedented privacy, there are no neighbors or structures on the left and right flanking properties, and just past the pool lies a forest of buttonwood and red mangroves and one of the best bird watching areas in all of Leeward.  Please read the /wondrous-west-indian-wetlands post and this world wildlife profile to find out just how incredible and rare the Turks and Caicos ecoregion is.  Wetlands have many misconceptions, and we want to do our part to educate otherwise.  Did you know that wetland areas, like our reserve pictured below, actually help combat mosquito infestation, provide flood control, acts as filtration systems for pollutants, and are living nurseries to wildlife? This part of the world demands to be preserved and protected and one of our many joys and duties with living here is to do just that.  We are highly active members of the tci-environmental-club and founders of the TCI Rubbish Runners.

Fleur de Lys Villa circled, the long thin body of water south of the villa is a nationally protected reserve