I love traveling and I also like encouraging others to come and experience the delights of the Caribbean. However as someone with a passion for living in harmony with nature the negative environmental impacts of travel do not go unnoticed. I am in conflict between my desire to explore and enjoy other parts of the world and my wish to ensure that the world is in a state that my children and great-great grandchildren can live in happily and healthily.

This inner discord was intensified recently when I read in New Scientist that the environmental impacts of air travel are actually worse in tropical climates. The short article clearly explains that certain greenhouse gases are intensified in hotter climes and thus contribute far more to climate change than travel in temperate climates – yikes! Since tourism is the economic backbone of much of the Caribbean a decrease in the industry could lead to negative social impacts such as unemployment and poverty. It’s an issue without an easy solution. Continue reading "Carbon Offsetting for Tropical Travel"

If you are a regular reader of my blogs, you may have noticed the decreased frequency of my postings. Having had a baby 8 weeks ago, I am in baby land and on baby time. I am sure anyone that has been there knows that baby land is a destination off the map and baby time has its own rhythm that does not correspond with GMT, EST, or any other time zone! However the joys of motherhood are a tremendous reward and I’m very happy that I’ll be raising my child in the Caribbean.

Richard Louv in his book “Last Child in the Woods” identified a phenomenon affecting young people which he called ‘Nature Deficit Disorder.’ This disorder which has many subsequent negative effects is due to a lack of time spent in the natural world caused by increasing urbanization and the popularity of television and electronic games.  

I grew up in the English countryside but almost every natural area I used to play in has now been converted to housing estates and car parks! Now I live in Dominica, I know that my baby girl will be able to experience the many joys of the untamed natural world and be stimulated by the birds, trees and butterflies. Whatever island, the warm weathers of the Caribbean make it possible for a child to play outdoors year round which is vital for their health and wellbeing. Continue reading "A Caribbean Childhood"

In the preparations for hurricane season, battery operated appliances can be a vital part of surviving if electricity lines go down. Disaster preparations offices all over the region advise us to stock up on spare batteries to operate radios and flashlights so that we can hear the news and find our way around in the dark.

Whilst this is all well and good in the short term, batteries come with a whole set of other ecological and health problems that we may want to avoid. Most batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel that leach into our soil and water. If incinerated the metals within the batteries can be released into the air and concentrate in the ash. The effects of these heavy metals on human and environmental health are well documented and diverse. They include damage to the brain and central nervous system, organ dysfunction and cancers in humans; and devastation of aquatic and forest ecosystems. Continue reading "Eco Preparations for the Hurricane Season"