Whether you believe in climate change or not, you have to admit that weather around the world seems a bit out of kilter.
We in the Caribbean know all too well what increasing water temperatures mean to us – an increase in hurricane activity.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has asserted that climate change could be ‘so far-reaching in its impact and irreversible in its destructive power, that it alters radically human existence. … [T]he time to act is now.’
It would appear that we in the Cayman Islands are listening.
Environment Minister Charles Clifford has told us all that our Government will join the UK’s instrument of ratification of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto protocol.
While the Cayman Islands as a whole doesn’t contribute greatly to the problem of global warming and climate change, we as human beings do each day.
Take a look at the exhaust pouring out of some of the cars, trucks and buses in the country. God help you if you get behind one on the road.
We also contribute to environmental destruction every time we toss a soda can into the trash bin or order food in foam or plastic containers and use little plastic utensils to eat with.
Much is already being done to make the Cayman Islands environmental friendly.
But more can be done.
The recycling programme that was in place before Hurricane Ivan needs to be brought back with the same fervour.
Cayman Free Press relishes the opportunity to once again participate in the recycling of paper and aluminium products.
By recycling, we may be able to extend the life of the landfill even further.
Mount Garbage, we’ve been told, has more capacity than once thought if some work is done to the site.
If we all start thinking globally about climate change, global warming and the environment in general, we can come up with creative ways to help keep Earth green and possibly slow down some of the destruction Mother Nature has been slamming the world with through hurricanes, blizzards, droughts and disappearance of some marine species.
Climate change is real. We’ve got to learn to adapt and help.
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