Is it really June 6, 2012? Doesn’t that make it World Environment Day 2012? It is? OK… Because I have hardly heard a whisper about it all day today. I have heard a lot of politicians blustering and guffawing in the House of Representatives over the Budget; the trade winds have continued to trouble us on a fiercely hot June day; there have been the usual compromises and concessions and in the city of Kingston, Jamaica.
But World Environment Day? Not a word. Does it now take second place to Earth Day? At least in Jamaica, it seems so.
The theme for 2012 is: “Green Economy: Does It Include YOU?” Well, if asked this question, most Jamaican men and women would scratch their heads, frown slightly and shake their heads. And these days, it seems to me, the word economy is more often on the lips of many than the word green. Apart from our own stifling debt crisis, there is Spain, which can’t afford to bail out its own banks; Greece, which is stumbling along towards a re-run of its election on June 17; the British Prime Minister flitting about Europe like a slightly agitated migrating bird, urging “immediate” action on the Eurozone debt crisis; and President Barack Obama, now in the throes of a full-blown election campaign, turning a little more grey and holding conference calls with European leaders. Even Facebook‘s IPO was something of a flop, and it appears marred by technical errors.
And back in Jamaica, people get more excited about the green in the flag (or lack of it) than they do about the “greening” of our increasingly deforested, polluted, mined-out, over-developed, garbage-filled island.
But hey… It is slightly cooler now after 9:00 p.m.; I can hear music playing faintly and pleasantly outside – sounds like an old ska tune; the dogs are quietly snoozing; the Petcharys are enjoying the welcome, late-season bounty of our Bombay mango tree; and I am looking forward to high tea with a friend at the wonderful Terra Nova Hotel tomorrow. Things could be worse. The economic (and green) crisis might never happen.
And tomorrow is another day. June 7. When we may say to each other, “Oh yes, it was World Environment Day yesterday, wasn’t it?”
Related articles
- World Environment Day (pottedplantsociety.wordpress.com)
- If it’s June 5, it must be World Environment Day (photoblog.msnbc.msn.com)
- Morning Minutes: June 5 (hopestar.com)
- World Environment Day (periwinkleporte.com)
- World Environment Day 2012 (energyrefuge.com)
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9313461/David-Cameron-and-Barack-Obama-agree-on-need-for-immediate-plan-to-resolve-eurozone-crisis.html
- http://www.thegreeneconomy.com/
- http://www.unep.org/wed/: UN World Environment Day
- http://www.terranovajamaica.com/index2.php: Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston
Petchary's Blog 
I didn’t even know there’s such a thing as World Environment Day. In my country, that would hardly be felt for there will always be bigger problems like poverty and political disputes that should be settled first. But from the town I am living, we had already banned the use of plastics in grocery stores and other markets. I guess we are just taking things one step at a time.
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Yes, it’s a UN-designated day every year. Where do you live? We also have huge poverty and political issues too, but poverty is one of the major causes of our environmental damage I am afraid. It’s good that your town has already taken some good steps. As we are an island, climate change is having quite an impact on our environment too, as well as poor development. Sigh. One step at a time is good, but we need to speed up our steps here!
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Dear Petchary,
It was such a quiet day that you actually missed it – World Environment Day was actuallyTuesday, 5th June. There was apparently an environmental exhibition and concert in Turtle River Park, Ocho Rios courtesy NEPA and others. Earth Day was recognised by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica – and that was a big event and World Biodiversity Day included a big activity at the NEPA office but apparently (so I heard) there were no funds available for more activities for World Environment Day – usually a whole week of activities – National Environmental Awareness Week.
JCDT/Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park posted that as part of its “celebration” it would be having a mini-exhibit at Sanaa Studio on the 2nd and AZMART on the 9th. However as also posted on the 6th featuring a photo album of staff in the field – World Environment Day is every day for the organisation and (as supported by a comment from Wendy Ann Lee) – this is so for most NGOs. In fact the work goes on (sometimes just barely) with great frustration due to inadequate support of any kind. JCDT tries to host Green Expo every other year to showcase green solutions but this continues to be increasingly difficult to find sponsorship for, so I don’t know if it will be held next year which would result in more attention to the Day then.
To me what is most discouraging is not the quiet on World Environment Day itself – but the quiet on most of the other 364 days of the year. On second thought, I wouldnt mind if no-one said a word – if only there was some real positive action particularly the funding of conservation and enforcement of environmental and related legislation.
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OH NO Susan – how could I not have realized this? I must have been confused. I will have to do a correction!! Apologies. Of course, National Environment WEEK – I remember hearing all about activities for this in past years, from NEPA. I know there are a few days and a “special day” isn’t everything, it’s more of a reminder to people. But as you say, every day is World Environment Day for NGOs and so it should be for Jamaica on the whole. And as you say, ACTION (something we seem to struggle with, actually doing something!) is most important of all… Thanks so much for your comments, which I will share on my blog… I appreciate it. It is all very discouraging though… As another commenter notes! All the best and I welcome your comments on other environmental issues that I have discussed (and will continue to address) in this blog.
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Thank you, for your insightful and well-written “ranting”. It is a pity that even the Queen had not bother to mention World Environment Day on her Diamond Jubilee, as far as I could ascertain.
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Thank you. It was a bit of a rant – I was just feeling so irritated at the way in which we ignore the perils threatening our island environment. We really only think about it in hurricane season, when half a deforested hillside falls on top of someone. Yes, a pity the Queen didn’t mention it. I suppose she was too busy listening to that ghastly concert and trying to keep warm and dry the rest of the time! 🙂
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Hi Petchary,
A very good and valiant rant nevertheless!
By the way, have you had a chance to visit my websites and leave your thoughts, comments or even rants? It would be highly interesting to have someone like you leaving some major footprints (ecological, textural, idealogical, socio-political, biocultural, horticultural or otherwise) at my websites!!!
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Hi Petchary,
I thought that it was overall a very good, impassioned and valiant rant from you nevertheless!
By the way, have you had a chance to visit my websites and leave your comments, thoughts or even rants? It would be highly interesting to see what major footprints (whether ecological, biocultural, sociopolitical, botanical, spiritual, philosophical, rhetorical or otherwise) you will leave on my blogs and webpages.
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Dear SoundEagle: Thanks so much for your support! Living in a “developing country,” one sometimes gets so frustrated and angry… hence the rant. I am going to look at your websites shortly and will definitely leave my mark on them! It’s good to let off steam and really write without restricting oneself… at least some of the time… Cheers!
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Hi Petchary,
I shall hold my breath in anticipation of witnessing first-hand what and how you will “let off steam” and “rant” or “rave” about in a “developed country” where I created and maintain my websites.
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And I have just given your post entitled “Is it Really June 6?” its first five-star rating.
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How kind of you! Thanks a million!!
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I also notice that both our gravatars are of the avian kind!
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And our gravatars both have the blue sky as background!
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Yes, birds and blue skies… Great combination for a gravatar!
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. . . not to mention that both words “Petchary” and “SoundEagle” have three syllables, even number of alphabets, and contain the vowels ‘e’ and ‘a’!
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Wow. A plethora of coincidences indeed!
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It’s like this: some things are just too hard to come to grips with, politically, and socially, so we put them in the too hard basket. Did you look there, dear Petchary?
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Ah, well, you know…I just forgot to look in that darn basket. Just clean forgot. I must remember, next time…
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It’s a little discouraging, sometimes, isn’t it? 🙂
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Yes, very – especially for the environmental NGOs that struggle along in Jamaica with very little support, financial or otherwise. I will return to this subject but we are not fully aware of how vulnerable our small island environment and its biodiversity is… (I think I was feeling a bit irritable yesterday!)
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Poor you:( A certain bird come to brighten your day, I hope?
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Ah yes, he did come along – I usually see him in the afternoons, perched on the wire, looking down at me. And I HEAR his voice at night – at three in the morning his fierce cries ripple through the darkness… Extraordinary creature!
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It must be quite disconcerting, at night. Glad he popped in to see you!
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Yes – it is… He is very loud, and persistent. I have never been able to find out why he does it. He will go all through the night – not just the occasional chirp but a full-blown rant! He’s an insomniac…
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Does he sleep in the middle of the day?
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I figure he must. I don’t see him in the mornings. He/she, that is!! Sorry.
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ha ha:) Glad HE gets some sleep:)
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