Tag: climate change

The Extinction Variations: An Elegy for Earth’s Abundance and a Call to Action

January 28, 2021

The arts can be a powerful vehicle to express our concern over the ongoing annihilation of our Planet – as vividly and in as many and diverse ways as the arts offers. Here is just one such vehicle. This is from a completely different culture to Jamaica’s; but it is an example of what can … More The Extinction Variations: An Elegy for Earth’s Abundance and a Call to Action

The Finer Points of Waterbirds: A Bit of a Brain Twister

January 24, 2021

The devil is in the details, they say, and as birders across the region gird themselves up and go out to muddy, sandy, wet places to spot birds, figuring out what is what is no joke. The birds are – what’s the word, indefinable? – at times. As I may have mentioned before, it’s always … More The Finer Points of Waterbirds: A Bit of a Brain Twister

Youth in 10 Caribbean countries kick off Tree Planting Ambassador programme: Live on Sunday, January 10

January 9, 2021

“Climate action” is a popular phrase these days. We are all getting a little tired of the speeches and panel discussions. The time to act is now. As the social media platform for climate action says, “We Don’t Have Time.” By the way, they plant a tree for every new member. The Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance … More Youth in 10 Caribbean countries kick off Tree Planting Ambassador programme: Live on Sunday, January 10

Custodianship and Country: Some Australian Aboriginal Beliefs About the Environment

December 28, 2020

Recently I shared with you a “Love Letter to Mother Earth” from the Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. I have been thinking about spiritual matters in general recently, and in particular those relating to the Earth and environment. It seems to me that – apart from the perspectives of the technocrats, the … More Custodianship and Country: Some Australian Aboriginal Beliefs About the Environment

Broken societies put people and planet on collision course, says UNDP

December 15, 2020

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2020 was just launched globally at lunchtime today (December 15). It is headlined “The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene.” Unfortunately there were technical problems, so we were unable to watch a live stream. The UNDP notes: An experimental global index offers a new measurement … More Broken societies put people and planet on collision course, says UNDP

ICYMI in Jamaica, December 8, 2020: The Opposition Implosion Edition

December 8, 2020

Jamaicans do love political dramas, and the past week or so they have been riveted by the steadily building saga of the People’s National Party, our parliamentary Opposition that seems to be struggling in a quagmire. You know how the more you struggle, the more stuck you get? Most of the time I don’t understand … More ICYMI in Jamaica, December 8, 2020: The Opposition Implosion Edition

Make Peace With Nature: a Ground-Breaking Speech by the UN Secretary-General

December 3, 2020

What has been said about the deteriorating state of our Planet that hasn’t been said before? Well, there have been many words spoken (and less action). Moreover, many of our governments around the world are not just doing nothing – we seem to be deliberately heading in the wrong direction. I am not really big … More Make Peace With Nature: a Ground-Breaking Speech by the UN Secretary-General

Caribbean Environment Week: Stepping Up to a Sustainable Future

November 5, 2020

Just take a look at the photos and videos from the past three or four weeks, as Tropical Storms Zeta and Eta hovered on our doorstep: eroded hillsides sliding onto roads and blocking them; large (and deep) flooded areas, potentially creating major health problems; we even had a “mini tornado” in Portland. We can no … More Caribbean Environment Week: Stepping Up to a Sustainable Future

ICYMI in Jamaica, November 3, 2020: The Illegal Party Edition

November 5, 2020

We could also call this the “U.S. Election Edition,” since many Jamaicans have been nervously following that particular emotional rollercoaster. Why are Jamaicans so engaged? Well, as people say, “When the U.S. sneezes, we catch cold.” We are geographically so close and many of us have family there. South Florida is nicknamed “Kingston 21” – … More ICYMI in Jamaica, November 3, 2020: The Illegal Party Edition