Teneisha Johnson
Let’s talk about trash baby…Let’s talk about you and me
(Celebrating Earth Month)
A message to graduates from Woody Allen that was published in the New York Times back in 1979 stated, “More than at any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroad.
One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction.
Let us pray that we have the wisdom to choose correctly.”
I however, strongly believe in being optimistic and that we can create our own path. A path that leads to an enduring place for humankind within the natural systems that sustain us.
This unfortunately won’t be possible until we understand that the rest of the living world matters.
Then and only then armed with that knowledge, can we then actually do what it takes to halt our destructive ways, and going forward, treat nature with the proper respect.
What does it take for a planet to be habitable?
Researchers have identified three necessary requirements for a planet to sustain life: an ocean and dry land, moderately high levels of carbon dioxide, and long-term climate stability.
Scientists know little about what early Earth was like nearly 4 billion years ago, but they agree that it was a harsh environment different from that of today.
With the use of radiometric dating methods, knowledge of the various rocks has become more precise.
You may ask what is radiometric dating?
Direct methods of dating fossils first became available in the late 1940’s.
These methods used naturally occurring isotopes of certain elements found in rocks or fossils to determine their ages.
This process is what we call absolute dating or radiometric dating.
Scientist have widely accepted radiometric dating as a reliable way to determine the exact ages of rock strata.
The oldest rocks on Earth that have been dated (using isotopes with half-life’s much longer than carbon) include rocks from South Africa, southwestern Greenland, and Minnesota, which are approximately 3.9 billion years old.
Rocks brought back to Earth from the moon have been dated from 3.3 to 4.6 billion years old.
These pieces of evidence have led researchers to suggest that the Earth and the moon might have been formed from the same processes at the same time. Cool!
According to Brian M. Fagan, (The Great Warming: Climate Change and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations-1st U.S. ed. P. cm.), medieval European peasants could also have been called scientist in their era as they knew the properties of different grazing grasses, the slightest indicators of renewed soil fertility and the seasons of wild plant foods.
I expanded more on this concept in my previous article, “Agriculture”.
The notion of “ownership” whether land, air, or sea, has become quite popular and in some legal cases very necessary. It seems a very human thing to do, to own and defend territory and property.
Even women were considered property back in the day.
Hhmmm…. let me not even get into that!
Speaking of ownership, the Cayman Islands has made a deliberate decision to stay under the U.K.’s wing and as we know the United Kingdom has a constitutional and legal responsibility for its overseas territories.
Last month we welcome our new Governor Mr. Anwar Choudhury to the Cayman Islands.
The Queen is also very involved in the environment and The Queen Elizabeth II National Trust was formed in 1977, and by 2006 more than 2,300 landowners had registered covenants to protect their land.
These sites, covering more than 76,000 hectares, may be bush, wetlands, historic sites or special landscapes.
The Cayman Islands National Trust is also about protecting the future of our Heritage.
According to the National Trust Law established in 1987, it states, “our purpose is to preserve natural environments and places of historical significance for present and future generations of the Cayman Islands.”
The National Trust protects 9 nature reserves spanning over 3,300 acres of dry forest and mangrove wetlands. The trust owns 12 historic sites from the 1700’s through to the modern era.
The Cayman Islands National Trust with the financial assistance of Cayman National Bank, has introduced an “Explorer Passport to Grand Cayman,” a comprehensive scavenger hunt booklet for the island which enables visitors and residents to visit sites, discover unique aspects of each area, and learn about the heritage and natural wonders of the islands.
The fun 20-page booklet features photos of sites and includes a map. Each of the passport’s pages has a variety of nature-related activities that visitors can see and explorer.
The booklet is available at Cayman’s Nature Store and the Dart Family Park on South Church Street.
There are numerous outreach activities, educational programs and events coordinated by the Trust staff.
For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky
While we may have created this belief that the world “belongs” to us, I think it’s important to note that there is no other species above mankind and that we should have a sense of awareness of the consequences of our actions and note that it could work against our ultimate survival.
We need to care not only about the present, but also future generations, and even the fate of other forms of life.
The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce will once again carry out its annual Earth Day clean up on the 21st April 2018.
I was also inspired by a quote from Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians.
He said, “For humans to cause species to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation, for humans to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests, or destroying its wetlands, for humans to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air and its life with poisonous substances, these are sins.” Wow!
With seven billion people to feed on a planet that stubbornly remains the same size, we seriously need to avoid waste.
And that’s what we have decided to tackle right here in the Cayman Islands.
The Good Samaritan Food Bank is the first organization in the Cayman Islands to mitigate island-wide hunger, malnutrition and poverty by providing access to good, healthy food through gathering and distributing food donations to non-profit organizations and various food counters serving the critical needs of the community.
The Food Bank was founded by two local businessmen: Woody Foster and Reginald “Choppy” Delapenha, along with the priceless but humble consultative support of experienced food bank operator, Rev. Charles Boucher.
Speaking of Good Samaritan, the Good Samaritan is one of the most famous parables told by Jesus.
It is recounted in the Gospel of Luke and defines a standard of love toward which Jesus wished his followers to aspire.
A lawyer asked Jesus how to be saved. Jesus asked in reply, “What is written in the Torah?”
The lawyer recounted the Torah sayings of “Love God” and “Love thy neighbor.”
In the parable, Jesus told of a traveler who is attacked, robbed, and left on the side of a road.
A priest passes by, but he avoids the man due to his disheveled appearance.
Next, a Levite, a member of another revered sect, passes and ignores the stricken man as well.
Finally; a Samaritan passed along the way.
Samaritans were an ostracized and hated ethnicity at the time.
According to the story, the Samaritan is the only one who decides to help by clothing, sheltering, and feeding the victim.
This is an excellent example of how Jesus often shocked his audience to get his point across.
The celebration of a Samaritan would have caused astonishment at the time, But I believe this only emphasizes the importance of aiding people in need and the closeness of all humankind.
I was also pleased to learn that there are also Good Samaritan Laws which exist in many countries today.
They protect people who help others from being sued.
Very useful information!
I believe we still have good Samaritans today and they have undertaken a worthy cause, however they can’t do it alone-they need you!
So please visit www.caymanfoodbank.com to learn how you or your company can make a difference today!
