Worldwide Focus
Photo: leocub / www.freeimages.com
Sustaining Our Environment
ISSUE 4
An initiative by
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CONTENTS 04
MEET THE TEAM ASIA
06 10 14
Air Pollution: A Major Threat to Life on Earth Garbage and Health: Minimize Litter, Maximize the Latter Japan’s Reconstruction of a National Respect for Nature
EASTERN EUROPE 16 20
Wild kingdom: A Trip Into Nature…in a Bus From the city to the countryside: A Brave Family Embraces the Wind of Change
22 24 26 28 30
Earth, the Ultimate Curer: Rediscovering God`s Pharmacy Tourism’s Litter Problem World Symphony 34life: Living Through Trees Planting Good Deeds: Reforestation as a Solution for Sustainable Development
LATIN AMERICA 32
Why is the Tortuga Island Such a Special Place?
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Worldwide Focus Issue 4
OF THE WORLD
Directory Editor Mircea Samoila
Editorial ‘How do forests breathe?’ was a question that, not too long ago, a bunch of friends and I were exploring with
Copy Editor:
the children from a centre for juvenile delinquents in
Kelly Easton
Romania. In the midst of the heated investigation one
(South Africa)
of the children, Nicu, a 7-year-old boy, suddenly froze
Sub-editors Pooja B. (India) Contact mirceasamoila@projects-abroad.org Page Layout Fabiola Sanchez Lucano Maldonado
and shouted, ‘Forests breathe just like us’. He then sat down at a table and drew the above picture - a tree with people instead of branches. The accuracy and simplicity of the symbol really struck me. What could be a better visual metaphor for the absolute interconnectivity of man and nature? What we breathe in, forests breathe out; what forests breathe out, we breathe in. I believe that as human beings, we are increasingly waking up to the
Art Direction Antonio Gallo
realisation that we cannot separate ourselves from the natural environment that sustains us. This issue of the Worldwide Focus is therefore dedicated to the exploration of our relationship with nature. Is this relationship one of respect and cooperation or otherwise? It’s up to you to decide and more than that, to act! Mircea Samoila Editor
© Voices of the World, published by Projects Abroad, 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of Projects Abroad. Views and opinions expressed in Voices of the World are not necessarily those of Projects Abroad. The publisher can accept no liability or loss in connection with the contents of the publication.
Our Partners
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Meet the team
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in VENEZUELA Paula Osorio
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in UNITED KINGDOM David Bond
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in ROMANIA Alexandra Alexandra-Mirela Banica Andreea – Ioana Vihristencu Maria Lupu Bogdan Zaharia Bogdan Ene
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in INDIA P.Vinodh E.Arun Sundar N. Vigneshwaran N. Sivaraman C. Varsha.
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in JAPAN Nanami Katoh
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ASIA
Text by By P.Vinodh and E.Arun Sundar › in INDIA
Air Pollution A Major Threat to Life on Earth
As of our knowledge so far, Earth is the only planet in the universe that can support human life. It is very important that we realise this fact and treat it with utmost care. There are various man-made destructions that are largely affecting earth. Human beings can go a few days without food, a few hours without water but can last only a few seconds without oxygen. Various human activities have led to the accumulation of impurities in the atmosphere.
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Substances such as Chlorofluorocarbons, Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Trioxide and Nitrogen Dioxide contribute to air pollution. There is a lot more on this particular topic because it is not pointing to just one area or location but is a threat faced by each life on earth, be it small or big.
Why is air pollution a big problem? It is considered a major problem due to the adverse physical and mental effects it can have on the life of every single living creature on this earth. Air pollution is a big problem that is faced by almost all countries in the world today.
Acidification When any air pollutant combines with the water droplets, the drops become acidic thus leading to acid rain. This can kill trees, destroy the leaves of plants and is harmful to animals, fish, and other wildlife.
Eutrophication This will adversely affect the nutrients in the soil and water bodies. This can result in algae growth in lakes and water bodies, and make conditions for other living organisms harmful.
It is caused by the emission of gases from vehicles, cigarette smoke, burning of paper or other waste in residential areas, waste from factories, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. The worst of the lot is vehicle fumes and the smoke from factories. Air pollution causes a lot of diseases like asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis, influenza, etc. The dust and smoke make germs spread faster. The sad fact is that not many people are aware of this. Air pollution is a major threat to our environment and human beings. Here are some drastic effects of this:
Ground-level ozone Chemical reactions involving air pollutants create poisonous Gas Ozone (O3). Gas Ozone can affect people’s health and can damage vegetation types and some animal life too.
Particulate matter This is very harmful to your health. It results in irritation of throat, eyes, nose and breathing difficulties, headaches, nausea and allergies. Damage to kidney, liver and brain is common in case of long exposure to this.
Photo: Marcin Rybarczyk / wizualnie.com
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A senior citizen in Mumbai with a environmental message for healthy living and a pollution free environment
Let’s be conscious and aware of the hazardous effects of air pollution.
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Worldwide Focus Issue 4
Photo: Wikimedia Commons. McKay Savage
Today, we live in a world where everything is about smoke and dust. To avoid air pollution here are some simple steps we can take:
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Cycling (zero pollution and the best way to be healthy)
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Walking, if it is a short distance
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Reducing the use of harmful chemicals, especially in factories
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Avoiding burning of substances in residential areas
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Creating more green houses to preserve plants and trees
These are the points that came to us now and hope they will be useful to you. We have started following the remedies mentioned above. We need to preserve our environment rather than exploiting it. Let’s be conscious and aware of the hazardous effects of air pollution. We cannot solve this overnight but it can definitely be reduced each day by a considerable percentage if we take conscious efforts. Let’s go green and keep our environment green. When are you going to join us in this movement?
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Text by By N. Vigneshwaran, N. Sivaraman, C. Varsha. › in INDIA
Garbage and Health: Minimize Litter, Maximize the Latter
There is a very popular adage which goes like this: “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.” We would like to rephrase this to suit the world we live in today: “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when any form of pollution is not controlled, everything is lost.” Every human being’s health on this planet is very precious. But do most of them have that awareness? We would say no. It’s saddening for instance to look at the problem of garbage disposal in our country. The welfare of each and every human on this planet is decided only by nature. Hence, polluting such a nature for our own selfish motives will only cause more damage to us. We have to protect nature for the sake of our very own lives and also those of the other organisms and animals that survive here. If we disturb nature, it will really disturb us indirectly. The endless lifecycle of death and rejuvenation are splendidly acted out in the theatre of nature. Nature and environment are inseparable. They are the gifts of god to every life on earth, irrespective of their size. No one in the world has the right to destroy it.
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Worldwide Focus Issue 4
Photo: Wikimedia Commons. McKay Savage
Garbage: A Major Disaster Health and hygiene are as important as the two eyes of every human being. Preserving the environment helps in creating clean surroundings. Dumping and accumulation of garbage, human wastes, and plastics might lead to various disasters such as viral fever, Malaria and Dengue, spoiling the reputation of our country, fall in the percentage of tourists, migration to other cities and above all, the bad odour that would cause disorders related to lungs, stomach, digestion, liver etc.
Our Day to Day Life In the fast-paced world that we live in today, we don’t find a place to accumulate garbage, when the number of houses is increasing over night in each residential area, in turn causing problems in waste management. A simple example we can give you is our mothers’ cooking everyday: breakfast, lunch and dinner. She peels the
vegetables and removes the outer coat and they get accumulated in the trash can. Apart from this, we may also have other used or old household items that we might throw. Imagine the amount of waste that is accumulated every day, as every household does this every day. This lack of awareness and practice of sanitation breeds further troubles. During the rainy season, the mosquitoes require a suitable medium i.e, a suitable place for breeding. They select garbage as their medium and start to spread. Later on they affect the youngsters, children, women, aged persons. If the contaminated product enters into our body through blood or even if we are stung by them, it causes various infectious diseases. Houseflies are also real enemies to mankind. They decelerate our country’s health. They spread diseases related to skin, stomach, lungs, liver, indigestion etc., when coming in contact with our
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food. Here, I am reminded of the proverb, ‘Appearances are Deceptive.’ This can be attributed to houseflies and mosquitoes; they are very small in size but the problems caused by them to mankind are massive and harmful. In order to avoid this, we can take a few steps like organising one particular day in a week for accumulating all the garbage from each street in every city and destroying or recycling them in a common area, depending on whether they are organic or inorganic.
Sanitation is the key Every household should have proper toilets, bathrooms and it is advised only to use those and not the ones on the streets. But even now, some people are using the secluded areas on the roads or railway crossings like a toilet. It is not at all hygienic. Awareness campaigns should be held to stop them from indulging in such activities. It should be banned by enforcing stringent laws. In villages even today, the children, who are considered as India’s pillars of tomorrow, are using the roads instead of toilets.
Photo: Appelcline Sxc.hu
Solid waste Solid wastes are generated due to human as well as industrial activities. These wastes are to be collected carefully, transported to the site with care and treated properly. This is very essential as the environment is to be kept clean. Human and animal activities generate different kinds of wastes. These wastes are generally in solid form, and may cause pollution of land, water, and air unless treated and disposed off properly. The process of collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal can be defined as solid waste management. The main sources for solid wastes are domestic, commercial, industrial, municipal and agricultural wastes. The composition of a city waste is as follows: 53% 22% 10% 8% 7%
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Paper, wood, cardboard Garbage Ceramics, glass, crockery Metals Rubber, plastics, discarded textiles
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Photo: Lusi / www.freeimages.com
The increase in the quantity of solid waste is due to overpopulation, affluence, and technological advancement. If solid wastes are not collected and are allowed to accumulate, they may create unsanitary conditions. This may lead to epidemic outbreaks. Many diseases like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, plague, jaundice, or gastro-intestinal diseases may spread and cause loss of human lives. In addition, improper handling of the solid wastes is a health hazard for the workers who come in direct contact with the waste. If the solid wastes are not treated properly, decomposition and putrefaction may take place, causing land and water pollution when the waste products percolate down into the underground water resources. The organic solid waste during decomposition may generate obnoxious odours. Stray dogs and birds may sometimes invade
garbage heaps and may spread it over the neighborhood causing unhygienic and unhealthy surroundings. The main purpose of solid waste management is to minimize the adverse effects on the environment. The steps involved are: collection of solid wastes, disposal of solid wastes, utilization of wastes.
Joining hands to achieve cleanliness Enforcing strict laws that insist on zero accumulation of garbage, conducting awareness programs through National Service Scheme (NSS), a governmentsponsored public service program, Scouts and guides and other social clubs like Rotary club, Lions club, etc to protect the nation and to make it loved by each and every citizen. Let us all join hands to create a clean planet for our future generations.
Asia
Japan’s Reconstruction of a National Respect for Nature Text by By Nanami Katoh › in JAPAN
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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Mount Fuji’s registration on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list, in June 26, 2013, marked a long-desired landmark in the Japanese’s attempt at reviving their traditional respect for nature. Mount Fuji – one of Japan’s dearest symbols, was finally estimated a cultural heritage site because it has always been a subject of Japan’s worship of mountains and a source of traditional art, such as “ukiyo-e (picture of the floating world”, a style of the main artistic genre of woodblock printing in the Edo period in Japan). Now the Japanese old religion, characterized by worship of nature, seems to have gained the spotlight again. Japan is a land of mountains and rivers. The ancient Japanese believed in and worshiped the gods of mountains and rivers. In other words, a mountain was a god in itself, especially as it is said that our souls go back to the mountain when we die. In any case, nature is a holy place. Each mountain is a god itself, and people should not soil it. In ancient times, it was believed that earthquakes and disasters happened because of the anger of the gods. The traditional Japanese have always loved nature. In spring, we cherish our beloved cherry blossoms, in autumn, the colored leaves that inspire us to compose poems about the beauty of nature. Some countries fought with nature for exploitation, while Japan chose the way of life close together to nature. Mostly, the Japanese respected nature and didn’t attempt to manage or control it, due to their spiritual bond with nature. Unfortunately, most Japanese lost respect for nature throughout the development process of the country. Japan became a modern industrial state, but in the process it created environmental destruction and pollution. Japan destroyed a lot of natural treasures, not only inside the country, but also over the borders. That’s why Japan still depends on foreign countries for wood. At the same time, people can’t afford to enjoy seasonal flowers and events because of routine overwork. Of course, we can’t talk about this topic without referring to the horrible earthquake that struck the Eastern part of Japan on March 11, 2011. The earthquake caused a tsunami (tidal wave) and an accident at Fukushima atomic power plant. The Japanese thus experienced the fragility of nuclear power that they had depended on for a long time. It goes without saying that Japan will change more and more from nuclear power to clean energy systems. “Some people left our hometown after the disaster,
because we lost too much. There are many peoples who feel that they don’t want to live near the sea side any more. But I still love the ocean after all. I want to go fishing again. I live with the ocean the same as before; it’s my life”, a fisherman who lost his house and his boat said in an interview on a local Japanese TV channel, after the happening in 2011. Lately however, the Japanese have managed to get over so many serious environmental problems and started remembering again the value of nature. Today’s wind power generation, hydroelectric generation, solar electricity generation systems are all signs of the revival of this traditional respect for and worship of nature.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Japanese are very excited about the registration of Mount Fuji in the World Heritage site, which is a distinct honor all over the world. This truly brings home to use the importance of being more respectful to nature, just like in the ancient times. We should protect nature and try to maintain our connection with it. We have to live up to a promise that will see us protecting nature like in World Heritage sites, while not justifying ourselves in destroying it elsewhere for progress’ sake. But who can be the judge of when the balance is struck?
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Photo: Alexandra Alexandra-Mirela Banica
EASTERN EUROPE GALLERY
Text by By Alexandra Alexandra-Mirela Banica › in Romania
Worldwide Focus Issue 4
Wild kingdom: A Trip Into Nature‌in a Bus
Once upon a time, a man came up with the idea of making people more responsible towards nature. And what can have a bigger impact on kids than a forest-like double-decker? Meet the magical bus where the journey takes place. It has an unusual yet practical purpose : making the children more aware about the value of wilderness and the impact of human activity upon them and how they can help the nature. Because the environment is very much our concern, we decided to take a bus trip and see what happens.
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Eastern Europe
Photo: Alexandra Alexandra-Mirela Banica
Once upon a time, a man came up with the idea of making people more responsible towards nature. And what can have a bigger impact on kids than a forestlike double-decker? Meet the magical bus where the journey takes place. It has an unusual yet practical purpose : making the children more aware about the value of wilderness and the impact of human activity upon them and how they can help the nature. Because the environment is very much our concern, we decided to take a bus trip and see what happens.
their own. Sadly, they also had many prejudices about the wild animals that live in the forest.
One ordinary day, we were happily welcomed into the bus and we participated in a class that took place in it. Even from the very beginning, everybody present at the lesson had the impression of being in a real forest due to the fact that animals and trees were painted all over the walls.
We found out that for Constantin Ciocoiu the day starts early, when he needs to prepare the bus for the kids that are to come later in the day. After that, the courses begin. For every group of children he has a different approach, but he always reaches the highlights in his presentation, that will always circle around nature. What keeps him motivated is the hope that if only one out of 30 kids goes home after the course with the thought of changing something about his approach about nature, that kid will make a difference and be more careful with everything he does for the environment. “If one kid comes back after a while and says that he didn’t cut the wood for fire from the forest,
The pupils that attended seemed overjoyed and full of energy, as the ‘teacher’ showed them a presentation and encouraged them to talk about environmental issues. I was happily surprised to see that 90 percent of the kids present already knew about the harm we cause nature and they had questions and answers of
We talked to the man who held the course, Constantin Ciocoiu, about some of his ideas and hopes for the project and we asked him some questions. “It’s always a surprise and a big pleasure when I hear that kids know how nature works and they are aware that it must be protected and the forest must be preserved’’, he said right away.
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In my opinion, traditions represent the landmark, the ID of our nation. In a confusing world, they provide something steady, reliable and safe for us: an identity, a sense of belonging.
it’s enough for me to know that our massage was received”, Constantin added. What made him and the volunteers, Pop Sergiu and Bogdan Ionel, take part in this project was the love for nature developed ever since childhood, the simple idea that in a bus you can create a bond between children and nature and the wish that, one day, every man will know how to keep the environment safe and clean. “Walk into a forest one day anywhere in the world and share the same quiet world that others experience. We are connected to nature. We must look after it’s future”, Constantin told us. The basic lesson that pupils will hopefully share with everyone around them after the Wild Kingdom experience is that nature gives us everything we need, but we must look after it, or else, every harmful thing we do against nature will come back to us. In Constantin’s words: “It’s important what we do to compensate the things we throw in forests and hurt them” Every person involved in this project, in their spare time, participates in actions that take care of nature,
such as planting trees, remarking hiking trails, and they want to gather as many people as they can and spread their passion for nature. “Nature is simply beautiful and it gives us a lot of things we should be grateful for such as oxygen, wood, water, paper, food, basically what we can find in a supermarket, but here all of the things you find are natural and you have to be careful with how much you take and how it will affect nature”, Constantin concluded. For the future, Constantin Ciocoiu sees the Wild Kingdom project with more than 10 buses and an ongoing and never-ending activity because the generations-to-come must always be kept informed. In conclusion, can you imagine your world without nature? We can’t either! Nature loves us and protects us and it proves it to us every day, so why shouldn’t we love it back and maintain it healthy and happy? The Wild Kingdom project tries to give you the answer to this question by showing how much nature helps us in our everyday lives and how important it is for us to give back. www.theeuropeannaturetrust.com/en/Education/ wildkingdom/
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Text by Andreea – Ioana Vihristencu › in ROMANIA
From the city to the countryside: A Brave Family Embraces the Wind of Change
Have you ever felt, that you do not know if you belong here or not? Or, at least, have you ever considered moving somewhere else, outside and away from the far- too heated air, full of sickening odours, unfriendly and always rushing people and mostly, dull landscapes that never have a visual impact? Maybe you did, but you never had the guts to say “Yes!” to change. Right now, you are holding your one-way ticket to a lifetime story that will definitely fill your heart with the needed courage!
Recently I went to the country side, to my relatives, in order to spend a little time away from the city and to be surrounded by the charming nature. You know how they say: You only hit the road when you are missing home, but this time I did not feel like this! Everything around me had a very powerful quality of delighting my every human sense. The fresh air blowing, the beautiful and warm sun rising every morning, all the animal sounds giving that unique sensation of feeling alive, seemed to belong to paradise, the real paradise. I have never met such friendly and warm people in my entire life! Everyone seemed to enjoy being around you and everyone tried to make you feel what country life truly means, by giving you fruits or aliments produced on their farm or household.
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Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Worldwide Focus Issue 4
Photo: Mircea Samoila
That is how I met the Zamfir family. In the entire village, they are known for their fresh, flavored and really delicious milk. “Now you are can taste real cow milk, not the one that you buy from the supermarket. And still this is not as good as the one produced in springtime”, father Zamfir explained to me. “When we started to grow cows, we had no idea how appetizing this milk would be, but after the first row, we felt like we were drinking some magic elixir. That was a strong reason for not coming back to town…Ever!”, he continued. Obviously this is not the real reason why this beautiful family moved from a place full of opportunities to another less developed. “We are getting older and after spending so much time in such a crowded place, the wind of change started blowing and we could not resist it, so we decided to buy a small house in a quiet area. Our children do not live with us anymore, they have their own families and there is no point in living in town anymore“, mother Zamfir added. Thinking of my live as a city inhabitant and their new one as countrymen, there is a major difference. First, even in their fifties, they are completely full of vitality and they always wear an unforgettable large smile. “It is because of the nature! What you see is what you get, no technical improvements, no chemicals added in food, no nothing.
After one month of living here, we felt reborn. This place is like an oasis of energy“, says father Zamfir. “Mother Nature is the major case of our wellness. She has been very kind to each one of us and we are trying to respect it in every possible way. We recycle our garbage and behind our household there is a little river, which was in a real bad state when we first got here. Now we cleaned it by installing a WWTP. Also when springtime arrives, the whole village gather up and start a complex process of cleaning”, added Emilia Zamfir. From outsiders they became, in no time, along with others, the saviors of Mother Nature. “We respect the pure beauty of the environment because it is the core of our condition of good physical and mental health”, confessed father Zamfir. “My wife and I are very proud of our decision to escape from the unhealthy city. It is extremely hard to start fresh all over again, but it is entirely worthy! Also, we have understood now what the real meaning of home is”, he added. What I have learnt from this trip is that the paradise is where you get that warm feeling of comfort and pure happiness, even if the road to this bohemian life may feel like climbing a mountain: I have to say that the view is really sensational!
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Text by Maria Lupu › in ROMANIA
Earth, the Ultimate Curer:
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Rediscovering God`s Pharmacy Centuries of research and numberless medical breakthroughs! After all of this, you would expect that medicine can guarantee an increased life expectancy and a reliable treatment for each disease. Surprisingly, drugs and pills seem to be more our executioner than our healers! But people slowly realize the healing effect of nature and more and more folks return to natural therapies. Maybe this is one of the first steps that the world is making so as to improve the relationship with environment.
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Nowadays, a plethora of drugs seem to be available for every medical condition. Do you have a migraine, a backache or heartburn? Get a painkiller! You can`t sleep, you`re stressed and anxiety overwhelms you? There is a sleeping pill that waits for you on bedside; thus, you`ll sleep better! You feel feeble, tired and anaemic? Don`t worry, some vitamin tablets will revive you. In our modern times, this abuse of pills seems to be the only solution for coping with a maddening and hectic pace of life. But, these are just artificial “shortcuts”! It`s feels simpler to get a tiny ‘’harmless” tablet than bother to make small changes in our lifestyle. We may find that by merely cutting down on caffeine our headache will subside, or that a warm bath before bed can have miraculous effects on our well-being, leaving us feeling less stressed and more reinvigorated. The point is that this is a vicious circle. How can people not be enticed to take so many drugs when there is a welcoming pharmacy on every corner? You have barely walked by the last drugstore, when there is already another huge advertising board ensuring you that your health is to be found just within two steps away, at the newly opened pharmacy. However, there is good news! People are more and more aware of their misuse of medication, and thus the use of herbal medicines is gaining worldwide popularity. More than a growing trend for natural therapies, it is a collective desire to return to God`s ultimate pharmacy. An immemorial “lab” that has been overlooked for such a long time, but which now is coming into its own rights. An evident sign that this shift is unfolding day by day in the people’s consciousness is that, surprisingly, herbal medicine has gained its advocates among youngsters. Miruna Peticila is a Romanian young girl of 18 years, whose mother suffered for long of a serious health problem. A few years ago she tried herbal therapy after which her condition greatly improved. ”After I saw my mom`s amazing recovery, I was utterly convinced that nature`s healing properties are undeniable. Even though I myself didn`t suffer any serious condition so far, I`m sure that I would recourse to herbal treatment rather than the drug-based treatment”, she stated. Gabriela Radac is another youngster who is a great sustainer of herbs and alternative medicine altogether. A year ago she changed her lifestyle completely by following a healthy diet and exercising regularly. ”I
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Worldwide Focus Issue 4
didn`t change my lifestyle because I wanted to lose weight or to look better. I just wanted to try living a healthier life. I was not expecting such amazing effects. Herbs and plants are greatly responsible for this transformation. For me it`s not a popular trend, but a way of living my life. Tea and infusions are my favorites because they give me stamina for my daily workouts”, she declares with a wide smile of satisfaction. Whether it`s about phytomedicine, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic treatment or anything similar, it`s obvious that the plant-based medicine has gained major consideration in our society. Even conventional medicine has begun to look more carefully at the natural alternatives for some sort of ailments or disorders that seem to be without hope of remedy. “A bit of both works best. I am a conventional doctor who uses some alternative ideas in my practice. Unless working with the sick or dying, the uncontrolled consumption of pills can turn into a dangerous waste of time”, affirmed Viorica Popovici, a GP doctor with an experience of over 20 years in diagnosing and treating a wide range of diseases. No matter the course herbal medicine might take, it`s important to know that this is just a slight evidence of an awareness that is making its way at a global level. “We are standing on the threshold of human transformation at a level unlike anything ever before known on Earth’’, believes Gregg Braden, a notable American author of New Age literature. More than a transformation and a collective desire for effective healing, there is within us a dormant longing that had laid low throughout centuries. Through this “awakening”, Mother Nature is calling for us to claim our birthright, something that we have been entitled to ever since this Earth has been formed. By healing our bodies using the power of nature, we soar on the wings of our soul; a soul anxious to be free of weariness and worry. Thus, we are re-connected to the divine source of bliss and well-being that is offered to us by our devoted Mother Nature.
Eastern Europe
Text by By David Bond › in UK
Tourism’s Litter Problem: Are tropical islands in Thailand and Malaysia becoming victims of their own success? Since late July my girlfriend and I have been backpacking through Thailand and Malaysia, moving south from Bangkok along the magnificent coastlines these two countries have to offer. As we had little local knowledge we stuck mainly to the tourist areas, and so were able to witness first-hand the effects tourism has had on the region.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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There are of course both positives and negatives to tourism development, but what struck me in particular was the litter problem which threatened to sour areas of outstanding natural beauty that we visited. I have not undertaken surveys or conducted research - so my findings obviously cannot be taken as representative, but I did gain a small insight into the negative side of tourism. On many of the beaches we saw off the Gulf coast of Thailand, such as Hua Hin, litter seemed to be a problem due to the proximity of resorts to the beach. Litter synonymous with beach going tourists was widespread; such as empty cans, bottles, and cigarette packets. Further south on the Gulf coast we visited the islands of Ko Tao and Ko Samui. Neither had a significant beach litter problem, but there was a sizeable amount of construction material and waste present on both, especially Ko Tao.
I lamented the mess created through construction, but if I and millions of other tourists didn’t flock here then the construction would not take place on such a big scale. If there were no tourists whatsoever there would be no construction, save that built for the use of the original residents. These islands are becoming victims of their own beauty. A friend who visited Ko Tao around ten years ago told us how unspoilt the island was. I wonder how much it has changed since then? The litter is not enough to detract ever more people from visiting, so it is a problem that is difficult to solve. Although I cannot provide a solution, other than to encourage tourists to respect the areas they visit and leave them as they were found, highlighting a problem is the first step towards solving it. If there is more debate about the issues surrounding tourism there is a higher chance some of these issues, such as litter, can be solved.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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GALLERY
Text by Maria Lupu › in ROMANIA
World Symphony E A R T H Euphoria!
The Sun is rising, Earth is in anticipation. A majestic king and a meek slave. There is euphoria in the Sun`s mastery. There is elation in the Earth`s surrender. Awe!
Underneath the azure coverlet of the sky, Shouts of worship pay homage to eternity. An eternity glimpsed among sailing clouds, And sung by the soothing lyre of the Universe. Repletion!
In the brimful cup of Cosmos, Abundance and plenitude are to be found. Mother Nature`s fertile womb Gives birth and nourishes altogether. Tenderness! A lullaby is hummed by the scarlet dusk, While cradling, motherly, the entire world. Nature is an everlasting sanctuary where Care and comfort are tenderly delivered. Harmony!
Mother Nature is devoid of flaws. In its untouched nudity, none is left behind. Birth and sprout, death and fading‌ Everything is tuned in the chime of balance.
Photo: H. Raab
Photo: H. Raab
Worldwide Focus Issue 4
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34life
Text by Bogdan Zaharia › in ROMANIA
www.34life.org Living Through Trees
“We are part of that category of people which don’t consider the term “Eco” to only be a hip subject, but a state of mind, a daily manifest. We know the planet can’t be saved in a single day but it is in our power to act each day in order to make it cleaner, less polluted and more beautiful.” Humble, short and straight to the point. That is the first thing you see when you open www.34life. org, the site of an organization where the preservation of nature takes center stage. It took years for me to suddenly realize what ecology truly means, and how easy it is to give something back, to show a little gratitude towards the place you live in. And it was under my nose the whole time. Although the group is not backed financially by anyone in particular, it being a volunteering programme, and is active only in Brasov, Romania, 34life has achieved so much with so little in the span of 5 years.
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34life has enjoyed a steady growth over time, and has ranged from planting trees in various locations along Brasov to recycling plastic cups at the Oktoberfest event. Sponsors like Ursus Breweries and Vodafone lit the fire for 34life but the main purpose remains the same to this day: ensuring a healthy habitat. Surely the birth of this ecological organization couldn’t have happened over night. I was wrong. Enter Micu Radu, a former employee at Ipsos Romania and now living in London, England. 34life might be considered the brainchild of Radu’s long hard work, but it was later shaped by many other people who shared his views regarding nature. I had the chance to interview him online and his answers in a way summed up the essence of 34life. “It’s a funny story because it was a 5 minute chat and that was it. I was working as a senior programmer during that time (5-6 years ago) and I saw all the PMs just wasting paper printing specs on only one side and with all kind of crap, or not even canceling the jobs they didn’t want and so on, and I thought to myself how many trees are being cut for their stupid mistakes. I searched and I’ve researched all that stuff and I was shocked. I thought this couldn’t be possible and I was outraged”. That was all it took for Radu to take action. Soon he befriended Paul, a new hire, and now co-founder, and the rest is history. The idea of 34life in a nutshell is to plant trees. As simple as that. There are no catches, no pyramid schemes or even entry fees. You need to show interest in your
surroundings and involve yourself in the community. ”We just wanted to get the people out of their comfort zone (usually on the sofa with a TV remote) on the field to plant one tree, just one if they don’t want more and then if inside them something will spark it will be enough for us”, Radu says. Not only does volunteering help you stay in shape and gets you outside but it also educates you. This type of education is usually meant for children and is very helpful when it comes to understanding ecology, trees and paper. There are of course bumps in the road such as lack of money and more importantly, lack of time. Being a “side job”, it is very hard to focus your attention on one aspect and then leave one’s ‘real’ job in the dust. Most of the funds were drawn out from the founder’s pockets which eventually became a problem as well, but with the help of optimism and determination, they endured. And of course, you can’t plant trees where you want to so you need clearance in order to proceed. Still this hasn’t stopped them from planting: ‘’Yes, there are regulations that you need to obey and every local council has a zone long term plan and you need to have a chat with them before digging”, Radu explained. To this day, 34life have planted almost 5000 plants and recycled over 75.000 plastic cups. They have changed colours to green and ensured a healthy dose of oxygen for Brasov. When they next organize an activity, I will without a doubt grab a shovel. www.34life.org
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Eastern Europe
Text by Bogdan Ene › in ROMANIA
Planting Good Deeds: Reforestation as a Solution for Sustainable Development Writing this article, I could have talked about the deforestations going on all over Romania, its causes and statistics that are available on the internet, which support my views. But my aim is not to criticize and to show the dark side of things. Instead of this, I will begin with a rhetoric question: Is environmental protection really a priority for the European Union and Romania, as the officials claim to be? The answer may be negative, but this is not all the truth. In fact, we, the people that make up this country, are important and I’m sure all of us have something to say when it comes to dealing with nature protection and sustainable growth. If the authorities are unaware of this issue, we can change things, instead of waiting for them to act.
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And this happens in fact. One can see that with the passing of years people become more and more responsible and involved in environmental issues. And maybe the most influential and accessible way to fight the nature’s cause is to literally take the dig and plant some trees. Even though the results are not instantaneous, planting trees in the places where others have been cut off seems to be an efficient solution to long-term development. One such program of reforestation, called ‘We plant good deeds’ happens each year in Valcele, a village near the Romanian county of Covasna. Hundreds of people from all over the country gather, including many volunteers from the Volunteering Center in Brasov, to change something for the good, having in mind to build where others have destroyed. One of these responsible volunteers is Florin, who has decided to act because ‘it is something that has positive effects on the surrounding environment on the long term’. The activity goes on for many hours, while the volunteers plant seedlings of holm-oak, ash, limden, apple or pear tree, all of them in place of a degraded agricultural land. As Florin has stated, the benefits of such actions are numerous, as they prevent landslides, help nature against humanmade pollution, provide a chance for nature to restore its flora and fauna, and make people more aware of the complex, essential processes of growing and planting. Moreover, the teambuilding brings people together and they become more socially responsible. No matter how much we are interested in such topics, we should not forget what one of the most influential man’s on the planet, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, ex-President of the United States, has said: ‘A nation that destroys its forests it destroys itself. The forests are the lungs of the Earth, purifying the air and giving fresh powers to the people’. I understand from this that by harming the Planet we, in fact, attack our own lives and those of our descendants. We should think more of the environment if we want to live in harmony with nature and thus live a very happy life.
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Text by By Paula Osorio› in VENEZUELA
LATIN AMERICA
Why is the Tortuga Island Such a Special Place? Conversation with an Environmentalist in Venezuela Venezuela is one of the richest countries in the world, with a wealth of resources and a great variety of species and landscapes. But all the efforts seem to be concentrated on exploiting petroleum and the oil industry is the country’s main concern. At the same time other resources available are neglected and they can be damaged by the reckless exploitation. Tourism has never been fully developed in the country, though many national parks are in danger for the misuse and abuse of these natural reservoirs. A couple of weeks ago a very well known Venezuelan personality, famous for her travel guides and “secrets” on discovering the country, Valentina Quintero, couldn’t stop herself from crying in a TV interview because of the abuse of national resources, particularly in the Morrocoy National Park. She blamed directly the Chavez administration for not protecting the Venezuelans nor a world’s heritage site that represents a precious national resource.
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Natural resources conservation was a main concern of the State in the 1970’s. The government created institutions and delimitated the territory of protected areas and national parks. The country had a pioneer role concerning environmental protection on the continent and created an effective legislation on this matter. But the dynamics of political and economic fields seemed to have changed the priorities and the state today appears as one of the less concerned on environmental issues. Territories that had remained virgin until today are the blank of a political campaign to be exploited for touristic purposes. This is the case of the Tortuga Island, which was protected until 2008, when Chavez’s government started a project to build a touristic complex even with an airport, which was to damage precious natural patrimony. The Tortuga’s Foundation was the first to denounce publicly the impact of the reckless works and they won the battle and stopped construction in its initial phase. We have talked with one member of this foundation, the marine biologist Andres Osorio and we asked his point of view about the environmental impact and the importance of protecting Venezuela’s natural resources. He’s been engaged with environmental protection since the beginning of the 80’s.
Why is Isla La Tortuga such a special place? “Isla La Tortuga is located at the northeastern border of the Cariaco Trench (Fosa de Cariaco) this is the deepest point in the Caribbean Sea (up to 5.000 meters). The water column in the trench has a sudden temperature drop (thermo cline) which allows the column to renew the water in certain times of the year, when air temperatures drop during the northern winter months and cold fronts come down to the northern Caribbean. Colder water sinks and pushes the bottom, nutrient rich waters upward to the surface, fertilizing the waters and promoting plankton and fish life blooms. The phenomenon is known as upwelling. These particular conditions make The Cariaco’s Trench a very productive fishing area and where some 70% of the fishery industry of the Venezuelan coast is concentrated. The island is of great geological value since its geological formations are the best representatives of the Pleistocene Era in Venezuela. The island is a petrified fossil coral reef, containing thousands of fossilized species of coral and other organism related to coral reef life since the Pleistocene.
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New species were reported on the island and the Caribbean during the Tortuga’s Foundation expeditions. Plant adaptations and evolution amazed botanists from Venezuela as well from all over the world. New marine and land animals were also reported with especial adaptations and evolution features. The government’s intervention damaged several species such as Tubular cactuses by instance.
Isla La Tortuga is probably the most pristine marine environment in Venezuela and one that should be kept as such. Do you think it is possible to exploit tourism responsibly in the Island and if so how? Personally, I think that only the northeasterly area of the island should be considered to be open for recreation. Private boats from different areas of Venezuela constantly spend weekends and longer stays in other areas of the island, without any control. This is negatively impacting the ecosystem. Isla La Tortuga is probably the most pristine marine environment in Venezuela and one that should be kept as such. It is delicate and sensitive to human activities and in my personal opinion it should be protected under a highly restrictive, protective figure, which keeps human activities out of the island.
Is human presence always negative for the environment or can the ecosystem bare a minimal load (of visitors)? History has proven that humans are a negative presence in any environment. It is the only animal capable of making life-threatening changes in its surroundings. Nevertheless, certain changes and modifications are desirable in order to improve human life’s quality, but these changes have to be made within sustainability criteria to lesser environmental impact and assure conservancy of its original characteristics. Environment’s usage is necessary for food production, shelter and leisure but it requires rational use
and humans have the tendency of abusing and exploiting the environment, rather than conserving it. Only recently, has humanity taken concern over environmental considerations; only after the ecological damages are so immense that global impacts in climate patterns have created death, misery, starvation, disease and threats to human life and to their economic systems. Today with all technological advances and human intelligence evolution we have devised methods, plans, technologies and so on, to evaluate environmental impact; but disasters have occurred anyway. The April 2011 explosion of a BP platform in the Gulf of Mexico, posting itself as the largest oil spill in human history, is a case in point. There are probably hundreds of methods to evaluate environmental carrying capacity and to estimate the number of visitors and loads that can be placed on the environment; but the question is: Is man responsible enough to respect its own limits? Is man respectful enough of his fellows citizens, so as to impose environmental respect against human selfishness, greed and economic growth? History has proven that human egoism has prevailed over almost any other consideration.
Could you define the environmental status of Venezuela today? I consider that Venezuela is in an environmental crisis and in a state of environmental emergency. Although some people could consider the previous statement alarmist and exaggerated, there is a considerable amount of evidence that points the opposite. There are three main points that demonstrate it:
The potable water problem Almost all drinking water sources for heavily populated metropolitan areas of the country are polluted. The drama of the Valencia Lake issue is a tragedy. One of the largest bodies of water in Venezuela has been rendered useless. What could be the source for drinking water for the entire central region of the country, where 25% of the population of the country is concentrated, has been so polluted that it is useless. As a matter of fact, the waters of the Valencia Lake are so polluted that they are technically considered poisonous and fatally dangerous to human and any other form of life. Industry discharges from the Valencia and Aragua’s industrial areas have been contaminating the lake for the last 50 years. No stop has ever been put to this situation. Although water is treated before consumption, treatment plants are obsolete and
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My major concern is the future generations. I feel we have irresponsibly compromised the future of younger generations by destroying the natural patrimony of this country.
without maintenance, while incoming waters pollution loads are so great that treatment is partial and loaded with excess chemicals so that what is called potable water, is a colored, bad smelling liquid, capable of causing skin affections and other health problems. The evidence is overwhelming.
Inexistent Sewage Treatment Plants
to the placenta barrier, women working on the plant or married to workers of the plant gave birth to babies with gross birth defects. The tragedy was compared to that of the Minamata Bay in Japan where a similar mercury spill was reported during 1950. The case of Lake Maracaibo is very much the same.
Besides industrial discharges, another major water contaminant is untreated domestic sewage, which is discharged, not only in the Valencia Lake, but also in almost all bodies of public water in Venezuela. Sewage treatment plants are practically inexistent in this country. All major coastal areas of the country are contaminated with sewage discharges; no beach or recreational waters are practically available on the entire coast, where populated areas are settled.
What are your major concerns regarding the country’s environment?
The biggest environmental problem: the oil industry
For instance the loss of Morrocoy’s National Park coral reef is permanent. Coral reef are delicate, primitive, ancestral forms of life that have taken millions of years to become alive and to exist the way we see them today and in a few 50 years we have killed then in Morrocoy. That is irreversible. The oil industry in Moron-El Palito area is responsible for that.
The petroleum industry is the main source of income for Venezuela. Its economy is oil based. This industry is also responsible for the discharge of highly polluted effluents in receptors bodies of water in their vicinities. In the case of Moron - El Palito area, the petroleum industry has been discharging chemicals to the Golfo Triste area since 1957. Significant concentrations of mercury, lead, cadmium, vanadium, oils and carcinogenic hydrocarbons have been detected in water, fish, plants and sediments of the Golfo Triste Area. A case in point is the tragedy of Caño Alpargaton where some 70 tons of organic mercury where discharged in that creek for more than 15 years. The discharge was related to a chlorine gas production plant in PEQUIVEN. The catalytic agent, methyl mercury, was spilled in the plant and workers were exposed for years to high concentrations of the heavy metal, creating serious damages to their kidneys, livers and neurological system. Since mercury is permeable
My major concern is the future generations. I feel we have irresponsibly compromised the future of younger generations by destroying the natural patrimony of this country. If we cannot reverse this trend, and some of the damages may already be irreversible, the environmental assets of this country may be gone forever.
Are Venezuelan’s oil industry decision makers going to put environmental concerns, values, ethics and other considerations above cheap oil production? The past does not show that scenario as probable as the coral reef of Morrocoy is likely to remain doomed. Picturing viable solutions is not an easy task, but education is our only hope. We have to educate young people out of the rich mentality. We need to learn that Venezuela is not a rich country with unlimited resources. We also need the government and other leaders to realize that reckless exploitation of our natural resources, in order to exploit oil cheaply, will cost us our whole natural patrimony.
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