This time I just can’t walk away from the most perilous topic- timber logging. Timber trade is the biggest threat to biodiversity loss. 46.4 % of the world’s forests have been lost in the past 100years. (Source: Nature).
Scenario.
The UK imports 90% of its tropical timber from these countries-
Brazil- 35%
Indonesia- 35%
Malaysia- 20%
Cameroon-3%
Other tropical countries- 7%
(Source: Eurostat) that whopping 90% of import is actually squeezing the lungs of planet earth (I couldn’t stress enough!) making it hard for us to breathe……
Another shocking truth is that, only 1% of the import is legal, the rest is laundered in by false documents. Indonesia has already lost 40 million hectares of forest as a result of timber logging. Illegal logging level in Brazil (often described as the lungs of The earth) is 80%, Indonesia 73% and Malaysia 35% (Source: FOE)
Discussion.
I have given you the scenario, now why is this happening? Why is everyone just closing their eyes at this sensitive issue? Are you not feeling the heat? Haven’t you noticed that summers have gone hotter and humid?
I could imagine the reasons such as poverty probably, easy money, without much labour, or the real issue of corruption. So why aren’t the authorities such as forestry department taking steps to planting trees in this barren land? I have heard policies like, plant a tree when you chop off one, does that work out anywhere? Anyone working in the forestry department in the tropics, please be true to yourself, try and make a difference from now onwards, say no to illegal logging. The Government has to come forward and implement strict policies and also create awareness amongst the local people about the importance of these assets. It is often ignorance and corruption that lead to illegal logging. Campaign programmes should be in full swing in these sensitive areas.
My personal opinion is that, a tree is a life like any other living being on earth, but much more importance to be given, because it replaces the carbon dioxide that we exhale and provide us with fresh O2 through this wonderful process called photosynthesis. Next time you buy a new piece of furniture, ask for the details, like whether the raw material is legally brought in no matter where you reside. So start worshipping your forests, for the count down has already started ………………
Please leave your comments as usual, it means a lot to me, and thanks for your time.
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Gold Digger!
The world is moving towards reaping short-term benefits. Let me start with a simple example battery eggs; did you ever imagine that the consumers would turn to the real life-story of these poor souls crammed up in cages just for the profit of its owner? These days nobody wants battery eggs, instead free-range eggs is the norm. Back to basics…huh? Like farming your own crop within your own land. How wonderful would that be?
What were the scientists/ innovators across the world doing with regards to long- term benefits? Do we classify them as profit hunters as well? Because all they do is create a cluster of books and research papers stack up the libraries and they earn millions for their so called “Discovery”. Risk assessments and the whatnots existed, but did anyone give a damn?
Population explosion, cheap air tickets, car loans, genetically modified crops etc are some of the dire aspects that we have to deal with today.
Population explosion (which stands at 6 billion today) could have been avoided if proper measures were adopted to educate the unknown, i.e.; considering the number of doctors across the world. For e.g.; my father was awarded with some certificate and gold medal for his achievements as a project leader in family planning when he was young (I wasn’t around at that time!!). By the time you move on people get sedentary selfish and forget about what’s happening around and snuggle up to their own comforts. Now he’s far away from social service! My point is that if people were to get into social service at least for a few hours a week during the weekend, it could make a huge difference upon any aspect in the long-run.
Cheap air-tickets which were not there a decade ago, now you can fly to any destination in Europe with a few quid and the internet has made it even cheaper! But then again, no long term goals. Now the environmentalists are out to fight it out, against the CO2 emissions smothering the European skies!
Car loans, cheaper car insurance, making it easier for anyone to purchase a car and again adding up to the CO2 emissions day after day. So does anyone, the so called “intellectuals” think about the long term goals? Or is it human nature? I don’t know!
67 million hectares of crops cultivated worldwide are genetically modified, of which 60% are in the US. I have already written about GM foods previously (you can look up on top 10 posts). The labelling regulations for these foods do not require disclosure of ingredients which is how they existed until now. What a con….eh? Profit hunters! Mutual understanding I presume! And we consumers stand the biggest fools! Next time when you are having that pre-packed food, milk shake, ice-cream…..beware! Dairy products are the biggest target. You must be wondering, then ‘what will I eat?’ The answer is “Organic Food”. Again back to basics. Farming and cultivating your own food!
Intelligence and moral conscience has to go hand in hand…..that’s what I think, I could be wrong. I just don’t give a damn if you are a scientist/ doctor/ astronaut/ techie/ business person, unless moral conscience and un-selfish motives are there in you. Do you think these short- term benefits are inevitable? Or is it time for mankind to switch to “back to basics”. Or do we just carry on as if its none-of-my-business? What do you think? Expecting your valuable comments as usual. Hope it wasn’t boring!! Even my mind would wander…..in terms of short-term benefits!!! My hard core decision making skills, my negotiating skills, my quick thinking, my forward thinking, would all be put to test!!!
What were the scientists/ innovators across the world doing with regards to long- term benefits? Do we classify them as profit hunters as well? Because all they do is create a cluster of books and research papers stack up the libraries and they earn millions for their so called “Discovery”. Risk assessments and the whatnots existed, but did anyone give a damn?
Population explosion, cheap air tickets, car loans, genetically modified crops etc are some of the dire aspects that we have to deal with today.
Population explosion (which stands at 6 billion today) could have been avoided if proper measures were adopted to educate the unknown, i.e.; considering the number of doctors across the world. For e.g.; my father was awarded with some certificate and gold medal for his achievements as a project leader in family planning when he was young (I wasn’t around at that time!!). By the time you move on people get sedentary selfish and forget about what’s happening around and snuggle up to their own comforts. Now he’s far away from social service! My point is that if people were to get into social service at least for a few hours a week during the weekend, it could make a huge difference upon any aspect in the long-run.
Cheap air-tickets which were not there a decade ago, now you can fly to any destination in Europe with a few quid and the internet has made it even cheaper! But then again, no long term goals. Now the environmentalists are out to fight it out, against the CO2 emissions smothering the European skies!
Car loans, cheaper car insurance, making it easier for anyone to purchase a car and again adding up to the CO2 emissions day after day. So does anyone, the so called “intellectuals” think about the long term goals? Or is it human nature? I don’t know!
67 million hectares of crops cultivated worldwide are genetically modified, of which 60% are in the US. I have already written about GM foods previously (you can look up on top 10 posts). The labelling regulations for these foods do not require disclosure of ingredients which is how they existed until now. What a con….eh? Profit hunters! Mutual understanding I presume! And we consumers stand the biggest fools! Next time when you are having that pre-packed food, milk shake, ice-cream…..beware! Dairy products are the biggest target. You must be wondering, then ‘what will I eat?’ The answer is “Organic Food”. Again back to basics. Farming and cultivating your own food!
Intelligence and moral conscience has to go hand in hand…..that’s what I think, I could be wrong. I just don’t give a damn if you are a scientist/ doctor/ astronaut/ techie/ business person, unless moral conscience and un-selfish motives are there in you. Do you think these short- term benefits are inevitable? Or is it time for mankind to switch to “back to basics”. Or do we just carry on as if its none-of-my-business? What do you think? Expecting your valuable comments as usual. Hope it wasn’t boring!! Even my mind would wander…..in terms of short-term benefits!!! My hard core decision making skills, my negotiating skills, my quick thinking, my forward thinking, would all be put to test!!!
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