Time to change our toxic culture Published: Sunday, December 7, 2014 According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, using 2012 data, T&T is in the top ten among men for cancer incidence. Apart from building an Oncology Centre, what are we doing to research why we have such a high rate of cancer? Certain chemicals which are banned from use in other countries are widely used on food crops here in T&T. It is causing a silent revolution towards organic produce. The problem, however, is that many locals think that organic means “grown yourself” as opposed to not using chemicals. In some countries there are rules governing the time between spraying and harvesting and, of course, what chemicals can be used. I remember a speech given by the late president, his excellency Noor Hassanali, dedicated to the environment at an opening of Parliament one year. The speech was dedicated to one topic rather than the usual range of ills that need rectifying. Like so many other aspects of life in T&T, it is made harder by what V S Naipaul calls the “ebullience and irresponsibility” of our society. Our leaders anxious for widespread approval are quick to indulge negative behaviour rather than dissuade against it. Some initiatives to protect the environment have been coming from this administration, like the hybrid vehicle tax break, Cepep marine, the hunting moratorium, CNG buses, and the proposed beverage container bill. On the other hand, one of the first measures taken by the Government was to allow the importation of older vehicles into the country in an attempt to make them more affordable to consumers. This has had the effect of bringing more vehicles on to the already congested roadways and bolstering the toxic fume emissions throughout our airways. Perhaps even worse is that it has eroded the discipline level required to own a vehicle, resulting in a breed of driver with little regard for the vehicle as well as the lives that may be endangered by it. Cigarette butts are tossed out of vehicles to damage large areas of plant life after doing the internal damage to the smoker. Neither the roadways nor the Licensing Division has been up to the task of managing the roll-on, roll-off onslaught. Meanwhile, between the dust and the fumes, pedestrians are left to see the air that they breathe.The removal of the fuel subsidy on premium fuel has further created an incentive to use older vehicles while punishing the driver opting for premium. In larger, more developed countries, managing large volumes of people and waste is crucial to sustainability. We need some more active interventions such as state land for recycling businesses, tree planting rather than mere ornamental plants, and measures to discourage dumping. There are many creative solutions in existence already such as, legislation to include a disposal fee on electronic items at the point of purchase. We just need to get started doing something and changing the toxic culture we have developed over the years. Rishi-Nirvan Balroop Diego Martin Letters Source:: Trinidad Guardian The post Time to change our toxic culture appeared first on Trinidad & Tobago Online. #trinidad
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 09:20:44 +0000
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