[Coral-List] African proverb RE: Approaching game over
Sarah Frias-Torres
sfrias_torres at hotmail.com
Fri Mar 23 10:21:40 EDT 2012
A colleague of mine just shared an African proverb. In view of the recent emails on this thread, I wanted to share it with you.
"If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't spent a night with a mosquito"
Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Schmidt Ocean Institute Postdoctoral FellowOcean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) 1420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA Tel (772) 467-1600http://www.teamorca.orghttp://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres
> From: julian at reefcheck.org.my
> To: dave at fuzzo.com; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:08:24 +0800
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Approaching game over
>
> ....and to add to Dave's list of questions at the end, when can we really
> expect to see governments around the world siding with the environment when
> making a choice between business and environment, when push comes to shove?
> Witness the European carbon tax on air transport. While it was just a
> theoretical idea, it was popular. When it was first introduced, it was
> popular....but when China suggested it might NOT buy Airbus because of the
> tax its lustre started to fade, then the airlines themselves started to pile
> in...will the tax survive? I doubt it. Witness the problems we have been
> hearing about from Dean on Majuro. There are many examples of governments
> caving in on environmental issues once business interests start to lobby. Do
> they always provide "scientific" arguments?
>
> We recently started to make an argument to do something about nutrient
> pollution on one of the islands here that was an economic rather than
> scientific argument. The science was there (Reef Check surveys, water
> quality testing data, surveys by experienced international consultants) but
> was ignored. So instead of thinking about a "cost" of RM 2 million, we
> suggested looking at the problem as "protecting" over RM 100 million per
> year in tourism revenues. Framed like that we started to get more positive
> responses. Not everyone likes the idea of making it an economic argument,
> but what if that works?
>
> Regards
>
> Julian Hyde
> General Manager
> Reef Check Malaysia Bhd
> 03 2161 5948
> www.reefcheck.org.my
> Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rcmalaysia
>
> "The bottom line of the Millenium Assessment findings is that human actions
> are depleting Earth's natural capital, putting such strain on the
> environment that the ability of the planet's ecosystems to sustain future
> generations can no longer be taken for granted."
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of David M.
> Lawrence
> Sent: Thursday, 22 March, 2012 2:02 AM
> To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Approaching game over
>
> Thanks for the preaching, Mel, but I think it is a demonstrable fact --
> almost a law of nature at this point -- that engaging in hyperbole and
> throwing the occasional insult actually increases the odds of being called
> upon to speak out on a topic.
>
> The scientific community can continue to ignore reality as long as it likes,
> but any serious student of modern media can find countless examples of
> speech far more extreme than Sarah's rather mild comments not just being
> used, but in fact dominating public debate and thought -- this trend has
> been increasing since, say, the 1980 presidential campaign. (And there have
> been countless examples in the past if one bothers to study, say, mainstream
> media portrayal of minorities.)
>
> There are quite a few examples of both sides using such speech --
> effectively -- in the environmental arena, too.
>
> Bringing it back to coral reefs, the questions she poses are legitimate..
> How will use of tar sands (still the better term, despite the modern
> marketing) affect climate, ocean chemistry, and the like?
> And how can we effectively communicate with portions of the public whose
> mind is inclined to be closed to considering the value of marine resources
> far from their front yards?
>
> Later,
>
> Dave
>
> On 3/21/2012 10:55 AM, Mel Briscoe wrote:
> > "Once the Keystone pipeline is operational, it will be game over for
> > Earth's climate and for the coral reefs."
> >
> > I doubt that the extreme hyperbole is a good way to communicate your
> > concerns to decision makers.
> > They simply do not listen to Chicken Little.
> >
> > "initiate a conversation with someone who still has a working brain in
> > there"
> >
> > A truely wonderful way to get someone to listen to you.
> > Sarah, your emails are now in the (permanent) public record.
> >
> > Given your stated attitude, I doubt that you will be called to
> > testify! This squanders your knowledge and passion.
> >
> > Sorry.
> >
> > - Mel
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Sarah
> > Frias-Torres
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 10:22 AM
> > To: coral list
> > Subject: [Coral-List] Approaching game over
> >
> >
> > Dear Coral-ListersI think we are approaching game over.
> > President Obama will announce tomorrow the permit approval for the
> > southern portion of the Keystone XL
> > pipelinehttp://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/03/21/exp-early
> > -myb-k
> > eystone.cnn
> > This is a pipeline operated by TransCanada, that will connect the oil
> > sands in Canada with U.S. oil refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. While
> > the approval is still pending for the portions of the pipeline that go
> > through the U.S. heartland (and one of the most valuable aquifers in
> > the country), approval of the southern portion of the pipeline means
> > that, unless something dramatic happens, the pipeline will become a
> reality.
> > Once the Keystone pipeline is operational, it will be game over for
> > Earth's climate and for the coral reefs.
> > When you follow the debate about this project, it's interesting to see
> > that scientists are almost non existent. Reporters talk about
> "environmentalists"
> > and use the words "believe" to frame the consequences of using the
> > Canadian oil sands and the pipeline. As if environmentalists are
> > running around in some mystical trance, playing with crystals, singing
> > kumba-ya, and using their believes to "stop the progress of America".
> > Whereas the statements from the oil companies are framed as facts.
> > They even go to the extend of saying "Canadian oil sand use will
> > diversify the country's energy resources".
> > Where are the climate scientists, the marine scientists, the coral
> > reef scientists in this debate? Are any of the top scientists on those
> > research areas talking to government officials, warning them against
> > using the oil sands?I don't know if Canadian scientists have
> > approached the Canadian government asking to reconsider the use of oil
> > sands. If they had, it didn't work.
> > Considering the U.S. is the largest fossil fuel consumer in the world,
> > you would expect top scientists have approached the government and
> > demonstrated this madness has to stop. I'm not aware of a commission
> > of top scientists speaking up... the Union of Concerned Scientists seems
> missing in action.
> > What can we do?
> > July brings the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium. I wonder if
> > this will be the last ICRS held while there are still living coral
> > reefs out there. Besides the many activities during the Symposium,
> > those attending should think about the 13th ICRS, in 2016. If nothing
> > changes, the Keystone pipeline will be operational, the Canadian oil
> > sands will have had 4 more years to burn, and so all the other fossil
> > fuel burning all around the world.Maybe the 13th ICRS will be renamed
> > as the "International Coral Reefs We Used to Have Symposium"
> > Perhaps the world renowned scientists attending the upcoming ICRS
> > could draft a letter to both the U.S. and Canadian governments,
> > explaining the major environmental damage of oil sand usage, for land
> > and marine ecosystems, willing to provide their scientific expertise
> > to answer whatever questions politicians might have... maybe it can be
> > signed up by those attending the Symposium.
> > Or perhaps, some of you in this list can get into the power circles in
> > either government (or knows someone who can), and initiate a
> > conversation with someone who still has a working brain in there.
> > Or maybe someone in this list has a better idea on how to deliver the
> > message.
> > Think about it. Imagine if scientists could really change the world.
> > Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Schmidt Ocean Institute Postdoctoral
> > FellowOcean Research& Conservation Association (ORCA) 1420 Seaway
> > Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA Tel (772)
> > 467-1600http://www.teamorca.orghttp://independent.academia.edu/SarahFr
> > iasTor
> > res
> >
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> >
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> --
> ------------------------------------------------------
> David M. Lawrence | Home: (804) 559-9786
> 7471 Brook Way Court | Fax: (804) 559-9787
> Mechanicsville, VA 23111 | Email: dave at fuzzo.com
> USA | http: http://fuzzo.com
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
> "All drains lead to the ocean." -- Gill, Finding Nemo
>
> "We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo
>
> "No trespassing
> 4/17 of a haiku" -- Richard Brautigan
>
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