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Earth Time Now!
Earth Time Now! is the annual youth conference planned by SEN, held for the first time in 1997, funded by the EFJ. The objective of Earth Time Now! 1997 were to inform students about environmental issues and to give them an opportunity to voice their concerns to leaders in government and business. Earth Time Now! 1997 was problem-centered, in the sense that the students were introduced to a range of environmental problems affecting Jamaica.
Earth Time Now! 1998 Human Habitats was solution-centered. The Guest Speaker was Mr. Patrick Stanigar, architect and former Dean of the Caribbean School of Architecture who spoke on visions of a livable city.
Schools exhibited posters about their environmental club while SEN mounted a display of an Urban City called SEN Habitat. Five workshops were conducted. Students were placed in regional workshops discussing problems and possible solutions to environmental issues.
Training sessions included discussions about environmental issues as well as practice in moderating a group and recording the proceedings.
The theme of Earth Time Now 2001! was Kingston Harbour. (See Save Kingston Harbour Campaign)
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Kingston Harbour
The Kingston Harbour is considered to be the seventh deepest natural Harbour in the world. The Harbour is also one of Jamaica’s most important natural resource. Firstly, it is a major trans-shipment port for the region. It facilitates goods that are traded between North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. This means that the shipping and port industry in Jamaica is a direct beneficiary of the Harbour. In 1995, the total earnings generated by the shipping industry were US million.
Many fishermen use the Harbour to catch fish in order to support their families. In fact in previous years the average yield of fish caught was 50 kilograms. Research shows that in 1967 the fish caught was between 400 000 and 800 000 kilograms. In fact, Dr. Barry Wade in 1976 described the Kingston Harbour as “a highly productive body of water.”
The Harbour was once the major recreational area for many Jamaicans particularly those living in the Corporate Area. Almost 100 000 persons used the beaches annually in the 1980’s. Many persons recall days in which swimming in the Harbour was a favourite pastime. According to Dr. Wade “the Kingston Harbour is the most intensively used recreational facility in Jamaica offering the greatest range of attractions of any single environment in the island.” Activities in the Harbour included swimming, skiing, sailing, snorkeling and sun bathing.
The Kingston Harbour has the potential of generating well-needed revenue through tourism. Cruise shipping facilities could be developed that would attract over two million visitors annually. The waterfront can be developed to include sidewalk restaurants, expanding the craft market, duty-free shopping areas and the ferry service.
The Kingston Harbour could be established as a major educational and recreational area in Jamaica as it boasts one of the most diverse ecosystems in this hemisphere. In the past many different species of plants, mammals, reptiles, birds and fish could be found in the area. This included manatees, dolphins, oysters and shrimp. In 1967 studies showed that approximately 100 manatees were present in the waters.
Despite its many benefits the Kingston Harbour has suffered from constant degradation over the past four decades. The main pollutant of the Harbour is sewage. In fact, this constitutes seventy percent of the problem. The two functioning sewage plants in Kingston-Greenwich and Western offer only primary treatment. A good primary treatment plant only removes 30% of the pollution load. This means that the sewage is not adequately treated and is therefore considered hazardous to human health. Currently between 16 and 20 million gallons of sewage is deposited in the Harbour each day.
Other pollutants of the Harbour include solid waste that is mostly deposited from gullies and industrial waste from the factories along the Harbour rim. Ships often deposit hazardous waste in the Harbour, further adding to its destruction. There is also a problem with agricultural run-off, which finds its way into the Harbour via the gullies. Sedimentation has affected the Harbour over several years, in particular the area around Hunts Bay. As a result, Hunts Bay is now considered to be “biologically dead”.
Despite the high levels of pollution that exists in the Harbour there is still hope for a comprehensive rehabilitation. This initiative will have to be spearheaded by the Government but supported by all our citizens. It is with this belief that the Student Environment Network has committed itself to ensure that the Jamaican public is sensitized to the state of the Harbour and its importance to the nation. In this way a lot can be achieved if we all unite for a common cause.
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