News Year's Eve

This year while we were home for a few weeks at Christmas we experienced a large number of family visits. This was the main reason for flying home and we were not disappointed. We thought of some resolutions that would make positive changes in our life and are determined to see these to the end. It was a time for seeking solutions to our health and our weight which seemed to just  increase without us taking steps to modify the end result.

Beyond the personal agenda I had some very heavy resolutions to help frame one of Canada's growing problem... the environment. This foolish government appointed a former broadcaster to oversea our most critical portfolio - the environment. Mr. Kent seems like an okay person but lacks vision and is a puppet to the plans that the prime minister lays out. The government will do anything and everything to create jobs, even at the expense of Mother Earth. Our once wonderful environment safeguards were the envy of the western world  This Prime Minister has done everything to erode the system by taking away the funding to oversea the vast problems of the oil patch.

The oil patch is our greatest ugly environmental issue and the government is making it easier for companies to continue to leave tremendous amounts of water and earth pollutants that scar the pristine water and tundra area. It sickens one to see the mess they leave. Yes, they have show places where everything looks just fine, but it is estimated that only 4 percent of the earth is returned to an acceptable level.

Animals and birds suffer and die as the mining proceeds with wild abandon. I have seen first hand the results of the carnage done to the earth by these greedy oil barons. This year I shall write letters every week to the respective groups to help correct the terrible mess we have created.

This appears to be the age of the First Nations and their demands are reasonable and I can only wonder how long they have to wait to have their treaty rights recognized and acted upon. We as Canadians have a solemn duty to take the treaties signed years ago seriously, and to bring the people affected into the Canadian fold with all the rights and privileges contained therein.This is just a beginning as we must take measures to hold the Government accountable.

Repeating a Failed Policy

The Canadian government seems to have a problem with the returning military men and women from their combat mission in the far east. Already our minister of defense and the prime minister are talking of creative ways to utilize these seasoned military personnel on their return to Canada. So far they collectively think that we, Canada, should send these assets to countries in Central and - more particularly - South America to aid in the fight in the drug wars and help stabilize matters in Columbia and other countries that we recently signed trade agreements with.

It is interesting that these countries are not asking for help and in fact Mexico and other southern countries are considering making drugs legal and thus solving the crisis they are having with the drug lords. It is also significant that all the countries being considered have huge mining developments with huge Canadian interests. Could we be following the American policy of having troops in countries where they say they have interests of national security?

Large international companies always look to have the support of their military to protect their monetary or financial interests. The Canadian Government has a policy of making our future well being on huge development of our mineral and oil resources by international or foreign capital. Many of these mining ventures have a short life and when the minerals are mined we are left with an environmental mess and the profits are safely in foreign hands.

The USA has always had the policy of protecting their big business by the use of it's military and has led to terrible and destructive wars. Case in point would be Iraq where a whole country was destroyed with huge loss of life and info-structure. However the oil resources were protected and were in production shortly after the war ended.

I might be a good plan to have the military return and retrain for peaceful missions in our far north and in countries where natural disasters occur. We would once again be seen in the world as the wonderful country we really are. Our status on the world stage could be recovered and once again we could be leaders in the free world in matters of the environment, peace keeping and independent of the American influence which seems to control Ottawa politics at this time.

Dr. Suzuki

One of the most respected men in the world and without doubt the most respected and influential in Canada in matters related to the world environment and health of our planet. If you have read anything about this great man during the past 40 years you will realize that when he is upset, he has good cause.

The path that this government is taking with regards to the safety nets established for the protection of our citizens and the country as a whole, causes him to be distressed. Never, during his lifetime, has he been so aggressive in his attempts to bring the people together to stop the rape of our environmental system, and to try to have this government return to a democratic process, if changes are required.

Dr. Suzuki is adamant that the direction of this government is trying to make Canada more friendly to big business by dropping the requirement,s such as impact studies and due diligence, when a company wishes to do business in Canada. During the last months, the government has made cuts to the most essential safeguards. Even the way our food is processed and inspected will be of major concerns as the number of budget cuts will make it impossible to guarantee proper safeguards for our citizens. All this is being done in the name of a so-called budget.

This government will not face the house members in proper debate and in question period. Their every answer is scripted by the PM's office. Today we have a handful of the PM's cronies who act as the only body able to make decisions for the Canadian people. Many of these same people were part of the hated Harris regime in Ontario, and now they are acting the same way in Ottawa. This small block of men are not Conservatives, but are really the core of ultra right-wing group who stole the party away from the true Progressive Conservatives.

Cracks are forming in the party and members are hearing the complaints of their electorates and will demand change. Already some members are publicly asking for changes in the way the budget is being presented. I feel that this unrest will become more clear when the press do their job and the ordinary citizen sees what is going on. Dr. Suzuki is leading the charge. We should become informed and aid him in his desire to bring Canada back to its democratic roots and change what is taking place in Ottawa.

Check out the David Suzuki Foundation website to learn how you can help.

Spring

Nearly every celebration or festival connected to spring flowers or trees has had to make adjustments.  Flowers, trees and shrubs are coming in at least two or three weeks early.A scientist who studies these things says that the wild bees are coming out of their hives 8 days early. Birds ans animals are also nesting and having their young earlier. There must be some concern at the pace global warming and climate change is occurring.

Satellite pictures of the north and south poles shows a drastic change in the ice patterns and yes the oceans are rising, slowly but rising for sure.Here in Florida the weather people keep saying that we are experiencing summer weather in the spring time. Every day records are broken and the Arizona receives 26 inches of snow.Odd and irregular behaviour patterns of weather catches us off guard. Tornado's in march, huge rainfalls in the southern states and so on.It makes for good conversation.

We cannot individually do much about it but our life styles can make a tremendous difference collectively. It is something to think about.

Weather Conditions

With 10 days into January and not a speak of snow there are problems brewing. We had a few cold days but my Swiss chard is still edible and the fish ponds are only partly frozen and the fruit trees are about to bud. We have had years like this before and the confusion caused the weather to ruin the cycle of the fruit trees.  Close examination of the garden soil shows frost only inches down and earthworms and other life is still flourishing in the compost boxes.

I plan to spray the oil and sulfur on my fruit trees this week if we have a warm day. I usually do this much later but it seems like a good plan to get an early start before the trees actually bud. On one of the colder days we experienced a infusion of robins which I guess were heading south. It seemed a little late as most of their food source is gone. Flocks of other birds were also seen mainly slate juncos but they did not stay.

My small fish ponds have had a cover of ice several times and the fish went to the bottom but this week they are free of ice again and the fish are lively. confused and thinking it is spring. With such a late onset of winter we are probably seeing a new pattern of climate change. The ski hill operators as experiencing horrid conditions and their main income time is over as the Xmas break used to be the chief financial start of the season.

We can observe, talk about and predict the weather but in the final analysis we are helpless as mother nature has a mind of her own.

What a Joke

I always thought that to show leadership you presented your best foot forward to show your commitment to the project. If it is finance you have a person who understands the financial issues and is able to  lead. If it is transportation you find someone who can lead in the field to show your commitment to the position. In the world today there is no greater issue than the environment. Every country in the world is concerned and willing to become involved in a solution.

In Canada we are not the worst polluter but for decades we have been a leader in pushing the green house gas agenda and offering world class leadership in the field. We have world recognized advocates who have made the world environment their life,s mission. For the last ten years we have become a catalyst for emerging nations to cling to the hope that a solution was available. We were a beacon of sober judgement on our own wasteful and dangerous contribution to the problem. Our rush to use our natural resources in the tar sands to float the economy of Alberta and the huge oil interests has clouded the federal policies to the degree that they have taken the retro step in dropping out of the one solid program called Kyoto.

Many observers have come to the conclusion that our governments dropout was motivated to cover up the lack of progress in meeting their expected goals set out in the treaty.

Our government positioned a cabinet minister who knows how to read scripted notes to frustrate parliament when the environment is going to hell in a hand basket. Instead of having a world class person leading the way for the world and shouting from the mountain tops of the need we have appointed a good, well respected person to this task and immediately turned him into a puppet. How sad to see Peter fumbling for his scripted papers when asked a question. Freed to be open and aggressive for his mandate he could be a tower of strength and could return Canada to its place in the world as a positive force rather than a eunuch when it comes to our environment.

There are people and groups who are watching this charade in parliament and will not be silenced. My new year's wish for the environment is that individuals in Canada will carry the torch and become greener in their own life and aid and abet such projects that further our move to a cleaner and more sensitive society and hope that some sense will come to our leadership and tip the scales in favour of our Canada.

Protecting The Arctic Or Plundering??

I have been hearing a great deal about our desire to protect the environment of the fragile Arctic lands. Because of climate change and global warming the possibility of economic development of resources is now on the table. Our government spent a summer complete with photo ops of our recent concern for the Far North. Yes there are huge natural resources to be found or developed in that area which makes up to 30% of our geographic foot print.

Now that the North West Passage is available for several months of the year, economic benefits are available. Huge or vast reserves of oil and gas  can be found in the waters surrounding Nunavut. Hungry eyes and greedy oil companies see the money to be made and our government is awakening to the fact that pressure will be made to make these resources available.

The time to act to protect these Canadian benefits was years ago but that being said we still have time. The first thing that should be done to keep the faith is to protect the people who have lived there for 10,000 years and give them the same right to a life with clean drinking water and a health plan that meets Canadian standards. Education and training for the local populations must be a priority for the new found jobs  or they will be left behind once more. These people know how to live in that harsh climate and is the greatest natural resource for that country in the future.

Legislation must be put in place to protect the fragile environment. Oil will be the great gift but the most dangerous element in the north where ice covers the water and land for many months of the year. There are three things that must be done to make sure we do not have a tragedy like the one suffered in the Gulf of Mexico.

Every well to be bored over water must have a relief bore hole at the same time as the producing bore hole. The relief bore hole would be made so as to be made operational within one day of a blowout. Next there has to be a cleanup plan to be completed before freeze up. What a tragedy if this was not done. Look to Russian problems caused by not doing this very thing. The third one is to make sure the permitting system protects and demands that every possible environmental condition can be verified and inspected on a regular basis. Recent cutbacks just recently withdrew the water quality inspectors leaving us with a system of self regulation. Crap..we all know the record of international capitalism; it must be regulated with service performance bonds. Oil companies will cry about the costs but they have plenty of money and make huge profits.

The tar sands have been developed before regulations have been put in place and regardless of what the oil company add say they are not sufficient. Less than 2% of the water used by these oil companies is returned into the water system in proper condition. The are trying but in many cases it is too late. Go to Fort McMurray and witness the mess. This can be avoided if we take care of business now.

The True North Strong and Free is part of our national anthem and should   be part of our commitment to that part of Canada which has so much promise.

Being Canadian

Driving home from Florida this year was a little different as I was alone with my GPS partner who kept me on the correct road. I had time to think and talk to myself and I ended up thinking about being a Canadian. As I crossed the border at Buffalo there was a certain feeling about being home. I felt safer, and relieved to be travelling on our roads with our security.

I was coming home to a federal election. NHL playoffs, some health issues in our family and a garden to be nurtured back to the standard I like. All this is part of being a Canadian. Without a conscious effort I compare events outside Canada with how it would be in Canada. Without exception I feel the strength of our way of life and our connection to our institutions are far and away superior to those found abroad.

Although we have become closer in some ways to our American counterparts we are distinct in a clear way when it comes to how we perceive our responsibility for our fellow Canadians. We feel for our poor, our sick, our disadvantaged because of education or circumstances beyond their control and we share like no other country in partnering to come to the aid of people in need around the world.

Our Canada must always be wary of leaders who would attempt to lead us away from this blue chip way of life and into circumstances that would make us less sensitive to the global community and our responsibility to be a leader in securing a better way of life for those less fortunate. Several issues come to mind where Canada made commitments to end the AIDS epidemic in Africa and the world move to control negative environmental issues.

We are major contributors to the problem of producing green house gasses in our desire to produce oil to meet the hungry world needs. These Canadian natural resources are being gobbled up by foreign interests without receiving much benefit except some jobs.

The third issue is clean water. There should be a clear national policy on fresh water and soon,  as water will be more precious than oil in the near future. We are sewards of a large portion of this resource and it should be shared in a meaningful way to benefit Canadians and the whole world.

Being Canadian is very exciting as we can be big players in the global scheme of things. Our young people have a challenge and a share in this great future.

Climate Change

There seems to be more and more evidence of the dynamic effect on our lives and economy from climate change. This month we read and see evidence of flooding all over the world. Closer to home we have severe flooding in Manitoba and New Brunswick as well as a host of other places where the degree and severity do not warrant national news coverage.

The potential for economic ruin in the flooded areas is real and if the act of nature were to occur several years in a row we could be in real trouble. In South East Asia this year up to 40% of the farmland was flooded and there will be no or lesser crop yields of rice in this rice economy.Already there are forecasts of world level difficulties of providing food for millions of people. Europe and its bread basket were hit with similar problems where crops were supposed to be less than half in many areas.

Without belabouring the point we should be doing immediately what we should have been told to do years ago and prepare for the changing climate challenge. With world concerns turned into world action plans we have the resources to cope with the situation. Resources now used to build and buy guns can be used to make butter. I read a book years ago and it talked about the choice of guns or butter and it describes the situation we find ourselves at this time.

I wish to think that our world and national leaders could work together and solve the challenges we have before us.It is a sad commentary on our civilization when leaders waste fortunes on guns and their countrymen are starving. Case in point is North Korea where one of the largest armed forces on the planet exists and thousands are in danger of starvation. All over Africa the same condition exists.

Mother Nature holds the upper hand in this theatre and we must work with her to co-exist on this planet earth.

Composting

In the last ten years there has been a concerted effort to make the system of collecting garbage and sorting recyclable materials for further use. Our dump (land fill site) is state of the art and we the people benefit from the effort to redirect usable materials. All across Canada there is a move to use the science to make us aware of the impact we have on our environment. Large cities and small villages are doing their part to make it work.

As a believer in the science and a follower of re cycling mode I have since the opportunity availed itself made the pilgrimage to the landfill site to reap the benefits of the program. Every year Theresa and I go to the land fill site and bring a donation to the food bank and load up with compost. They say seven bags but since I use barrels I get large bags of compost. It has made my garden and trees very happy and we look forward every year to belong to the program.

Our town has being doing this for 11 years and every year I have been a participant. The difference is that eleven years ago there were a few people and now there is a lineup. What a wonderful way to make garbage a viable product and everyone who participates a winner. We love the program and wish everyone would join.

The Rich Get Richer and You Know the Rest

The past years the governments of the free world propped up the financial institutions of Bay Street and Wall Street to the tune of trillions of dollars. Where did the money come from? You the taxpayer who are now asked to tighten your belts because the Government has given away your future. These corporations have just made profits twenty percent above their best years with your money. The American and Canadian Governments have made policies to make sure the corporations make profits for their shareholders. We are not the shareholders.

The governments of Great Britain, Grease and other countries just brought in budgets which have cuts of 25 percent. The cuts are for cutbacks on the poor and the middle class. We are going to pay for the rich to become richer while the poor will become even poorer. Government here and abroad protect the capitalists who control the wealth of the world. Canada as a country has tremendous wealth because of its resources. They are owned by all Canadians but exploited by a few international companies. INCO was the world's biggest producer of nickel and is now owned by a corporation in Brazil.

The men have been on strike for nearly a year but the foreign corporation has been operating the company on scab labour. Why? Because our governments support capitalism. The workers are just a means to profit.

The other night on TV a Republican Senator apologized to BP Oil for the disruption of their drilling and oil production. With this mindset it is difficult for our youth to have any confidence in government protection of the people they serve. The G8 are meeting and these countries control most of the wealth of the world. They promised to help Africa with their health problem, mainly HIV and AIDS. These countries never lived up to their promises and when they did they sent outdated medicines to these people. A Canadian, Stephen Lewis has devoted his life to the women of Africa and is world renowned for his effort.

He is ashamed of our government for not meeting their commitment and pulling out of their future work by stipulating that abortion will not be supported by funds from Canada. Teenaged girls are raped as acts if war and have to bear children from this terrible situation. We were sponsoring a program that would see these unfortunate souls being cared for by clean clinics. Otherwise a high percentage will die from infection in the back alleys of Africa without proper care.

Let us hope the (legitimate) protesters are heard during the G8 and G20 talks, and ordinary people will benefit from the Billion Dollar Conference held in Canada.

Vital Vegetation

The Gulf of Mexico is under attack by an oil leak that is so bad it will impact the bordering states for years if not generations.In the bordering states, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Missouri there is near panic as the oil blobs are washed up on the beaches. This is the good news as the people are able to capture the mess and bag it. The real problem is with the wetlands. We usually see these states depicted as having pristine,sandy beaches. This is true but the real truth is this makes up a small portion of the coastline.

Most of the coastline is composed of mangroves or marshes. When oil penetrates these areas it is impossible to clean it up causing eventual death to the nursery of the gulf. The mangroves are unique in as much as they grow in salt water and become home to nearly all fish life. The mangroves protect the young hatching's from predators and become the nursery. Even young alligators spend their early life here in the mangroves.

The marshes are composed mostly of saw.grass, a tough grass that accepts salty or fresh water and again is home to the young life. Many fishes lay their eggs in these marshy areas. With oil penetrating these areas all life ceases. Economically the marsh which is home to shrimp breeding becomes a key factor for the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.

Since these vegetation forms are the key building blocks for life in the gulf there is worry for the future of this beautiful spot on the map. There seems to be no quick solution to the problem and frustration becomes panic. I wonder what mother nature thinks when she is attacked in such a brutal and insensitive manner. Again greed for the almighty dollar superseded the need for proper safeguards. Corners were cut and and in some places not activated as this tragedy not only cost precious lives but destroys the future for so many types of life.

We all see the tragic pictures of the birds but this is only the tip of the problem. This is not oil as we understand it to be but more like brownish peanut butter in its crude state. We hope that this disaster can be controlled before It gets any worse. Projections show the oil slick will escape the gulf and work its way along the east coast of the USA reaching Canada's Maritimes sometime in the future. There is something to be learned here as we in Canada just authorized drilling to be started off Newfoundland in conditions much more hazardous because of the challenges there. Storms, drilling at depths exceeding 8,000 feet, icebergs and other unknown difficulties make us a sure candidate for disaster.

The Price of Oil

These days we are bombarded with news reports about the tragic oil spill in the Gulf. A month before we came home from Florida President Obama gave permission for drilling offshore in the Gulf. The restriction was that drilling could be offshore one hundred and fifteen miles. The BP tragic explosion killed many workers, caused an environmental disaster and killed the offshore drilling in Florida. The order next day rescinded the okay for drilling.

The impact of this oil spill will be felt for an undetermined time depending on the ability to shut the oil spill down. The Gulf States have already been hit so hard by hurricanes and floods but this makes all that happened in the past pale by comparison. Th e wildlife , both above and below the waters of the Gulf will be forever changed and birds which were just recovering from spraying and pollution may be wiped out for a long time.

What staggers my mind is that the Canadian government has just this month issued a drilling program off Newfoundland which is even deeper by half than this disaster and not a word has been said. The G8 and G 20 billion dollar mistake has captured the news media eye. Could we be heading for a similar disaster off the east coast? YES. YES. YES. There is no proper controls in place as the big oil industry has been permitted to regulate itself. Since the oil industry in Canada has tremendous resources and hold deposits of over a third of the known reserves we must be diligent. The largest involvement in our oil patches are foreign. Even China with its thirst for oil has a monetary investment in our oil.

Mother Earth must feel very sick over the way we have used our stewardship seeking the almighty dollar over good common sense. Maybe, just maybe there are enough people sickened about the way this tragedy has been handled to make a difference. Lets hope so for now and the future.

Earth Day

Earth Day has been celebrated for about forty years and the results are significant. The fact that there is a designated day when we center our mind on planet earth has created interest in making our area a better place in which to live. Young people are impacted to most and are dedicated to making a difference.

We as youngsters celebrated Arbour Day and we planted trees and cleaned up around our school or nearby parks. In a way this was the beginning of awareness day or Earth Day. Stories depict our earth as a sick place which needs fixing. There is still time and will to make the changes necessary.

We live across from a single dad with a ten year old daughter. They relate well and are together much of the time and I hear conversations from time to time. Last week as she arrived home from school she confronted her father and asked what they were going to do for Earth Day.

He asked her what she wanted to do and she said, "something together to make the earth a better place". He seemed interested but said he was very busy and he would take care of it on the weekend. This satisfied his daughter for the time. Come Saturday morning I could hear the loud voice of the little one saying, "you promised me " and I knew he was trying to bypass the promise.

Almost to the point of being rude she pushed the point and they left to buy a tree to be planted in the backyard. Two hours later the tree was planted and the yard cleaned up. I overheard her saying to her dad, "thank you, and we will do this again next year". It was the school awareness program which made that event happen in yards all over Cape Coral.

The youth of the country will lead us through the future and make this earth more healthy for the next generation.

Camping on the NWP (con't)

Long before any sane person would get up I heard the trashing about of some hungry dogs. There were several dogs along for the ride as safeguards for polar bears. These dogs are able to smell bears miles away and bears can smell seals and food twenty miles away if the wind in correct. I poked my nose out of my bedroll and reached for my clothes. It is important to dry out your clothes every night to ensure their safe for wearing. The high Arctic is a desert and very dry. Clothes will dry even at very low temperatures.

The air in my tent was probably below forty and getting the courage to slip into my clothes was an effort. First my caribou pants and then the three layers of army issue sweat shirt and sweater. In a minute I was warm. My final outer wear would wait until after breakfast.

As I emerged from my tent laughter greeted me as everyone was ready to move on. Breakfast was hot oatmeal, beans and caribou and tea. Bannock is a staple and with canned jam and is prepared at every stop. Cooked in a frying pan and loaded with fat it is the perfect food for the north. Two babies we being fed by their mothers and cold did not stop the process. Young kids were given caribou ribs to chew as we travelled. Even at a very young age Inuit children learn to eat country food. Dry meat and fish are favourites of the very young and the very old.
Re-packing our komiticks was done carefully. Everything was patted clean of ice or snow and packed in a way for easy access for the next stop.

Our guide Ikey told us to stay close, meaning within sight for the next while as the ice in this area was subject to currents and open water. He also advised us to check our loads to make sure everything was tied down as we were travelling along the shore and from time to time we would have to mount the banks which we very steep.We lengthened our tow ropes to 60 feet to make sure the komaticks would not run into us when we had to stop or return to the ice. Many people are injured by being hit by their komiticks when stopping.

The snow machine can stop quickly but a loaded komitick weighing 12 to 15 hundred pounds has a great force and no brakes. After a quick check Ikey gave the signal to proceed. He put me up front with him to keep an eye on me. So far I was doing ok but the next hours gave me a real challenge. A light breeze came up and small swirls of snow followed us as we made our way across the ice. At this moment I was in heaven experiencing the adventure of a lifetime.

Moving along at 25 mph over rough ice was shaking my bones and putting a real strain on my arms and legs. I checked my watch and it was 5:30 am and our next scheduled stop was 8:00 am. I wondered how I would feel. Ikey signalled a stop to prepare for a run up the bank to land. It was dark so all I could see was what appeared in my headlight. He told me the bank was 60 feet high with a ridge at the top. Get up to speed, 40 mph and do not stop until you get over the ridge or you will have a problem, a big problem.

Ikey moved off at an ever faster pace and after ten minutes the land tilted upwards. Now I could see the ridge with Ikey on top. I thought I would never make it but with the machine wide open I climbed and gained the ridge. I moved out of the way and one after one came over the top.

One machine choked and never made the ridge. Everyone raced to the rescue and another machine was hooked up and with lots of help they made it. The machine blew a piston so tent was set up quickly and several men began the repair job. Tea was boiled and jovial conversation was made and a certain amount of attention was given and directed towards me. Little English was spoken except when I asked a question or was told something.

We were falling behind schedule so one of the men radioed ahead. The return message said we were heading into a small blizzard and to be careful.One hour later we were on our way full of warm tea. We shortened our ropes while over this land and closed our distance between machines. There was a quick stop and several shots fired and word came to us that two caribou were shot so fresh meat was had for the next break.

My mind wandered as I saw these Inuit so happy and resourceful in their environment. I would never be one of them but I was determined to learn and respect these first nations people and to try to live as close to nature as I could. The many hours we managed to travel was like a dream with my whole world being that space lighted by my one snowmobile light. In the open sections we seemed to be like a long caravan snaking through the snow with the sound of our high pitched motors breaking the otherwise silent landscape.

I had to go to the bathroom but there were no gas stations or even a tree. At the next stop I shall solve the mystery of bathrooms breaks in the Arctic in mixed company. (To be continued )

Nature's Balance

In a recent blog I described the tragedy of people releasing their snakes and other invasive creatures in the Florida Everglades. Their rapid explosion in numbers startled the rangers who monitor the glade. Last month there was a huge cold snap that lasted nearly 10 days. Temperatures reached lows in the upper twenties and early thirties. The Burmese Pythons and African Iguanas have died by the thousands. It was estimated that half of the invasive animals died during this time period.

This kill off did not eliminate any of these invasive creatures but shows that South Florida may not be a good place for these creatures to live and multiply. The fish population which also has been impacted by people dumping their pets in the wetlands caused concern. During the past weeks millions of non native fish have died. Vultures and gulls have been seen in numbers eating this veritable banquet in the glades.

These unwanted guests were reminded that this is not Burma, Ecuador or Africa. Specialists estimate that half the creatures and more than half the fish perished in the past month but were quick to say the worst is not over. These invasive creatures and fish have the ability to adapt over a number of generations and feel at home here.

Silver Carp, another invasive fish have taken over the Mississippi watershed and are only miles from the Great Lakes. This could be the worst case of an invasive fish species invading an area where it is not wanted. Besides the economic impact on the sports industry there is an unbalancing of the natural environment. We must be careful before dumping unwanted pets into natural habitat.

Resilient Farmers

Ten days after the coldest day in southwest Florida's history, the farmers' market opened. All the usual items were on sale but because of the frost damage there were some quality loss. The farmers were talking to their customers and explaining that the damage was not dangerous or inedible, only a little less attractive.

It was interesting to hear the exchanges between the farmers and customers. Numerous questions beginning with, "what do I do with my" ...."which was frost damaged". Time was taken and excellent advice shared by all who asked. People bought the corn with tips damaged, tomatoes with tiny black spots and peppers slightly wilted. It was the people who were saying keep up the good work and we support you.

In many cases the prices were lowered to make up for the lack of quality in the produce - we never cared. We wished to keep this market viable and we empathized with our farmers. This tragedy was a natural occurrence and nobody lost their life, only their living for a time.A couple of hundred miles to the south there was a human tragedy of mammoth proportions and the result was the loss of so many people,s lives. So when we look at our situation it fails to even register in comparison to Haiti.

World events make us realize that we are people of the planet and everyone is impacted when some of us experience pain and suffering. We hope there will be lessons learned from the Haiti earthquake and we will plan for situations in a more constructive way. No blame can be cast but everyone realized the lack of co-ordination and leadership caused many needless deaths. In our world with climate change about to cause many huge destructive situations we need a world plan to provide aid to the victims.

Tip of The Iceberg

Climate change has come upon us so quickly that we haven't had the chance to really assess the implications. Here in Florida where frost was only a word in the southwest we have had vivid evidence of the changes. The last few years we have had heavy ground frost with killing results in the agriculture industry. The beaches which are the great natural resource for the tourist industry were naked for almost two weeks and the water temp. dropped to the fifties in the otherwise warm Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical vegetation is being devastated and native grasses are killed by the frosty mornings. Records dating back to 1895 were broken and people are beginning to wonder about the future. Personally I have observed the change as I have been planting tender crops at least twice a season for four years.

Native fish have died by the thousands during the past weeks and the Snook and Tarpon season has been closed for the rest of the year. Other changes are evident as well and our experts are sorting out the data to help us understand.Climate change will have a profound impact on how we live during the next decades. Our sun belt may experience modifications to the products they can grow and some land will surely become useless for agriculture altogether.

Northern areas of Canada may become productive and fill some of the gaps left by dramatic changes. Every day we hear about doom and gloom connected with climate change but be reassured that there will be positive changes as well. We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Brown Greens

After the heavy frost hit Southwest Florida a transformation of the countryside took place. Almost overnight the green lawns and trees turned brown. Nowhere was this more noticeable than at the golf courses where the perfect, lush grass on the greens turned to a chocolate brown. The courses recently went through the over-seeding process to prepare for winter.

This causes the greens to have a different texture after cutting and insures a good quality grass to please all the northern golfers who come for winter respite. Theresa and I play with a group of seniors every Friday and for many it was the first time they saw brown greens. The speed and texture was the same as live grass but the illusion caused many to say they would not play there anymore.

We got used to it after few holes and were surprised to find little or no difference from live grass. We better get used to it as it will take several months to correct the situation. Brown lawns are everywhere and after the initial shock there was acceptance as we are victim of the climate change. There will be a saving of water and other fertilizers so that will be a positive benefit. So we have to get used to brown greens and lawns, at least for the time being.

Asbestos

A multi million dollar road project has been put on hold pending an investigation about asbestos found in some of the fill used for the project. Small amounts were discovered by inspectors monitoring the project. Work was halted even thought the fill used was to be covered by feet of other material. For this action to be taken supports the idea of just how dangerous a commodity we are dealing with.

Years ago the use of asbestos was banned in Canada for building projects. Schools and other public buildings had to be cleansed of this material and huge amounts of money were allocated to this end. The very use of the word asbestos brought bad thoughts to mind because of the deadly effect it has had on people who breathed the deadly fibers only to find lethal results years later.

In spite of the evidence and laws banning its use in Canada the government turns a blind eye to the export of this commodity to other countries like India and China. In these countries there is wide spread use of asbestos as a hardener for concrete and building materials. Few or no special care is taken during these processes and workers are in direct contact with this material daily.

Perhaps the asbestos lobby from Quebec is so strong that it has become a political hot potato. With all conscience, to turn a blind eye there must be fear on the part of the government to lose votes if action results in dollars being lost to the lethal industry. This double standard is present in other policies where votes outweigh common sense.This is not a 2010 problem but for many years every government has neglected its duty to act and act responsibly.

The other issue is the tar sands and our greatest contributor to pollution and climate change. Since the USA imports 40 per cent of its oil and gas from Canada and Alberta fills its coffers from the royalties there is little incentive for the government to act in a responsible way. There is a huge lobby for lack of control in the oil patch and it is not likely to change. This is the reason Canada has eased up to the American policy on global warming and forsook its independent stand on the world stage.

These issues are not new but it would be helpful if our government would face these issues in the new year and bring about productive , creative resolution to an otherwise destructive situation