A summary of the major environmental problems and threats in SVG
The human body is made up of the heart and the brain. These two organs are essential for humans to exist. The environment can be equated to the heart and the brain because without a clean environment humans, animals, and plants would not exist. The “environment” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is not a popular topic for most Vincentians. This is one of the reasons why we are encountering some environmental problems and threats in SVG because some people don’t care about the environment. Climate change is accelerating from green house gas emissions from developed countries and is a serious problem to us in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The issue of droughts and powerful storms and hurricanes as a consequence of climate change keeps appearing every year. How prepared are we for a hotter, drier climate in the future, resulting in less rainfall which would affect the supply of water in homes, schools, businesses and the farming community? Are we putting plans in place to upgrade our building codes to withstand powerful storms and hurricanes? Hurricane Beryl should remind us that during the hurricane season, storms and hurricanes should be taken seriously. Climate change also puts our coral reefs at risk of “coral bleaching” which would affect the marine animals and fishermen’s livelihood. Flooding in various communities and water logged soils are also impacts of climate change. Grey water which comes from homes and businesses ends up in the ocean causing “eutrophication”. Grey water has phosphorous which fuels eutrophication in the streams and the ocean. The lack of organic farming being practiced in the farming community and from back yard gardeners also impacts our environment.
During heavy rainfall, the chemical fertilizers and pesticides on farms would be leached into the streams and the ocean which also causes “eutrophication” and the presence of pesticides in the streams can be lethal to the marine animals, coral reefs, and the biodiversity in rivers. This could also affect our drinking water. Rivers supply us with water, a polluted river would affect the quality of our drinking water. The construction of pig pens in rivers is another factor of eutrophication. Pig waste is rich in nitrogen which contributes to eutrophication. Pig waste being emptied into the streams would also contaminate our drinking water and cause ringworms on persons bathing in the river. Instead of washing the pig waste in the river, have you ever thought of using it on the farm which would reduce the chemical fertilizers? The nitrogen in the pig waste adds nutrients to your crops. Removing sand from the beach for “construction” can be very catastrophic. Sand is a habitat for crabs and sea turtles use the sand to incubate their eggs at the beach and to hide their eggs from predators. A reduction of sand from the beach could cause a reduction in sea turtle population putting them at risk of “extinction”. Sand also alleviates coastal erosion. During a storm or hurricane, the sea would get extremely rough, which would cause the sea water to come further into land. The sand at the beach would reduce the potent waves which would mitigate loss of lives and damages to properties.
There is a high demand for charcoal mainly because of an increase in persons selling barbeque. This could lead to deforestation. Deforestation is not good. Deforestation would wash away our rich fertile soil for agriculture, it would also affect the quality of water in homes and schools. Nobody wants when they turn on their pipe the water is brown like the river. Some other factors that lead to deforestation are clearing lands for agriculture, urbanization, logging, infrastructure development, etc. Proper management of our forest resources are very imperative. The establishment of coal pits in residential areas should not be tolerated. Coal pits should be far away from residential areas. The smoke from coal pits could cause respiratory problems and affect persons who suffer from sinus and asthma. St. Vincent and the Grenadines have an increase of vehicles on the roads. More vehicles result in more vehicle tyres to be discarded. Dumping vehicle tyres in the environment would be a habitat for mosquitoes, rats, and cockroaches. Burning vehicle tyres contributes to climate change and it causes respiratory problems. Vehicle tyres can be used for making asphalt which would make roads more sustainable. Creative persons also use vehicle tyres for making chairs, tables, etc.
Sargassum sea weed is a headache for fishermen and beachgoers. A heavy influx of sargassum sea weed on the beach smothers sea grasses and coral reefs, it tangles up fishermen motors, engines, nets and their lines. It also affects nesting sites for turtles. Sargassum sea weed at times gives off a foul odour which smells like “rotten eggs”. Some countries have been making soap and fertilizers from sargassum sea weed. Plastic pollution blocks the rivers and the gutters which causes flooding. It is also very unsightly at the beach and in the environment. Plastics in the ocean is a threat to our marine life, fishermen’s livelihood and even our health. The litter act needs to be executed to deter persons from littering in the environment. When we litter in the environment, do we also litter in our homes? A failure to take care of our environment would haunt us at some point. The environment would give back the same treatment that we give to it. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a beautiful country, let us take care of our environment and preserve our natural beauty.
