We Magazine N° 13

MAGAZINE

WORLDENVIRONMENT.TV

13

No 13 / FALL/W

INTER2014/2015

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orldenvironment.tv

WORLD ENVIRONM

ENT MAGAZINE

Climate ChangeAntarctica

Not Just Ice and Ocean

BrazilWater Woes, ClimateChange and Security

The DeeperShades ofWhite

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WORLD ENVIRONMENT MAGAZINE is available online at www.worldenvironment.tv

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Chairperson, Andrea Tucci, [email protected]. Editorial Director, Cathy Chami Tyan, [email protected] Editorial Project Coordinator, Mona Samari, [email protected]

Editing, Nathalie Rosa Bucher Concept & Design, RAIDY | www.raidy.com Photography, Afif Abi Chedid, Bkerzay Project, BLOOM, Bob Zuur, Diego Fernandez Gabaldon, Jihad Chanehsaz, John Weller, KZ Architects,

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Printing, RAIDY | www.raidy.com Publisher, World Environment Group Copyright, The articles become part of the magazine’s archives. Further publishings on other issues must be authorized by the editor following the author’s consent

ISSN 17379229

CONTENTS4... ContributorsThe People whoMade this Issue

6... ForewordCathy Chami Tyan

8... About our Cover ArtistThierry Mangin

10... BookReviewsThe Books we Loveto Read

12... BookReviewsFocus

Biodiversity

54...How wePassively Observeand ActivelySupport theFastest Large-Scale Destructionof all Times

60...Into the DeepWhy 21st CenturyGovernanceis Needed on theHigh Seas

68...Colossal Findin AntarcticaMythical High SeasSquid Found Frozen inAntarctica

72...AntarcticaNot Just Ice andOcean

Ecotourism

126... A JourneythroughParadise UnspoiledBeaches of theWorld

Eco-Living

164...BeirutBikeathon 2014A Great Success

166...Agenda

168...URL page

Climate Change

14... The DeeperShades of White

34... BrazilWater Woes,Climate Changeand Security

40... Apiculture inLebanonGlobal Warming,UnbridledDevelopment andHazardousAgriculturalPractices AffectingBees andBeekeepers

48... DustDuinoon the Move

Waste Management

76... Bullet ProofArtFrom War to Love, aVisual Recyclingof the Ugly into theBeautiful

Around the Worldin Photos

81... Myanmar

Green Economy

106... UnitingPrivate Investments ConservationProjects

120... SustainableArchitecturalSolutions Boosting aCountry's Economy

Photography Thierry Mangin

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Steve Campbell is the Campaign Director for the AntarcticOcean Alliance. He has nearly 20 years’experience in environmental and social changecampaigning. Steve has worked forGreenpeace in Australia, Papua New Guinea,China, Indonesia, Europe and the Pacific, aswell as working for numerous grass roots

organizations in Australia. Steve holds an honors degree in lawfrom Macquarie University, Sydney.

Mona SamariOriginally Tunisian, and born in London, Monacomes from a human rights and environmentprotection background, with over ten years'experience as a campaigns andcommunications professional. Over the years,Mona has worked on a number of human rightscampaigns with a special focus on access to

information, freedom of expression and whistleblower protection.As part of the International Partnership Group for Azerbaijan, Monaworked on the release of imprisoned Azeri journalist EynullaFattulayev, who was awarded the 2012 UNESCO Press FreedomPrize. More recently, Mona established the Middle East Office ofARTICLE 19 in Tunisia and organized workshops for journalists inrural areas of Tunisia on how to guarantee freedom of expression inthe new constitution.In addition to human rights work, Mona has been working on majormarine conservation campaigns since 2007, with a special focuson commercial endangered species conservation in Europeanwaters and more recently, Antarctic ocean conservationcampaigns. Mona was further more involved in the launch of theArab Youth Climate Movement in 2012. In her spare time, shecurates art exhibitions in London.

CONTRIBUTORSSebastian CopelandSebastian Copeland is an award-winningphotographer, explorer, author, andenvironmental activist. Sebastian has ledexpeditions across the Arctic Sea,Greenland and Antarctica, covering over8,000 kilometers on skis over the ice andearning four world records in the process. An

international speaker on the climate crisis for more than adecade, Sebastian has addressed audiences at the UN, atuniversities and museums worldwide, and many Fortune 500companies, warning of the systemic transformations takingplace in the polar regions due to anthropogenic activities, andtheir geopolitical consequences. Sebastian has been noted asa photographer “who has produced works that are ofoutstanding artistic merit and communicates messages ofurgent global significance." Sebastian sits on the board ofdirectors of President Gorbachev’s Global Green USA.

William Shubertis the Senior Project Coordinator forInternews' Earth Journalism Network. As acoordinator of a global network ofenvironmental journalists, William helpsmake tools that enable people to connectwith each other, find material support, andamplify their local stories to global

audiences. In his previous position at National GeographicMagazine, he coordinated translations for the magazine's 32local language partners. He holds a degree in geography fromHumboldt State University with concentrations in cartography,environmental economics, and Chinese studies. Outside ofwork, he devotes his time to the development of a free schooldedicated to community building through education and tocollaborative mapping and audio projects.

Nathalie Rosa Bucheris a features writer with a passion for theseventh art, a keen interest in culture andmobility, as well as social andenvironmental subjects. Half French, halfGerman by origin possibly explains whyshe is drawn to divided countries and

diverse societies: she called Cape Town in South Africahome for over a decade before coming to Beirut.

John Welleris a critically acclaimed photographer, writerand filmmaker whose work ranges from sharkprotection in Micronesia to Ross Sea(Antarctica) conservation.Weller has been a SeaWeb Fellow since 2005

and was named a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation in 2009.His library of Ross Sea photographs has been used byconservation organizations all over the world, published indozens of magazines and publications, including NationalGeographic; and showcased at the 2009 and 2011 AntarcticTreaty Consultative Meetings. Weller also produced a short film,which was a finalist in the 2010 Blue Ocean Festival.

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Bob Zuuris a marine biologist and a Marine Advocatefor WWF-NZ (Worldwide Fund for Nature). In1977 he spent three months in a tent on theice near White Island, south of Scott Base,studying the growth of fish living under theice. Ever since, he’s wanted to championand protect this magical and precious place.

He’s worked with the New Zealand Ministry for theEnvironment, Department of Conservation, Ministry ofAgriculture and the Ministry of Fisheries. This included work onthe effects of fishing on marine mammals and seabirds,Antarctic policy, and heady stuff such as climate change andoceans governance. His current work with WWF focuses onfisheries, offshore oil exploration and seabed mining, and onincreasing protected areas in our marine environment.Bob is a skilled nature and event photographer and is apassionate windsurfer and motorcyclist.

Lieutenant CommanderOliver-Leighton Barrett,United States Navy (Retired)Oliver-Leighton Barrett is a SeniorResearch Fellow at the Center forClimate and Security, where he focuseson the impacts of environmentaldegradation and climate change on the

stability and security of states and populations, with anemphasis on Latin America. He is also the founder ofJanus Advisory Inc., a company that provides advisoryservices to federal agencies. Most recently, he led a multi-author effort to draft the Pentagon’s Environmental andEnergy Issues for Militaries report – a collaborative multi-national assessment of the impacts of climate change onLatin American and Caribbean militaries’ operations andinstallations. A retired naval officer, Oliver began hismilitary career as an enlisted U.S. Marine deploying toSomalia in support of humanitarian assistanceoperations, and later, flew reconnaissance missions insupport of Operation Enduring Freedom. He worked asan advisor to U.S. Southern Command for six yearsmanaging partner nation public-private cooperationoutreach efforts, technology programs as well asenvironmental and energy security initiatives. Oliver isalso a Contributing Writer for Foreign Policy Association,with published articles on fragile states, environmentalsecurity and emerging diplomacy and defense issues. Heresides in Miami, Florida.

Diego Fernandez Gabaldonis a humanitarian worker with the United NationsWorld Food Programme (WFP) currently basedin Nairobi, Kenya. He has served in Darfur, Sudan(2004 - 2007), West Timor, Indonesia (2008),Afghanistan (2010 – 2011) and Kenya (2011).While living in communities devastated bytragedy, Diego gathered images of the day-to-

day life of Darfurians, West Timorese and Afghans, capturing theirbeauty, resilience and humanity. Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife,Spain, Diego is an economist by profession, and worked with theSpanish Embassies in Iraq and Thailand, before joining WFP. Diego’s pictures can be found at: www.diegofgphoto.net

Sherine Boueizis a dynamic international professional with akeen interest in wellbeing and a passion fornature. A psychologist by profession, she hasworked for multinationals in the United Kingdomand in the Middle East on various corporatecommunications projects, such as CorporateSocial Responsibility and development. She is

also devoted to activities involving health and relaxation therapies,like TaijiQuan or natural treatments, all with the aim of improvingthe quality of life.

Mariejoe J. RaidyGrowing up in a region known for politicalupheaval and uncertainty, Mariejoe advocatesdoing business in the MENA region in a way thatis environmentally responsible and ethicallydriven. As partner in Raidy Printing Group, shespearheaded an effort to adopt innovative, eco-friendly printing techniques while maintaining

their leading position in High Quality Security Printing, PublicationsPrinting, Packaging and Commercial Printing. Mariejoe has alsopartnered with Creative Lounges, a branding and new mediaagency operating from Europe around the world, and has alsohelped them become a green company while growing their portfolioin the MENA region. Working with the American LebaneseChamber of Commerce, she helped create the “Better BusinessGroup” in Beirut, which encourages Lebanese individuals andcorporations to adhere to a code of business ethics. Mariejoe is also the Head of the Communication Committee of theLebanese League of Women in Business – a network hub of theMENA Businesswomen’s Network, and Child of Lebanon, an NGOfor the protection of Children in Lebanon.

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Fall/Winter 2014/2015

FOREWORD

Melting icebergs, animals losing their natural habitats, adepleting ozone layer, and global warming are but some of theproblems associated with the degradation of the environment. Once again, World Environment (WE) Magazine brings you aseries of articles about Antarctica to mark the fourth year inwhich the marine protected areas are up for discussion at theannual Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic MarineLiving Resources (CCAMLR) meeting in Hobart, Australia. WE Magazine hopes that the members of the commission willfinally be able to reach consensus and grant protection to theRoss Sea and East Antarctica. When WE first started publishing, management of the high seaswas still a topic only discussed within the closed circles ofnegotiation rooms – today, the issue of management of the highseas is finally receiving the attention it deserves, with anupcoming United Nations (UN) meeting.Mona Samari’s article and Claire Nouvian’s organization BLOOMgive us an in depth analysis on the harm caused to the high seasby overfishing and climate change.In this edition we share with you snapshots of works producedby two critically acclaimed photographers, writers, andfilmmakers: John Weller and Sebastian Copeland.World renowned polar explorer and activist, Sebastian Copelandprovided us with an exclusive story on his experience inAntarctica, and the effects of climate change on this remote, butfragile part of the world. Sebastian's feature contains a uniqueselection of some of the incredible photographic art works hehas produced and which have contributed to bringing thisremote icy continent to the forefront of international attention.Furthermore, our section dedicated to Green Economyhighlights the business leaders of conservation leaving their markon our geographical map. It portrays noteworthy examples ofsuccessful sustainable development and ecological solutions tothe loss of cultural heritage, ecosystems and biodiversity.Finally, through the eyes of an amazing photographer, DiegoFernandez Gabaldon, we take you on a colorful photographicjourney of Myanmar and to the most beautiful preservedbeaches of the world. All the articles you will find are examples ofgrowing excellence in ecology, slowly but surely shaping ourenvironment. - Cathy Chami Tyan, Chief editor

WORLD ENVIRONMENT.TV

MAGAZINE

Thierry Mangin was born in Noumeain 1975 and is still living in NewCaledonia. Mangin became a visualartist in 1992 and first exhibited in1993 at the Cadr'in gallery inNoumea, subsequently taking part innumerous group exhibitions. Porcelain painting, drawing,watercolor, acrylic, and oil paintingwere the first techniques he used toexpress his art through, depictingfuturistic and cosmic Caledonianlandscapes, inviting the spectator todream. He exhibited a series of oil paintings,futuristic visions of New Caledonia,entitled "Sauver le Passé pour leFutur” (Saving the Past for the Future)in 1997. He adapts his art to a morecontemporary form around 2007. In2010 he participates in the event"Tomber Les Murs” (Bringing DownThe Walls), a group exhibition inNoumea, paying tribute to the fall ofthe Berlin Wall.He subsequently participates in groupexhibitions with photographic work aswell as calls for proposals at theNoumea Art Centre "Art etSubversion” (Art and Subversion) andKo Neva at the Jean-Marie TjibaouCultural Centre for "l’Art est un Sportde Combat” (Art is a Form of MartialArts) and "la Culture en Harmonieavec la Nature” (Culture in Harmonywith Nature).The artist has a deep interest in thenatural environment that surroundsus. Committed citizen and artist thathe is, his creativity is intimatelyintertwined with the urban and thenatural environment, to the individualin contemporary society and tospirituality he loves through his workpushing the limits of freedom ofexpression.

Mangin won the first prize for the NewCaledonia Congress greeting cardaward in late 2010, shortly after theMelanesian Arts Festival exhibition"Quai des Arts". The techniques usedin his works include acrylic, oil oncanvas, painting on translucent sheet,linocuts, installations, paintingphotographs, clay sculptures, muralsand photographs and he hasbecome well-known by theCaledonian Institutions through thesubjects and the themes covered inthe many group and solo exhibitionsin which he participates. GET STUPID, his latest solo exhibitionwas held in 2012 and a great successwith the Caledonian Institutions and

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ABOUT OURCOVER ARTIST

THIERRYMANGIN

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the public. The Southern Provinceacquires works for its collection, theMayor of Noumea does the sameand the Congress of the NewCaledonia Territory acquired thecenterpiece of the exhibition: a largeformat canvas depicting primevalforest. In 2013, Mangin was selected for aproject called "Festival des Arts Pays”(Arts Country Festival) initiated by thegovernment of New Caledonia. Heexhibited four works presenting fourculinary identities of four ethnicgroups in the Territory of NewCaledonia. This first edition of the“Festival des Arts Pays” had "Cultureand Citizenship, Living Identities,

Shifting Identities" as a theme and itsobjective was to rally the people of thewhole country around a unifyingcultural project. The idea was, as partof the festival, to discuss theconcepts of citizenship and identity inorder to explore the concept of acommon destiny. He also participated in several groupexhibitions including two related toviolence against women, the respectfor nature and the rehabilitation offormer mining sites where Nickel usedto be mined. In 2014, the artist emphasized youthand promising young artists in severalcommunities of New Caledonia in aproject called "Je Suis Une Ame

d’Expression Massive”(I Am A Soul OfMassive Expression); a travelingexhibition that highlights themessages of the youth and theirvision of contemporary Caledoniansociety. He furthermore participated in thegroup exhibition "Noumea 2174"organized by the City of Noumea onthe occasion of its 160th anniversary,exhibiting two large photographs thatare presented in this issue of WorldEnvironment magazine: Thierry is also an artistic and culturalyouth caseworker .Passing on his artistic know how ispart of the approach taken by thiscommitted artist.


MAGAZINE

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New Media in NewEurope-AsiaEdited by Jeremy Morris, NatalyaRulyova, Vlad Strukov

This volume offers an in-depthinvestigation of the role of new mediain the political, social and cultural lifein the region of Europe-Asia. Byfocusing on new media, which isunderstood primarily as internet-enabled networked social practice,the book puts forward a political andcultural redefinition of the regionwhich is determined by therecognition of the diversity of newmedia uses in the countries includedin the study.

BOOKREVIEWS

The EnvironmentalDesign Pocketbook2nd EditionBy Sofie Pelsmakers

The Environmental DesignPocketbook second edition placesthe information you need forsustainable, low energy buildingdesign at your fingertips.

Urban Sustainabilityin Theory andPracticeCircles of sustainabilityBy Paul James

Urban Sustainability in Theory andPractice responds to the crises ofsustainability in the world today bygoing back to basics. It makes fourmajor contributions to thinkingabout and acting upon cities. Itprovides a means of reflexivitylearning about urban sustainabilityin the process of working practicallyfor positive social development andprojected change.

Nationalism, Ethnicityand BoundariesConceptualising andunderstanding identity throughboundary approachesEdited by Jennifer Jackson, LinaMolokotos-Liederman

This book analyses geographical andphysical borders as well as symbolic,political and socio-economicboundaries, and how they impactupon nationalism and ethnic identity.

EnvironmentalJournalismEdited by Henrik Bodker, Irene Neverla

Environmental journalism is anincreasingly significant area for studywithin the broader field of journalismstudies. It connects the concerns ofpolitics, science, business, culture,society and the natural world whilstalso exploring the boundariesbetween the local, regional andglobal.

Arab Spring andArab WomenChallenges and opportunitiesEdited by Muhamad S. Olimat

The main thesis of the book is thatwhile Arab women were an integralpart of the revolutionary effortswithin the Arab Spring paradigm,they did not benefit from theirsacrifices. Although they continueto be part of the process ofchange, their gains, rights andscope for participation are stilllimited. Arab women are anindispensable pillar in the processof reform, development, peaceand stability in the Middle East.

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BOOKREVIEWS/FOCUSNATIVE TREES OF LEBANON AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIESA Guidebook for Professionals & Amateursby Elsa Sattout & Hala Zahreddine


MAGAZINE

The book provides acomprehensive study of the 68tree species found in Lebanonand the Eastern Mediterraneanregion. It is an important resourcefor biodiversity academics andenthusiasts alike. Along with richcolor photographs, the bookintroduces forests and people inthe Eastern Mediterraneancontext. It compiles detailedinformation for each speciesincluding a botanical description,information on ecology andconservation status, andpropagation methods along withthe flowering and fruiting seasonfor each tree. It also features aforeword by Vernon H.Heywood, Professor Emeritus,University of Reading andPresident of the InternationalAssociation of Botanic Gardens.The book encourages theprotection and growth of nativetree species, promoting their usein home gardens, parks, publicgardens, streetscapes along withreforestation projects.

CLIMATE CHANGE

"The good news is, we haveeverything we need now torespond to the challenge of globalwarming. We have all thetechnologies we need, more arebeing developed.... But we shouldnot wait, we cannot wait, we mustnot wait."- Al Gore

Magazine

The Deeper Shadesof White ....................................................14

By Sebastian Copeland

Brazil ...........................................................34

By Lieutenant CommanderOliver-Leighton Barrett

Apiculture in Lebanon ................40

By Nathalie Rosa Bucher

DustDuinoon the Move .........................................48

By William Shubert, Sara Peterson & Becky Schroeder

The DeeperShades ofWhite

Text & Photos By Sebastian Copeland

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Sebastian standsat 90N degrees,the GeographicalNorth Pole

Pho

to b

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eith

Heg

er

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ihave spent a significant partof my life traveling the largestbodies of ice in the world onfoot. With 8,000 kilometersunder my skis, I have fallen

through the sea ice into the Arcticsea, I have been beaten by gales,blinded by total white outs—andeverything in between. On Antarcticaalone, I spent 82 days on skis andkites, crossing 4,000 km of its frigidplateau with no outside help. Thetemperatures rarely warmed beyond35C below outside of wind chill. Inthe winter, these will regularly dropbelow minus 80C.Aside from its location at the Earth’ssouthernmost latitudes, what makesAntarctica so cold is its elevation.Ascending the glacier on the way tothe plateau, the dry cold air hits you inthe face like a fist of needles. Amidstthe crevasse fields, the verticalmountain peaks that pierce throughthe ice on their way to the sky makefor a dramatic and spectacularbackdrop. But it won’t last. Thosepeaks are gasping for air: they arefighting a losing battle with themammoth ice sheet that soon buriesthem the higher you climb. And after that there is nothing, justendless white space.Away from the coasts, Antarctica isbut a flat desert. There are no foodsources, and there is no life. Nosmells, no significant features, nocontrails overhead, and no soundsbut for those left by the wind on the

ice and the sky. When the white cloudsovertake the terrain and the winds shutoff entirely, all that is left is a frigid void.No detail on the ground, no horizon tolevel your eyes and separatedimensions, and a silence that willpierce your eardrum while boomingyour heart. A whiteout on Antarcticafeels like being lost inside an eggshell.With nothing but sky and frozenmatter for months, at an averageelevation of 12,000 feet, the ice, tothe casual observer, may look like atedious sheet of white. The visualmonotony can seemunderwhelming. But I can honestlysay that no two days ever look alike.An ice sheet is a powerful entity, aliveand dynamic. The Antarctic ice is upto 3 million years old, its massconstantly and unperceptivelymoving, finally calving to the sea.Deep in the heart of the continent, theonly features are the variations incloud cover, and those left by thewind on the ice, they provideAntarctica its unique visual identity.The sun’s low angle combined with astripped down color spectrumcreates monochromatic displays ofhard cold light and shadows. High onthe plateau, the ice will occasionallytake on systematic patterns alignedwith the dominant katabatic winds.The carved shapes, called sastrugi,can reach two meters high onAntarctica, sculpted one particle at atime by the violent winds. For themost part, the interior is an endlessly

mangled field of hard ice. Short ofriding a rocket to outer space,Antarctica is the closest you’ll get tovisit another world. In 1909, Sir Ernest Shackleton hadreached what was then the farthestsouth. By 1911 and 1912respectively, Amundsen and Scottfamously attained 90 degrees latitudesouth. Since then, countlessexplorers have been drawn to thisland of superlatives attempting toleave their mark. All haveexperienced to varying degrees thevery same feeling that overwhelmedthese polar heroes when they set footon the polar plateau: no other placemakes you feel smaller and morealone than Antarctica.Surprisingly, considering today’stechnology, the continent retainsmany of the mysteries it held onehundred years ago. In the age ofglobal positioning systems andscientific breakthroughs, Antarcticaremains the least explored landmassin the world. In 2012, giantsubterranean lakes where firstexplored two miles below its surface,revealing up to 15 million year oldsecrets. While ice cores are nowtelling stories of the Earth’satmosphere during the last 1.5 millionyears. Given its isolation fromenvironmental disturbance (sound,pollution) scientists at the South PoleStation can make fair measurementsof carbon concentration in theatmosphere. They also have the ❮

Eventually itwould seem,everyone whotravels there isforced to ponderthe samequestions: Whoam I, and why amI here?

Climate Change

Sastrugi are shapessculpted by the powerfulAntarctic winds

Sastrugi will take onshapes aligned withthe dominant winds

cleanest natural terrestrial lab forneutrino studies. I visited the programthere and I felt that I had walked into aStar Trek episode.But Antarctica remains a polarizingand confusing natural phenomenongiving fodder to opinion makers andseason tickets to climate deniers.Changes taking place there reflect

the complex non-linear patterns ofthe Earth and its natural variabilities,commensurate with a landmass oneand a half time greater than the US.What happens in East Antarcticadoes not reflect its western halfanymore than climate events inFlorida relate to those in WashingtonState. Some areas of Antarctica have ❮

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Sastrugi head, sculpted one particle at atime, can reach two meters in Antarctica

80 miles per hour windson the ice sheet

Pulling 400 lbs up theglacier in East Antarctica islike pulling a house uphill!

In minus 60C windchill, theice is hard as wood on theAntarctica plateau

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consistently shown a cooling trendwhile others see some of the fastestwarming anywhere on the globe.Those contradictions haveoccasionally stumped the science

community, but were enough tovindicate skeptics in disprovingclimate change. More often than not,the conclusions are disconnectedfrom the issue. Take the sea ice

extent: an increase has beennoted—minute but persistent—forthe last few years. This phenomenon,which bears little consequence onthe general state of Antarctica, is

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Stormy weather in WestAntarctica

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confusing the media and leaves thescience community slightlyperplexed. It is generally thought thata shift in wind and ocean currentbehavior is likely to be the cause. Itshould be said that Antarcticadoubles in size every winter and, perusual, just about 100% of its sea icemelts entirely in the summer cycle.This qualifies the relatively negligibleimpact of this increase on thecontinent (or the globe) from aclimate perspective. The seasonalAntarctica sea ice bears littleresemblance to its northern perennialcounterpart: the former has no role inreflecting sunlight since its extentdevelops in the Austral winter’s darkmonths, when sun is non existent. Inthe north, the year round sea ice,which has lost over 35% of its extentin the last 15 years—not to speak ofits loss in thickness—is responsiblefor reflecting incident light and heatradiation from the sun with its surfacein the summer months. This helpsregulate the global averagetemperature at around 14C degrees(57.2F) and rising. The slight increasein sea ice in the south does in no waybalance the deficit in the north.More confusing still is the increasedaccumulation in some areas high onthe Antarctica plateau, and evencooling in some sectors. Whilescientists suggest that this may resultfrom warming trends in the coastalregions leading to added evaporationand further precipitation (following a

traditional hydrological cycle), someare quick to seize on the opportunitywith a “gotcha” strategy to stir up adebate. In reality, there is no debateanymore than you fight science withopinions. Additionally, beside thepeninsula’s record warming trend (1Fdegree per decade over the last 50years), 2014 saw the most alarmingstudy released by NASA focusing onWest Antarctica and its impact onglobal ocean rise. Long termmonitoring of the Pine and Thwaitesglaciers have revealed glacial loss tothe sea from below the surface giventhe melting at the glaciers’ groundingline from deep warm ocean currents.The accelerated incidence of calvingevents is believed to result from thewarming of ocean temperaturesreaching West Antarctica. NASA hasunprecedentedly qualified theseevents as “unstoppable” given thedownward geological slopping underthese glaciers. The resulting melt isexpected to raise global sea levels byfour feet within the next one to twocenturies. This new finding adds tothe Intergovernmental Panel onClimate Change (IPCC)’s projectionof one to three feet by 2100. Thesenumbers do not factor theexponential feedback on the EastAntarctica and Greenland glaciers in.But they are enough to flood theSouth East Asian delta, responsiblefor 50% percent of global riceproduction. The melt of the WestAntarctic glaciers gives a first ❮

Dead clam on the AntarcticPeninsula, an area warming fivetimes faster than global average

The experiencesI bring back tellthe story of achangingenvironmentwhich, the more Ithink of it, looksa lot like us:defiant, fragileand fleeting.

Climate Change

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glimpse of what scientists havecautioned could lead to runawayglobal warning, and the foodshortages that this will entail. In otherwords, we’re in for a wild ride. Andthere is no plan B.I have often been asked what appeallies in spending months in isolation inthis harsh desert. While there is nosimple response, the best I cancome up with is to seek a clearerand more profound understandingof the self. When traveling in a placeso antagonistic to human life, you’dbe surprised by the answers thatcome from questions you had notsought to ask. Eventually it wouldseem, everyone there is forced toponder the same questions: Whoam I, and why am I here? In thewhite stark vastness of the greatSouth, answers come easierbecause there aren’t as manyplaces to hide.The time I spent in the extremelatitudes gave me a deeperperspective of the subtle variationstaking place at the hands of climatechange, and the future we face as aspecies. If you want to know whatwill happen to the world in 30 to 50years, you need look no further thanthe poles. The experiences I bringback tell the story of a changingenvironment which, the more I thinkof it, looks a lot like us: defiant,

The time I spent in theextreme latitudesgave me a deeperperspective of thesubtle variationstaking place at thehands of climatechange, and thefuture we face as aspecies. If you want toknow what willhappen to the world in30 to 50 years, youneed look no furtherthan the poles.

Climate Change

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The crew of the Lady Patagonia on aniceberg in the Gerlach Strait (2006) —in association with John Quigley

Ice pancakes announce the oncoming of the winterfreeze on the peninsula

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Short of riding arocket to outerspace,Antarctica is theclosest you’llget to visitanother world.

Sebastian and EricMcNair-Landry standat the Antarctica Poleof Inaccessibility Dec27, 2011, the farthestpoint from any coast

fragile and fleeting. The breakdownof the West Antarctic glaciers serves toremind us that powerful and giganticthough the ice is, it remains asvulnerable and ephemeral as we are.High on the plateau however,Antarctica is quick to point out that we

are no more enduring than the 30million species inhabiting this Earth: theice was there long before all of us, andwill remain long after we’re gone. Isn’t ittime our attitudes should reflect thatreality before it is cold-heartedly takenaway from us?

In restaurants across SouthAmerica’s largest and mostpopulous city, São Paolo,customers are being serveddrinks and meals on plasticcups and plates. The reason? Asevere shortage of clean water,exacerbated by drought,means there’s no water forwashing dishes. A burgeoningurban population and theeffects of climate change arelikely to exacerbate Brazil’swater woes. And given Brazil’sevolving role on theinternational stage, as anagricultural giant and astandard-bearer for a group ofemerging economies, this willhave both domestic andinternational securityimplications.

BrazilWater Woes,Climate Changeand Security

By Lieutenant Commander Oliver-Leighton Barrett

Climate Change

Amazon river,birds eye view

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MAGAZINE

July when its study of the crisisindicated that “the Sistema Cantareiracould go totally dry in less than 100days.” The Cantareira System is theprimary source of water for almostnine million people, approximately halfof the Metropolitan Region of SãoPaulo (MRSP).

The Brazilian government hasinvested heavily in waste watertreatment in recent years, and hasimplemented innovative programs,such as one that directs fundscollected from water consumers topay farmers that protect riparianforests. But the combined impacts of

Water Shortages in São Paulo

In July 2014, Brazil’s Public Ministry, afederal regulatory agency,recommended that São Paulo statebegin rationing water immediately.According to the Los Angeles Times,the government rang the alarm in late

Houses in the favelas, São Paulo, Brazil

Poor mud house in Brazil

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Climate Change

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reservoir pollution, water line leakage,flooding, and inefficient water usepractices, exacerbated by apersistent dry spell, has the MRSP —the seventh most populous urbanarea in the world – on edge.

Water Woes Throughout theCountry

But São Paulo is not alone. The 2011Urban Water Supply Atlas estimatesthat the regions that supply 73% ofthe country’s water needs could faceshortages over the next decade.Already over 140 Brazilian cities haveimplemented water rationing duringthe worst drought in over twentyyears, with some neighbourhoodsonly receiving water once every threedays. The affected cities representapproximately six million people, themajority of whom are employed in theagriculture industry. In addition topotential crop failures, the disruptionto the work life and health ofagricultural workers couldsignificantly impact the country’s foodsupply. Further, Brazil is the world’sleading exporter of soybeans, coffee,orange juice, sugar and beef, sothese water stresses can also have amarked impact on the global foodmarket.

Climate Change andUrbanization

Climate change and urbanizationmultiply the threat to Brazil’s watersupply. The Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC), in itsmost recent assessment of the SouthAmerican region projects that undervarying emissions scenarios,substantial warming in temperatureextremes can be expected by theend of the 21st century. The panel’s

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research further forecasts thelikelihood that the length, frequencyand/or intensity of heat waves willexperience a “large increase” overmost of South America. The cause ofthe increasing episodes of heatwaves in the region is principallydecreased rainfall and/or increasedevapotranspiration in Amazonia andNorth East Brazil.The IPCC also cites the urbanizationprocess in the MRSP as havingaffected the local climate, and that theintensification of the heat island effect(i.e. built up areas that are hotter thannearby rural areas), may beresponsible for the 2°C warmingdetected in the city during the last 50years. By 2100, climate projectionsbased on data from 1933-2010 showan expected warming between 2-3°Cin São Paulo alone. Lamentably, thisregional warming trend appears likelyto only be exasperated by a magnifiedheat island effect as Brazilianmegacities’ populations increasemarkedly. When one considers thatSão Paulo’s urban area is projectedto increase by 38% by 2030, thepotential water security and foodsecurity challenges becomeincreasingly acute.

Government Responses

It is difficult to predict if Brazil’s federaland state responses to this vexingcrisis will be sufficient to arrest anemerging human security freefall.Thus far, this protracted instance ofwater stress seems to have deepeneddistrust in the government’s ability toprovide essential security. After all,access to a clean and reliable watersupply is a foundational block ofhuman security, and it is hard to seeBrazilians not blaming governmentcorruption and ineptitude as causalfactors for the crisis (particularly in thecontext of recent unrest precipitated

by concerns over government fraud,waste and abuse surrounding thecountry’s hosting of the World Cup).To date, there have been no large“water protests.” However, just lastyear and only a few hundred milessouth, a neighbouring capital citywas gripped by street protests due

to similar conditions. Residentsof Buenos Aires, Argentina tookto the streets en masse toexpress their anger at thegovernment for the rolling blackouts and water shortages acrossthe capital, due to a tenaciousand protracted heat wave.


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Not Just a Regional Issue

When a country the size of Brazil,the most populous andeconomically consequential nationin South America, faces protractedwater stress, with implications forboth water and food security, it will

have ripple effects across theglobe. In this context, elevatingwater stress and climate changeon the international agenda(including the security agenda)should be a key priority for bothBrazil, and the broaderinternational community.

São Paolo city , Brazil

Beekeeping has a longstanding tradition in Lebanonand albeit being faced with a number of challenges,beekeepers remain committed to and passionateabout their craft. Apicultures are coastal, mid-altitudeand mountain-based. Some beekeepers have beenkeeping bees for generations, for some it is atransformative experience.

ByNathalie Rosa Bucher

Apiculture in LebanonGlobal Warming, UnbridledDevelopment and HazardousAgricultural Practices Affecting Beesand Beekeepers

Bassam Khawand leading a beekeeping workshop in Saydoun

Amateurs, with between one and 50hives, selling honey mostly to friendsand family, are in the majority,compared to professionalbeekeepers with thousands of hives,selling their produce locally andinternationally. “To be a beekeeper one needs tolove the environment, the beekeeperis a friend of the environment,” Afif AbiChedid, a professional beekeeperput forward. “One also needs to learnmany things about bees and from thebees. Bees are highly organized, oneneeds to adapt to bees.” According to Saydoun-basedbeekeeper Bassam Khawand (CazaJezzine), there are around 6000beekeepers in Lebanon and littleacademic research focuses on them.Only few keep records of theirstocks, their yields – the total yields inLebanon amount to between 18,000and 20,000 tons of honey a year – orenvironmental conditions and climatepatterns.

The Effects of GlobalWarming

Khawand who switched fromelectronic science to beekeeping in2010 sees himself as a caretaker,taking care of nature and of his bees.Asked how his bees were at the endof a dry summer, Khawand explainedthat he had 130 hives earlier this yearbut had lost 30, conceding thatlosses were normal but this year’sexceeded the norm. “The cycle of theflowers has not been the same, manyshifts and shocks occurred for thebees this year. The wild flowers andorange trees blossomed for muchshorter,” Khawand put forward. “This year the rain levels have beentoo low and the plants have beenaffected too much by this,” headded. As a result there have been

many problems with diseases and alack of pollen, essential to feed babybees and the primary source ofprotein for the hive, and nectar. A queen usually lays 2000 eggs aday. With no nectar and the shortageof water they feel compelled to stopproducing eggs, which lead to areduction in size of the hive,effectively putting it at risk. “It has been a very bad year,” JackKaddoum concurred. The inhalationtherapist for patients undergoingopen-heart operations, and owner ofa medical devices company spendshis weekends with his bees in Kafar(Caza Jbeil). “This year became sohard – during summer we went to ourhives to put water to save our bees,to keep them in the hives as thenearest water source was 5km awayand they might get lost or stray if theyfly more than 5km.”“I usually get between 10-15kg perhive, this year I got 6-7kg,” Kaddoumwho owns 100 hives, said. Beesusually have shorter life spans due toan intense workload at this time ofthe year – each worker bee flies onaverage an astounding 2000 sortiesdaily during summer. “I checked tomake sure there were no bacteria or itwas not due to emigration – this isglobal warming and it caused aproblem with reproduction and a lossof 20-30 per cent of my bees.”Kaddoum reported. “Little rain and snow meant that theflowers dried out by August – onemonth and a half earlier than usual –leaving the bees weak withoutpollen,” Abi Chedid explained. “Toprevent the bees from dying withoutpollen, I fed them protein.” “Beekeepers should keep a record,and look into ways to find solutionsinstead of buying new hives to ensurehigh yields. It would be important totake a scientific approach instead as

beekeeping becomes more difficult,”Kaddoum observed.Kaddoum, who only keeps localbees and does not move his hives, iscritical of some widespreadbeekeeping practices. “In order toavoid bees from dying, they getmoved. But this results in a honeymix as nectar from orange blossoms,oak and other sources get mixed.The flavors differ and the orangehoney tends to crystallize in winter.”Kaddoum prefers harvesting purehoney and while counting his lossesin terms of bees that will die bystaying at mid-altitude, those heretains are resilient. Abi Chedid whose company is basedin nearby Jeddayel (Caza Jbeil) is oneof the country’s biggest beekeeperswith an annual output of 40,000-50,000kg, extracting on average33kg per hive over the past decade. His hives are all over Lebanon, somebetween 2000 and 2300 meters highto harvest mountain honey. “I movedthem from the mountain to the southnow, the winter is very cold up on themountain, which is not good for thebees. Even though the cold inLebanon is different from Europe’s.Humidity is very bad for bees, whichis why beekeepers transport theirhives to the sea, where there is littlerain, the temperatures are mild andbees can harvest.” Due to the wide range of elevationand the westerly winds, Lebanon hasan extraordinarily varied climate andis rich in flora, with over 3,000species. This region holds uniqueand rare bio-geographic zonescharacterized by a high level ofbiodiversity and endemism.According to Lebanon Flora, a localpreservation project, Lebanon’s florais a result of the congruence of manyfloristic-geographic elements that livetoday in many diversified landscapes.

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Climate Change

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Moving their hives to the coast, andalso to higher altitudes, beekeepersobtain a variety of honeys namelyorange, oak and mountain honey,which is very dark and containsthistle and pine tree. Khawand andAbi Chedid’s honeybees are exposedto different flora down by the coastwhere there is, besides the orangeblossom, the sea squill flower.Between 700 and 2200 metersthyme, sage, wild flowers and thistlesrender very good honey.

Hazardous AgriculturalPractices and UnbridledDevelopment

“Over the past two years, orangetrees have been cut and bananatrees are planted instead, thoughthey need six times more water thanorange trees,” Khawand has noticed. “The entire coast was previously fullof orange trees but coastaldevelopment and the war in Syria haseffectively reduced the orangegroves. The war has cut the orangefarmers off their markets, resulting inproduction exceeding local demandand the shift to bananas,” hecontinued. “We have a big problem withpesticides. Unlike in Europe, ourbees feed on wild flowers so there areno issues with GMOs. But we dohave a problem with pesticides, youmove your hives when the farmersspray, especially in the orangegroves,” Abi Chedid added. The impact of (bad) agriculturalpractices goes beyond the coastalareas, according to Abi Chedid: “It isnot uncommon for farmers to usechemicals and to double or eventriple the recommended dosage. Orthey use chemical cocktails to sprayon their plants. Various products arebanned in Europe and the US but are

exported to and used here inLebanon.”The beekeeper has also observedthat wherever trees are cut down,ground covers and flowers rapidlydisappear too, acceleratingenvironmental degradation anddepriving bees of food sources. In some instances though,beekeepers themselves adoptdangerous practices. Tetracycline forinstance is an antibiotic that is appliedto honeybee colonies to prevent abacterial disease called foulbrood. “Itstays in the hive and goes into thehoney,” Kaddoum explained. TheMinistry of Health forbids its usagebut there is no monitoring system inplace.”In their article Antibiotic, Pesticide,and Microbial Contaminants ofHoney: Human Health Hazardspublished in the Scientific WorldJournal, Noori al-Waili, KhelodSalom, Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, andMohammad Javed-Ansari highlightthat pesticide residues cause geneticmutations and cellular degradationand presence of antibiotics mightincrease resistant human or animal'spathogens. “Many cases of infantbotulisms have been attributed tocontaminated honey. Honey may bevery toxic when produced fromcertain plants. Ingestion of honeywithout knowing its source andsafety might be problematic. Honeyshould be labeled to explore its origin,composition, and clear statementthat it is free from contaminants.”

In France, tetracycline residues weredetected in honey after a treatment inhives, indicating their persistence anddiffusion into the apiary. These resultsshowed that tetracycline must beused with precaution in honeyproduction. Kaddoum points to atraditional method where wooden ❮

beehives are preserved in a cold areain summer given that bacteriaproliferate in the heat and with sugar.“I put them in a cold chamber below18 degrees.”

Diversity

Just like Lebanon’s climate and flora,its honey is highly diverse from oneregion to another and the scales ofapicultures significantly vary too.Kaddoum applies some of theartisanal methods learnt from hisparents and grandparents and backsthese up by specialised and academicliterature. Abi Chedid keeps a mix ofbees (apis mellifera ligustica known asItalian bee) and the local bee (apismellifera syriaca) and conducts artificialinsemination and queen rearing, theonly one to do so in Lebanon. UnlikeKhawand and Kaddoum, he changeshis queens annually.

Afif AbiChedid busyinseminatingbees. Theimagesreflect thepanoply ofbeekeepingpractices inLebanon

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Bees are not only essential for oursurvival, but hold a great potential forrural development in Lebanon.Khawand is part of SOILSPermaculture Association Lebanon,a non-governmental organization heco-founded with Rita Khawand,Alexis Baghdadi and JihadChanehsaz that offers activities thatconsist in teaching, training andsharing skills and resources related tosustainable and environment-friendlypractices. Khawand regularly runsbeekeeping workshops in Saydoun.Together with Rita Khawand andBaghdadi, he was recently awardedthe first prize at the LebaneseSustainable Developmentcompetition organized by LebaAssociation for its project AFEER(Beehive), an educational facility to beestablished in Saydoun offeringdifferent activities and productsrelated to bees and nature.

Abi Chedid gives demonstrations atschools and heads a program forUSAID, for which he runs trainingcourses with beekeepers in Jezzine,Azour, Beirut and Byblos everymonth, explaining how to protectthe hives, the process ofwinterization, preparing the hives torender honey, what to do at whattime of the year, and providesguidelines for good beekeepingpractices.

Unity

Abi Chedid furthermore is vicepresident of Apis Lebanon andattends the Apimondia (InternationalFederation of Beekeepers'Associations) congresses. Given thatthe Lebanese Ministry of Agricultureis not a member, Abi Chedid attendsas an individual. He welcomes theimpending establishment of aLebanese Beekeepers’ Union. “It willbe very good to work as a group; I’vealways been on my own,” he stated.Kaddoum hopes that the structurewill be representing beekeepers andput in place guidelines. “There is alack of knowledge, much educationand awareness raising needs to bedone for beekeepers and the public,”Kaddoum said. The significance of apiculture andthe potential a unified, representativebody holds for beekeepers willhowever only really be ofconsequence if the relevantgovernment departments will comeon board to ensure that legalframeworks and guidelines are notonly issued but implemented andmonitored and support is provided todeal with overarching issues affectingother departments such asagriculture tourism, trade andindustry, health, urban planning andrural development.

How to buy honey • Color: when it is dark itcontains enzymes andnectar.• It should not be toorunny.• It should not be sold in ajar mixed with nuts orfruits.• You should open thehoney and smell it and itshould be odourless. (Ifyou can’t open the jar, buya small jar first in thesupermarket to check it).• When you taste it andswallow it you shouldtaste something tasty notsugary in your throat andthat taste should linger fortwo minutes.

DustDuinoon the Move

ByWilliam Shubert, Sara Peterson,& Becky Schroeder Earth Journalism Network

It’s probably not a bad idea, but youmight be doing less than you think:the most harmful pollutant to humanhealth is not one that can be seen bythe naked eye.Though fine particulate matter, orPM2.5, is invisible, its effects areevident across the world. PM2.5 isone of the greatest risk factors forpremature death—it accounts for over3.2 million deaths annually—and it,along with tobacco smoke andasbestos, is classified as a Group 1pollutant by the World HealthOrganization, meaning that it is knownto cause cancer.Recognizing the health burdenposed by these kinds of air pollutantsand the importance of identifyingthose areas that pose greater risks,Internews’ Earth Journalism Networkhas worked with scientists andhardware developers to developDustDuino, an air quality monitor thatuses low-cost, open source

technologies to measureconcentrations of particulate matterin the air. It then uses WiFi and Xivelyto transmit and store the data in auser-friendly format to a computer orsmartphone.A study of the low-cost DustDuinofound that the device yields resultsthat are comparable to thoseproduced by more expensivemonitors when analyzing data athourly intervals, indicating that thedevice could greatly contribute todata collection. While the device wasdesigned for use at home or in theoffice, Clara Rondonuwu (the projectmanager of the IndonesianGeoJournalism site Ekuatorial.com)recently made some modifications tothe prototype to equip the device formobile use.Clara’s concept for the mobileDustDuino was inspired by the workpresented by researcher Josh Apteat a sensor journalism training carried

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The Public Lab post byDustDuino designer MattSchroyer has suggestionsfor mobile power sourcesas well as a more detailedexplanation of each step.The mobile sensor's utilityand potential applicationsare greatly increasedwithout having to worryabout staying within rangeof a WiFi connection andpower source.Clara experimented withmobile data collectionwhile driving around in acar through Jakarta’snotoriously bad traffic butthese modifications alsomake it easier to useDustDuino in places awayfrom a power outlet likeparks, the countryside, ornear industrial operationsanywhere with a 3Gcellular network and apotential air quality issue.If you plan onexperimenting in a similarway, maps of 3G coveragecan be found on theMobileWorldLive website.❮

Have you ever wondered if holding your breath when a cloud ofblack smoke billows out a truck’s tailpipe is a healthy idea?

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From Office Desktopto Car Dashboard:Configuring a mobileDustDuinoClara’s conversion of thelow-cost DustDuino from astatic to a mobile monitorrequired three steps andallows DustDuino tobroadcast data wherever acellular mobile network isavailable. The first step wasto create a mobile hotspot,by using a smart phone ortablet which has thiscapability or purchasingmobile WiFi. Second, theWiFi module withinDustDuino must beconfigured to connect tothis mobile wirelessnetwork. Finally, a portablepower source must befound for the sensor. That'sall it takes to get this dustsensor on the road.


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out by EJN in May 2014. Mosttraditional evaluations of air qualityuse a few high-quality sensors tomodel exposure over large areas.While these methods accuratelymeasure the overall air quality of acity, or ambient air, Apte felt that thesemeasures didn’t give the full story –missing out on what types and levelsof pollutants people actually breatheas they go about their daily activitiesin various parts of the city.This UC Berkeley Lab postdescribes how Apte took to thestreets of New Delhi to study thespatial patterns of air qualitythroughout the city and identify areasthat are disproportionately affectedby air pollutants. After attaching avideo camera and a GPS to an auto-rickshaw, along with sensors thatmeasured the levels of fineparticulate matter (PM2.5), blackcarbon and ultrafine particles—threepollutants that are among the mostdangerous to human health—Aptedrove the vehicle through the streetsand highways of Delhi for four

consecutive months during themorning and evening rush hours.Apte’s results highlighted an issue thatmost commuters had a feeling wastrue. The concentrations of all threepollutants were significantly higher onthe roads than in the ambient air,indicating that air quality isdisproportionately poor in these areas.Apte summarized his research bystating that “one’s exposure during adaily commute by auto-rickshaw inDelhi is as least as large as full-dayexposures experienced by urbanresidents of many high incomecountries.”Mobile DustDuino monitors—whencombined with other tools like videoand GPS—may be used to identifymicro-environments in whichpollutant levels are disproportionatelyhigh. While one sensor alone doesn’tnecessarily create a large enoughdataset to give actionable results,once potential hotspots areidentified, a greater number of staticsensors can be used to monitor theair quality in the targeted area.

Magazine

How we Passively Observeand Actively Support theFastest Large-ScaleDestruction of all Times ...................................................54

By BLOOM

Into the Deep ......................................60By Mona Samari

Colossal Find in Antarctica .........................................68

By Mona Samari

Antarctica: Not Just Iceand Ocean..............................................72

By Steve Campbell

"I am the Ocean. I am water. I ammost of this planet. I shaped it,every stream, every cloud andevery rain drop, It all comes backto me. One way or another everyliving thing needs me. I am thesource…But, humans they takemore than their share. They poisonme then they expect me to feedthem…If nature isn’t kept healthyhumans won’t survive.” -Nature is Speaking,Harrison Ford is the OceanConservation International

BIODIVERSITYMANAGEMENT OF THE HIGH SEAS

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ByBLOOM

Once in a while though, in thisecosystem we still have so much tolearn about, comes a gigantic netwiping off almost everything. Imagineif you were to obliterate YellowstoneNational Park with bulldozers in theinterest of retrieving a few choicemorsels to sell. Yes, such blatantbreach of life on Earth does occur. Itis called deep-sea bottom trawling.The precious target is not the little“freak show” above-mentioned, nordeep-sea corals, nor the sponges. Allof these are actually of littlecommercial interest, yet end up in thenet with the targeted deep-seafauna: armourhead, oreo, alfonsino,blue ling, black scabbardfish, orangeroughy and grenadier, to name but afew of these bottom-dwellers. Thesefleshy creatures are prime candidatesfor the boneless white fish fillets thatconsumers demand, and all sold torich industrialized countries.While this might already seem surrealto you, we want to emphasize that

there is a scientific consensus onhow utterly unsustainable anddestructive deep-sea bottomtrawling is. Interactions betweentrawlers and deep-sea habitats arenot incidental or rare. We are not against fishing. But westrongly oppose the shortsightedexploitation of non-renewableresources. “The Deep” is consideredthe largest reservoir of biodiversity onEarth. All deep-sea fish have a longlifespan – they can live commonly 60years of age – and their reproductionrates are extremely low, which makethem extremely vulnerable tooverfishing. No one knows how oftendeep-sea fish breed or howsuccessful they are at it, all we knowis that they reach sexual maturityextremely late and produce far fewereggs than their shallow-watercounterparts. Their habitat is highly fragile, too.First, wherever there is hardsubstrate, there are corals.


MAGAZINE

Deep in the ocean, in a dark, cold and food-deprived environment,life is thriving. More than one thousand meters under the surface,a diversity of animals is endowed with adaptations to theirenvironment that stand beyond anything our brain can handle. Inthis harsh environment, deepwater coral reefs thousands of yearsold and sponge beds coexist, along with a "freak show" offascinating creatures such as jewel squids (HistioteuthisHeteropsis), dumbo octopuses (Stauroteuthis Syrtensis),predatory copepods (Paraeuchaeta Barbata) or commonfangtooths (Anoplogaster Cornuta).

How we Passively Observe andActively Support the FastestLarge-Scale Destruction of all Times

Radiocarbon techniques haverecently re-calculated the age ofsome deepwater corals at more than4,000 years, making them theplanet’s oldest living animals.Uprooting corals with trawlnets anddumping them off the side of the shipas ocean waste is akin to exhumingEgyptian mummies and disposing ofthem as trash. It is a crime.Wherever trawlers pass, they remove98 to 100 percent of what is on theseafloor: sponges and corals, ofcourse, but also all sorts of animals:octopuses, brittle stars, crustaceans,sea lilies, sea pens and worms, alongwith all the tubes, burrows, dens andother structures these animals mayhave built for themselves. Universityof Hawaii Professor Les Watlingreminds us that attention must alsobe paid to sediments and not just tocoral reefs and sponge beds, as 90percent of marine biodiversity islocated in the sediment. “Think of theseafloor as a DNA bank,” he says, “or ❮

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as the library of Alexandria. Are yousure you want to burn two books outof three, randomly?”The passage of a trawler transformsthis truly complex, three-dimensionalhabitat into a muddy soup in whichanimals are no longer able to lay thefoundation for life. Sediments follow acomplex infrastructure, just like a citybut only on a different, much smallerscale. Lacking vital shelter andsupplies, survivors of deep-seatrawling don’t stand any chance ofsurvival. It is also worth noting that thisoceanocide is occurring during thesixth mass extinction, the mostsevere life crisis our planet has gonethrough in the past 500 million years.The rate at which animals are goingextinct, due to the actions of man, is100 to 1000 times faster than anysimilar background event. Why dowe perpetrate such a massivedestruction? Fishing fleets firsthunted close-to-shore populations.Drastically. Once the resource wasgone, they moved to deeper watersand diversified their targets tomaintain high production rates. What are the arguments to justify thisocean genocide? The creation of thousands of jobs,seafood exports to countries withstaggering poverty? Reality-check: The deep-sea trawlingfleet comprises only 285 boats in theworld and deep-sea catchesaccount for no more than 0.3 percentof all fish caught on the high seas(waters beyond national jurisdiction).Catches that are sold entirely toindustrialized countries...Furthermore, this fleet benefits fromoil subsidies and makes a few privatecorporations (fewer than 50 aroundthe world) profitable. Tax money thatgoes to plunder the resources of ourocean in the most insane manner is

estimated at US$126 millionworldwide. And without public aid,most of those ships would beoperating at a loss. The silentslaughter goes on for the increasedprofit of a few. That diverted use ofpublic money without the explicitconsent of taxpayers constitutes anenvironmental “odious debt” that willeternally shame governments thatfailed to put a halt to deep-seabottom fishing once the scientificevidence had been made available. Why don’t these fishing nations (tencountries in the world areaccountable for 80 percent of allactivity) disengage from such a smallindustry?We will all suffer equally from themass destruction of our oceans. Ifthe ten main bottom-trawling nationscontinue to act contrary to scientificevidence and common sense, can’tthe other 180 or so nations at the UNjust impose a ban on deep-seabottom trawling? In 2012, European Maritime AffairsCommissioner Maria Damanakireleased a proposal to ban deep-sea bottom trawling in the North-East Atlantic. As they had no validarguments to oppose, industrialfishing representatives panicked andused the dirtiest tactics to fight back.Lies, threats, infiltration, conspiracytheory, defamation of NGOs werepart of their intense lobbying. InDecember 2013, the EuropeanMembers of Parliament voted andeventually rejected the ban of deep-sea bottom trawling. In October2014, the European Commissionjust proposed an overall cut inquotas for deep-sea fishing in theNorth-East Atlantic for the next twoyears, while environmental groupsclaim that some catch limits shouldbe reduced to zero to allow stocksto recover. ❮

BiodiversityManagement of the High Seas

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Nations are currently fighting toothand nail at the UN about thegovernance of biodiversity in the HighSeas. But at the current exploitationrate of deep-sea living resources, bythe time they find an agreement (theUN Convention on the Law of the Seatook 15 years to negotiate andanother 12 to be ratified), there will beno biodiversity left to fight over. How much more will have to be lostbefore societies starts suingcompanies for environmental crimes?What we must urgently do asconsumers and citizens is to removeall types of deep-sea fish, once andfor all, from our menus. We must putforward a global citizens’ petitionbefore the United Nations GeneralAssembly calling for the entirety of theHigh Seas to be set aside as a MarineProtected Area. Any fishing operationseeking to tap the free-for-all resourcesin the High Seas would be obligated toproduce a scientifically soundmanagement plan demonstrating thatits activities would not jeopardize thefuture of the planet, nor infringe uponother nations’ interests. At minimum,every government implicated in thisdirty business should seek publicapproval for their use of public moneyby means of a referendum. We started this struggle to protect themost vulnerable marine species andhabitats from the most destructive andunsustainable fishing methods, but wefound out that for some individuals thereis no depth that they would not sink in todefend an exploitation model thatcitizens refuse and that economics andscience blame. It changed the profoundnature of our commitment: today wefight against lies. Finally what we want toblow to pieces is the toxic trilogyoccurring between governments, privateindustries and the State science as theydespise citizens and devastate our faithin democracy.

About BloomFounded by Claire Nouvian in 2005, BLOOM is anon-profit organization which works to protect theoceans through a process of raising awarenessand explaining environmental problems usingscientific mediation, by producing relevant andindependent scientific studies, as well as byparticipating in public consultations andinstitutional processes. Our actions target bothpolitical and economic decision-makers, as well asthe general public.BLOOM’s vision is to raise a voice against thecurrent degradation of the oceans by proving thatdedicated action can reverse the course ofenvironmental and human tragedy. BLOOM givesa voice to the voiceless and aims to ensure thathumanity has a future, where children have foodand fishermen have jobs, by restoring oceanecosystems to their full biological capacity.BLOOM has made the strategic choice to remainsmall and to focus its energy and expertise on afew urgently-needed actions:Preserving the last intact marine environment: thedeep sea,Safeguarding endangered species, by fighting theindifference towards the extinction of the oldestfish on our planet: sharks,Ensuring the survival of fishermen, particularlythrough work on the issue of public subsidies tothe fishing sector.We do not believe in a “single magical action” thatwould allow us to solve the problems describedabove. This is why our objectives are channeledinto four areas of strategic action; each areainteracts with each other to enhance their chancesof success, visibility and effectiveness.

Two thirds of the world’soceans are high seas – areasbeyond the 200 mile EconomicExclusion Zones (EEZs) ofindividual states. Coveringnearly half the planet, the highseas is considered as the lastgreat global commons onEarth, yet it is neither as pristinenor as immune to humanthreats as was once believed.Our future and that of theoceans is intertwined.Respecting and protecting thehigh seas continues to be oneof the most pressing challengesof our time, but willgovernments decide onadapting the Law of the Seas tomatch 21st century reality?

By Mona Samari

Into the DeepWhy 21st Century Governanceis Needed on the High SeasCountdown Starts for Crucial Year of the Ocean

It is fair to say that we know moreabout the dark side of the moon thanwe do about our oceans and indeed,more people have journeyed to outerspace than have ventured into thedeep sea – but today’s technology isenabling us to uncover more aboutits inky depths. In recent decades,marine scientists have revealedpreviously unimaginable biodiversity

Whale in the Ross SeaPhoto by John Weller ❮

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in our oceans, and scores of newmillions more species are yet to bediscovered. We now know that thevast majority of oceanic creatures livein close proximity to the seabed, thatthere are more species of deep coldwater corals than their glamoroustropical counterparts, and that thereare tens of thousands of seamountranges hosting an extraordinaryvariety of life – from whales andturtles to exotic sponges and alien-like organisms. The vast open ocean has long beenthe inspiration from which myths andlegends are born and perpetratedthrough the ages and civilisations.Wondrous sea creatures were drawnby cartographers to mark theunknown waters of the world and itremains a vast and largelyunexplored area of our planet to thisday. Every scientific expedition into thedepths of the high seas uncoversnew and often endemic species.Nautilus Live recently discovered apreviously unknown siphonophore, a creature of stunning appearance,which is actually a colony of zooidstravelling as one being across theseabed of the deep ocean. These vast open ocean and deep-sea environments are the least-explored areas left on Earth, but weknow that they are among the mostecologically vital, critically threatened

and least protected. Only0.0001% of the deep-seafloor hasso far been the subject ofbiological investigation. Incredibly,a paltry 0.79% of the high seas iscurrently granted protection,compared with 12% of land areas,and it is yet to benefit from theexistence of an internationalorganization or agreement togovern its use or conservation.Humankind’s eternal quest formastery of the high seasas exemplified in the second choralode of Sophocles’ Antigone (lines332-338), humankind’s quest forgovernance of the open ocean haslong been considered totemic ofhuman skill and achievement:“Wonders are many, and none ismore wonderful than man. Thispower spans the sea, even when itsurges white before the gales ofthe south-wind, and makes a pathunder swells that threaten to engulfhim.” The conservation and sustainablemanagement of the high seas lagsfar behind that of coastal watersand although this has long been anissue, it was only the Rio+20Conference in 2012 which finallyaddressed the issue andcommitted the internationalcommunity to agree to negotiate ahigh seas protection agreementunder the Law of the Sea


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“The UN Law of the Seawas a greatachievement, but weurgently need agovernance frameworkthat delivers its aimsand objectives fortoday’s global ocean.” -David Miliband, co-chair of the GlobalOcean Commission

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Orca mother and calf,Northern Ross Sea

ruuZ boByb otohP

Diver with SealPhoto by John Weller

Convention (UNCLOS). The 69thsession opened in September 2014,thus beginning an important 12months for high seas protection,which will see the United Nationsdiscussing the future of the highseas and how they should beeffectively governed. The Law of the Sea was conceivedin 1982 – long before we fullyunderstood how rapidly technologywould change and continue tochange our world. It enshrined thefreedom of the seas before weunderstood exactly how to ensurethe reciprocal responsibilities toprotect, conserve, cooperate andcontrol national vessels. As such, itis a product of its time andaccording to the High Seas Alliance(HSA), no longer fit for purpose inthe 21st century.The HSA is a coalition ofenvironmental organizationsconcerned about the vulnerability ofthe high seas to over exploitationand although it argues thatUNCLOS is failing the high seas, theAlliance does believe that it offersthe basis for an appropriatesolution. According to Peggy Kalas of theHSA, “as a negotiated and widelyratified agreement, it provides aframework for modernization and aplatform for states to work upon. Itmakes change achievable becausewe don’t need to start from thebeginning or reinvent the wheel inorder to bring about modernprotection for the high seas.”

Climate Change and the Ocean

Just how vital that protection is, washighlighted earlier in 2014, when anew scientific study revealed theextent to which life in the high seasis mitigating climate change bytaking up a staggering 500 million

tons of carbon per year by storingone-and-a half billion tons of carbondioxide away from the atmosphere.Commissioned by the GlobalOcean Commission and conductedby Professor Alex Rogers ofSomerville College, Oxford andProfessor Rashid Sumaila of theUniversity of British Columbia, thestudy identified 15 high seasecosystem services of direct valueto humans, ranging from‘provisioning’ services such asgenetic resources and rawmaterials, ‘regulating’ such as airpurification and biological control, to‘habitat’ services such as life cyclemaintenance and gene poolprotection.Describing the major ways in whichthe ocean stores and fixes carbonaway from the atmosphere, thestudy calculated an economic valuefor the role of high seas carbonsequestration as between US$74and US$222 billion annually. It alsofound that the 11 million tons of fishcaught annually on the high seas,generate more than US$16 billiononce landed.Professor Rogers told WorldEnvironment Magazine: “It isimportant to view and manage theglobal ocean as a whole Earthsystem to protect the vital serviceswhich it supplies to humankind. Atthe moment, the high seas are theweakest link because of their poormanagement and lack ofgovernance relative to EconomicExclusion Zones.”

Adoption of an ImplementingAgreement

According to the High Seas Allianceand the Global Ocean Commission,an Implementing Agreement underUNCLOS would provide anopportunity for the creation of new

The cold, dark inkydepths of theocean are home tobiodiversity richerthan a tropicalrainforest, theextent andpotential of whichwe are barelybeginning to grasp.

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laws fit for the modern age and forour increasing understanding of therole of the high seas to all life onEarth, and for the creation ofinstitutions to apply and enforce thatlaw on the ocean. In doing so itcould change the operating realityfrom one of over-exploitation toprotection and precaution, frommanagement for the benefit of aminority able to exploit the resourcesto management for the commongood.Advocates argue that above all, theImplementing Agreement will enableus to address the root need forprotection of global resilience andbiodiversity. This is critical for themodern age, as new and emerginguses constantly challenge thecreaking UNCLOS to adapt.

Deep Sea Mining: IncreasedDemand

One example of the convention’sinability to adapt to current high seasissues, is deep seabed mining, whichis set to expand rapidly in the comingyears as companies seek rare earthminerals from seamounts,hydrothermal vents and the seabed.The Deep Sea ConservationCoalition, which is already fighting tocurb the use of highly destructivebottom fishing gear, describes thislatest onslaught of the deep ocean asalarming and is campaigning againstthe issuing of licenses withoutadequate protection measures inplace.Demand for rare earth elements leaptfrom 30,000 tons in the 1980s to120,000 tons in 2010, higher than theworld's current annual (terrestrial)production of 112,000 tons, providinga major motivation for making deep-sea mining a viable industry as soonas possible and illustrating one of themain reasons why a new

Implementing Agreement underUNCLOS is needed.

Time to Turn the Tide

The High Seas Alliance believes thisis a once in a lifetime opportunity toturn around the fate of the oceanand to bring law to the lastungoverned global commons, aview supported by the GlobalOcean Commission, which madebringing about such protection oneof its key recommendations.Writing about the campaign, DavidMiliband, co-chair of the GlobalOcean Commission, commented,“The UN Law of the Sea was agreat achievement, but we urgentlyneed a governance framework thatdelivers its aims and objectives fortoday’s global ocean. The oceanprovides food for billions of people,as well as generating substantialeconomic wealth, employment andtrade; getting the governance rightwill lead to both economic andecological gains.”Ranging from the deepest trenchesto the highest mountains, thewonders of the high seas lie hiddenbeneath rolling and dramaticseascapes that few of us will eversee. The cold, dark inky depths ofthe ocean are home to biodiversityricher than a tropical rainforest, theextent and potential of which weare barely beginning to graspdespite all of our technologicaladvances. But out of sight doesnot mean out of mind.Governments are currentlydeciding their final positions on anImplementing Agreement, with thefinal negotiations scheduled to takeplace at the UN in January 2015 –you can make your voice heard bysigning the Global OceanCommission petition by visitingwww.change.org

“It is important toview and managethe global ocean asa whole Earthsystem to protectthe vital serviceswhich it supplies tohumankind. At themoment, the highseas are theweakest linkbecause of theirpoor managementand lack ofgovernance.”-Professor AlexRogers ofSomerville College,Oxford

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Adapted by Mona Samari for WE Magazine based on an extract from the Antarctic Ocean Alliance report, “33 Antarctic Species We Love and Must Protect”

Despite its enormous size,the colossal squid remainsthe most elusive animal ofthe Southern Ocean andindeed the high seas, livingin depths of more than 2000meters. With a mantle lengthof up to 4 meters and arecord weight of 500 kg, it isthe world’s largestinvertebrate. It has hugeeyes, a large beak andhooks on the clubs at theend of its tentacles. Withthese characteristics, itsounds like a real-life seamonster. However, as arather slow-moving speciesthat ambushes its prey, itsbehaviour is not verymonster-like. The colossalsquid is an apex predator,feeding on large fish such asAntarctic tooth fish, but,especially as a juvenile, it isalso important prey for toothfish, sleeper sharks andsperm whales.

Colossal Findin AntarcticaMythical High Seas Squid Found Frozen in Antarctica


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Most of what we know about thesemysterious creatures comes fromaccidental encounters. Colossalsquid occasionally are hauled in bylongliners fishing for toothfish. Whenthe squid try to pluck a free dinner offthe lines, they sometimes refuse to letgo even when the line is hauled backonto the fishing vessel, resulting in theretrieval of all or part of the animal.Other information about them hasbeen gleaned from examining thestomach contents of tooth fish andsperm whales.One specimen obtained from a NewZealand fishing vessel in 2007 waspulled in on a fishing line intact, and isnow on display at the Te PapaMuseum in Wellington. More recently,in Antarctica’s Ross Sea, the verysame crew, headed by toothfish boatcaptain John Bennett and his crew,pulled a frozen female squid thoughtto extend beyond 4 meters (13 feet)from tip to tentacle and weighing350kg. The dissection of the squid

transmitted through live stream onYouTube was watched by over142,000 people from 180 countries,demonstrating people’s ongoingfascination with this high seascreature, which has beenimmortalized by cartographers andthrough ancient mariners tales anddepictions in the Norse legend of the

Kraken, a tentacled sea monster.In 1802, the French malacologistPierre Dénys de Montfort recognizedthe existence of two kinds of giantoctopus in Histoire NaturelleGénérale et Particulière desMollusques, an encyclopedicdescription of mollusks. De Montfortclaimed that the first type, the kraken


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octopus, had been described byNorwegian sailors and Americanwhalers, as well as ancient writerssuch as Pliny the Elder. The muchlarger second type, the colossaloctopus, was reported to haveattacked a sailing vessel from Saint-Malo, off the coast of Angola.Dr Kat Bolstad of Auckland University

of Technology described the mostrecently caught specimen in theSouthern Ocean as "very big andvery beautiful. This is essentially anintact specimen, which is almost anunparalleled opportunity for us toexamine.” The specimen caught in 2007boasted an astonishing eye

measurement of 27 cm across,which is the largest known animaleye. However, its beak is smaller thansome of those that have been foundin sperm whale stomachs, indicatingthat perhaps this squid had notreached its maximum size. We clearlystill have a lot to learn about thesegiants of the high seas.

Antarctica is known for itsiconic penguins, seals, andwhales, but its other speciesare just as interesting. Fromcoral that can pick itself up andmove across the ocean floor insearch of food to squid that hasthe largest eye of any knownanimal, Antarctica’secosystems have a richnessand complexity that we are onlyjust beginning to fullyappreciate.

AntarcticaNot Just Ice and Ocean

By Steve CampbellPhotos by Bob ZuurAntarctic Ocean Alliance Campaign Director

Whiteheaded petrel withfish, Northern Ross Sea

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The images from theAOA report: 33 AntarcticSpecies We Love andMust Protect (launchedSeptember 2014),underpins the urgencyfor these nations whoare part of thiscommission to live up totheir commitments anddemonstrate their globalleadership bydesignating theproposed MPAs at theupcoming meeting – in2015, and beyond.Doing so would showthe world that it ispossible for nations tocome together, putaside their individualissues and do the rightthing for the ocean andall the people whodepend on it for survival.

Giant petrel white form,Macq Island

King penguins and elephantseals, Antarctica

Some areas of the Southern Ocean,like the Ross Sea and the WeddellSea, have been foundto have some of the lowest levels ofdisturbance of any marineecosystems. These areas serve asnatural laboratories where we canlearn how healthy ecosystemsfunction, and how species withinthem interact, without humaninterference something that is sadlyno longer possible in most of theworld. This is one of the best areas forus to continue to learn the nature ofnature.While we know little about manyAntarctic animals, we do know thatthey have often evolved to beslowgrowing, with adaptations thatsuit them for extreme cold conditions.Many may not be able to toleratewarmer temperatures and increasedhuman impacts. If we don’t want tolose these creatures before we evenhave the chance to study them, wemust take action now.It often surprises people to hear thatAntarctica is home to some of thelargest marine mammal and seabirdpopulations left on the planet. Someof these species are at serious riskfrom climate change, as warmingtemperatures reduce the availability offood and change their habitat. Othersmay have trouble surviving as oceanacidification, which will affect the polarregions first, takes hold in large areas.Climate change is likely to be the mainthreat to Antarctic species over thenext century, but asother human activities such astourism, shipping, bioprospecting,and fishing increase, additionalstrain will be placed on theseecosystems. Fishing lines, trash andplastic can inadvertently damagedelicate seafloor creatures. Invasivespecies may take advantage ofwarmer temperatures and crowd outnative species unable to adaptquickly.Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and

no-take marine reserves cannot stopclimate change, but they can help limitthe number of stressors in a givenarea. In addition to protecting uniqueareas that may not be found anywhereelse in the world and increasing theirresilience to a changing climate. The organization that has authorityover the Southern Ocean, theCommission for the Conservation ofAntarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR) has taken a bold step inocean conservation by declaring itsintent to create the world’s first high-seas MPA system around Antarctica.Most of the ocean is beyond nationalborders, and if the nations that makeup CCAMLR succeed in designating afull system of MPAs, they will haveaccomplished somethingextraordinary and leave a lastinglegacy for our grandchildren andbeyond.Years ago when CCAMLR wascreated, its members declared that itwould manage fisheries with aprecautionary, ecosystem-basedapproach. The MPA network is entirelyconsistent with this approach and thenext logical step in protectingAntarctica’s diverse and irreplaceableecosystems for future generations.CCAMLR has been debatingproposals for MPAs in the Ross Seaand East Antarctica for several yearsnow.The images from the Arctic OceanAcidification (AOA) report: 33 AntarcticSpecies We Love and Must Protect(launched September 2014)underpins the urgency for the nationswho are part of this commission, to liveup to their commitments anddemonstrate their global leadership bydesignating the proposed MPAs at theupcoming meeting in 2015, andbeyond. Doing so would show theworld that it is possible for nations tocome together, put aside theirindividual issues and do the right thingfor the ocean and all the people whodepend on it for survival.

When we think ofAntarctica, we mayoften think of beautifulbut barren landscapesdominated by ice. Ihope that after readingthe report, you willalso think ofAntarctica as a placewith vibrant seafloorcommunities packedwith ancient spongesand hitchhikinganemones, with clear-blooded fish and deep-diving seabirds andseals, with massivewhales and colossalsquid.

Royal penguin,Antarctica


David S. Palmer, a contemporary artist, born in Knox, Indiana, inthe year 1953, studied fine art at Ball State University. In 1976Palmer moved to Laguna Beach California, where his friendswould say he lived the life of a true underground artist. Hiscreations are a testimony to the fact that he is a talented andseasoned artist with a cutting edge perspective.The pieces created in this series consist of mixed media,contemporary in appearance. They are a hybrid three-dimensionalform between sculpture and painting. His present work embracesa topic that is as old as the dawning of man. It is a message ofhope that seems to be telling the world: “Sit back, put your gunsdown, turn your bullets into beautiful artwork, and let us learn tolive together in peace and harmony”.

Bullet Proof ArtFrom War to Love, a Visual Recyclingof the Ugly into the Beautiful

By Mariejoe J. Raidy

Mariejoe J. Raidy: David, why didyou use the bullets as rawmaterial and was the inspiration arandom choice or was there adeeper meaning and reason forthe bullets as your raw material?David S. Palmer: The origin of thiswork was my desire to do a tributepiece honoring John Lennon for the30th anniversary of his senselessslaying. I felt the irony of using whatpeople could consider a blatant toolof violence and recreating his imagewould be something he wouldappreciate. I am an avid fan, notonly of his music but his ideals,dedication and courage. InLennon’s efforts to promote peace

he was harassed by the press andthe US government. There was afour year attempt to have himdeported and he was put underconstant surveillance yet he neverwaivered from his outspokenmessage “give peace a chance.”

MJR: The final portraits are reallyimpressive. Is there any materialused to embellish the pieces? Is itspray paint, oil or what is thetechnique and how did youdecide to venture into it? DSP: I have tried many ways tocreate contrast on the casings fromburning them with gunpowder, acidand using a torch to scorch the


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metal. The image will actually startout more like a drawing where Iuse the natural patina of the brassand polish out the highlights withsteel wool. On the final image I willuse transparent paint for color and

contrast. These are nottechniques that were taught inschool but fromexperimentation. The process isalways evolving. Up until this work I was not very

interested in doing portraits or“repurposing art.” If someone hadtold me I would be doing portraitson shell casings I would never havebelieved it. I guess we never knowwhere creative process will take us.

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MJR: Do you only choose tocreate portraits of people whowere killed by bullets or do youalso experiment with othermediums?DSP: After doing the Lennon piece

I had not considered doing anyother images but after seeing howpeople responded to the medium Idecided to use shell casings tohonor other great men who weretaken from us prematurely. The

“Fallen Heroes” series includes:Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy,Gandhi and I am presently workingon a piece of Martin Luther King. I have done other images out of thisseries such as the Statue of Liberty.

Waste & Art

John Lennon

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It consists of 6300 40 caliber shellscasings. This was done to highlightthe significance of arms in America.This work is less of a politicalstatement and more of a dialogue.“The Face of Liberty” celebrates ourright to bear arms, yet, mourns theconsequences of daily abuse.I personally am not for “guncontrol,” I’m for “self control.”This is the only medium I amcurrently working with.

MJR: If you had one message togive the world, and one to giveupcoming artists, what would it be?DSP: The use of shell casings isalso a reminder of how powerfully

destructive the emotion of hate isand yet even a bullet that can take alife cannot dismantle the energy ofhope, enlightenment andempowerment that exuded throughthese men and moved others toembrace the power of unity. In theireffort to unite they all paid theultimate price. I think when we are lucky enough tohave great leaders like the “FallenHeroes” they need to be cherishedand remembered, not destroyedand forgotten.My advice to rising artists is tocreate from your heart and not whatyou anticipate others will findsignificant.

John F. Kennedy Gandhi

Artist DavidPalmer createsportraits of iconsusing a mostunusual medium –bullet shells. Hecreates a metalcanvas out ofthem, and using asmall hand torch,he darkens theends of the bulletcasings, piecingtogether strikingportraits. Using aseemingly harshartistic mediumlike bulletsto depict theirvictims, Palmerhopes viewers will“see the miraclesthat can arisefrom choosing tocreate rather thandestroy.”

AROUND THE WORLDIN PHOTOS

MyanmarPhotos by Diego Fernandez Gabaldon

Myanmar, a republic in South-East Asia, bounded on the north byTibet Autonomous Region of China; on the east by China, Laos, andThailand; on the south by the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal;and on the west by the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, and India. It isofficially known as the Union of Myanmar. The coastal region isknown as Lower Myanmar, while the interior region is known asUpper Myanmar. The total area of the country is 676,552 square km(261,218 square miles).

MYANMAR

A horseshoe-shaped mountaincomplex and the valley of theAyarwaddy (Irrawaddy) River systemare the dominant topographicalfeatures of Myanmar. The mountainsof the northern margin rise to 5881meters (19,296 ft) atop HkakaboRazi, the highest peak in SoutheastAsia. The two other mountainsystems have northern to southernaxes. The Arakan Yoma range, withpeaks reaching more than 2740meters (about 9000 ft), forms abarrier between Myanmar and thesubcontinent of India. TheBilauktaung range, the southernextension of the Shan Plateau, liesalong the boundary betweensouthwestern Thailand andsoutheastern Lower Myanmar. TheShan Plateau, originating in China,has an average elevation of about910 meters (about 3000 ft).Generally narrow and elongated inthe interior, the central lowlandsattain a width of about 320km(about 200 miles) across theAyarwaddy-Sittaung delta. Thedelta plains, extremely fertile andeconomically the most importantsection of the country, cover an areaof about 46,620 sq. km (18,000 sq.ml.). Both the Arakan (in thenorthwest) and the Tenasserim (inthe southwest) coasts of Myanmarare rocky and fringed with islands.The country has a number ofexcellent natural harbors.

Climate

Myanmar is an all year rounddestination. Hilly regions in the northand northeast enjoy cool temperateweather. Rainfall is also very low incentral regions even during the rainyseason. ❮


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Population

The Republic of the Union ofMyanmar has a population of over60 million. The major racial groupsare Bamar, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin,Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan. Thepeople are called Myanmar.

Religion

Over 80 percent of Myanmarembraces Theravada Buddhism.There are Christians, Muslims,Hindus and some Animists.

Language

Predominantly Myanmar (Bamar)and ethnic minorities speaking Chin,Kachin, Kayin, Shan and other 135hill-tribe dialects and alsoCantonese, Mandarin, Hindustaniand Urdu are spoken by Chineseand Indian immigrants. Having oncebeen a British colony English is alsowidely spoken.

Culture

Myanmar lies on the crossroad of twoof the world’s great civilizations —China and India — but its culture isneither that of India nor that of Chinaexclusively, but a blend of bothinterspersed with Myanmar nativetraits and characteristics. Buddhismhas great influence on the daily life ofthe Myanmar. The people havepreserved the traditions of closefamily ties, respect for the elders,reverence for Buddhism and simplenative dress. Myanmars arecontented and cheerful even in theface of adversities and known for theirsimple hospitality and friendliness.

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The iconic sight ofInle Lake inMyanmar is the legrowing fishermenpreparing theirbaskets. Most laketraffic consists oflong, flat-bottomedboats. They standat the stern andwrap one leg roundan oar whilstgripping the hull ofthe boat with theother foot. Thedeceptively simplelooking basket nethas a spearsticking throughthe top of theframe. The spear isused to stir theweed below,exposing the fish.The fishermen canfeel the fishbumping againstthe frame andreleases the net tocapture the fish.

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Historical Background

Myanmar has a long history and itsgreatness dates back to the early11th century when King Anawrahtaunified the country and founded theFirst Myanmar Empire in Bagan —more than 20 years before theNorman Conquest of England in1066. The Bagan Empireencompassed the areas of presentday Myanmar and the entire MenamValley in Thailand and lasted twocenturies. The Second MyanmarEmpire was founded in the 16thcentury by King Bayinnaung styled

Branginoco by the Portuguese.King Alaungpaya founded the lastMyanmar Dynasty in 1752 and itwas during the zenith of this empirethat the British moved intoMyanmar and won the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1826. During TheSecond World War, Myanmar wasoccupied by the Japanese from1942 till the return of the AlliedForces in 1945. Independence from Britain in 1948was followed by isolationism andsocialism. Military governmentshave ruled Myanmar since 1962and have been accused of ❮

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Around the World in PhotosMyanmar

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corruption, heroin trafficking, andhuman rights violations includingforcible relocation of civilians anduse of forced labor. In 1988military forces killed more than athousand pro-democracydemonstrators. In 1990 nationalelections were held forparliament, but the militaryrefused to recognize the results. Myanmar underwent significantpolitical reforms in 2011. Itscurrent president is Thein Sein,who was elected the first non-interim civilian president ofMyanmar in 49 years. Aung SanSuu Kyi, who won an abortivedemocratic presidential election inDecember of 1990 and then waskept under house arrest for mostof the following two decades, isnow a member of the PyithuHluttaw House of Representativesrepresenting Kawhmu.

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Uniting Private Investments ......................................106

By Sherine Bouez

Sustainable ArchitecturalSolutions ..............................................120

By Sherine Bouez

“Rio+20 has set the stage for afundamental shift in the way oureconomies produce andconsume, andidentified the Green Economy asan important pathway towardsachieving a sustainable century.”- UN Environment ProgrammeExecutive Director Achim Steiner

GREEN ECONOMY

One of the world's most diverse floral landscapes can be found inLebanon. Flowers, shrubs, trees and wild herbs have been usedby artisanal agriculturists for activities ranging from beekeeping,or herbal remedies, to condiment production, all of which haveaccounted for regular sources of income for centuries.

Uniting PrivateInvestments Conservation Projects

By Sherine Bouez

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Lebanon’s rich biodiversity and theartisans who have relied on it, havebeen under the threat ofdisappearance for years. Severalprivate initiatives and individualinvestors have stepped in to protectLebanon’s biodiversity, prevent loss,defend farmers' rights and promoteorganic farming. Most small farms inrural Lebanon are family runoperations suffering from a lack offinancial resources, very little trainingand no means to become profitable.“If turning a fast profit is the new orderof business then the old art of ruralfarming, craft making, or artisanalproduction take time andcommitment, and this is not about tochange,” says Ramzi Salman, C.E.O.of A.R. Hourie Contracting Firm andthe visionary behind Bkerzay, aconservation project near his nativevillage of Baakline.“There is money tobe made in rural farming and it is ourjob to show the new generation offarmers the financial value ofinvesting time in their villages andfamily craft that has been handeddown for centuries. It is necessary forpreservation, it is unfortunately nolonger a choice”. Salman’s personal investment inBkerzay has been a success story,one he hopes will be replicated.Marianne Geadah, Bkerzay ProjectManager, explains that "we are firstlyconcerned with people preservation:agriculturists, artisans and villagers.”By creating a micro-economy tosustain the area in harvesting naturalproduce, reviving dying crafts andfostering an untainted space forcreativity to bloom, the project has sofar hit its initial target and moreambitious plans are now in thepipeline.

Sherine Bouez: How would youdescribe Bkerzay?Ramzi Selman: I like to call it aconservation project. The projectgets the name 'Bkerzay' from an ❮


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indigenous tree typical of the area.Our underlying vision is to maintain85% of the domain untouched andour main motivation is to create anactive platform for local farmers andcraftsmen to become major drivers ofthe area’s economy. We havemanaged to create a place (a stonethrow away from Beirut) to welcomevisitors, tourists or natureenthusiasts, showcasing localproducts, crafts and artisanalcreations and sharing a much simplerand healthier way of life. Bkerzay is animmersive experience that includesdiscovering good quality localproduce such as soaps, oils, herbs,honey, and aromatic essences.Visitors can spend a beautifulmorning savoring a hearty mountainbreakfast or hiking the many trails inan idyllic setting. We worked withHorsh Baakline forest ranger andregional fauna and flora expertMarwan Khodr to develop trailsoffering various degrees of difficulty,vistas and experiences. A big hit withvisitors interested to learn moreabout Bkerzay’s natural and wild lifehabitat is our set of guided tours. Aceramics-making space and potteryschool are also part of the premises.In addition to our resident potterAhmed Deif, we have since theschool's inception two years ago,welcomed a number of masterceramics artists , and amateursinterested in learning the ancient artof clay-making. Ahmed movedpermanently to Bkerzay from theFayoum Valley in Egypt, an area witha world class reputation for itsbeautiful artisanal clay production.Working closely with local pottersand other ceramists like MahaNasrallah, they combine creativethinking and expertise to perfect oldtechniques, experiment with newones, and spin the most exquisiteclay, glazing and design creations.Besides her work with the potters,Maha has been an instrumental ❮

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driver of the project from day one. Avery old friend and a fellow architect,Maha and I, along with a close-knitgroup of architects andconservationists, have been workingtogether to develop a master planthat would ensure the project’s goalscan be honored for generations tocome.

S.B.: How did you go aboutpooling resources?R.S.: A reactive response, this is howit all started. I could no longer sit idlywatching the environmentaldeterioration, the disappearance ofour forests, and the pesticide infestedfoods we are feeding our children,not to mention a culture of pollutedsoils, waterways and air that we haveallowed to fester among us,preferring not to give it the attention itdeserves. From that point on the ideagrew organically. The Chouf lendsitself to such a project; the area is stillrelatively pristine, its people extremelyreceptive and supportive. There is alot to be done, we have just startedand we are still learning, gatheringknowledge and enlisting support.The project is in its infancy and manyplans and ideas are on the table, allwithin the same basic objective tostay true to our original vision.

S.B.: How will you be able toachieve sustainability? R.S.: We just broke ground for theconstruction of twenty independentguest houses on the 35% areaearmarked for development. Theunits, inspired by the vernaculararchitecture, are designed to be incomplete harmony with thelandscape and fully integrated withinthe context of Bkerzay. They arebeing built by local masons who havereintroduced me to the novelincorporation of the ‘old’ ways ofconstruction that is more economical,natural and beautiful. The quality oftheir craftsmanship is outstanding. ❮

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The guesthouses would host invitedartists and allow guests to enjoyextended stays, be inspired, immersethemselves into an authentic ruralLebanese lifestyle, and discover thesurrounding villages.

S.B.: What is the architecturalconcept behind the guesthouses’design?R.S.: The concept is organizedaround crafts, arts and nature. Torevive old crafts you need creativity.This is why I have been working onpulling together traditional knowhowwith the innovative ideas of brilliantartists. The result has beenremarkable state-of-the art moderndesigns with traditional authenticity. ❮

Nature is of course a big part of theconcept and an insurmountableelement for the experimental qualityof the project and the functionality ofthe space. The beauty of thetraditional Lebanese house lies in itssimplicity. It blends into itssurroundings through the use ofnatural materials, itsacknowledgment of nature, and itsenduring quality. We are buildinghouses that offer all the modernamenities with the resilience oftraditional Lebanese houses. We arebuilding houses for the next 500years, it is a project that is intended tobe a permanent destination.

S.B.: Can you tell us aboutBkerzay’s natural ecosystem?R.S.: We are enlisting the help ofenvironmentalists to document andcatalog the fauna and flora. Sometypical trees include wild pines,oaks, figs, and olive trees growingtypically around the Mediterraneanbasin and bearing fruits with verylittle human intervention. Ourobjective is not to develop anagriculture of scale but to optimizewhat is already there by improvingon quality and variety. We areproducing premium extra virgin coldpressed olive oil, cultivating andproducing thyme, dried figs, sage,rosemary, and all kinds of herbs, sowe are possibly looking at exportingprime quality produce. We are alsoin the process of developing oureco-farm of fresh organicvegetables, including a fruit orchard.Our star product however remainsthe organic honey we make inseveral varieties from bees kept inBkerzay according to time honoredtraditions of raising bees andextracting honey.

S.B.: How do you envision thefuture of conservation? R.S.: Project leaders should networktogether because there are many

We are producingpremium extra virgincold pressed oliveoil, cultivating andproducing thyme,dried figs, sage,rosemary, and allkinds of herbs, so weare possibly lookingat exporting primequality produce.

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initiatives like this one happening allaround the country. Large affordableparcels of land are available for eco-tourism and organic agriculture.Projects and entrepreneurs investingin such projects should beencouraged, their work facilitated ata municipal, regional and nationallevels. The result will surely be toreinvigorate remote and lessadvantaged areas, energize theeconomy by introducing newmarkets to sell local produce andcrafts, and conserve thesurrounding biodiversity. The BaroukNature Reserve in the Chouf is agreat example of how a clear visionhas evolved into multiple income-generating projects that arerespectful of nature and revive

healthy and balanced lifestyles.I am always thrilled when others getinspired by the work achieved inBkerzay. We are setting newbenchmarks, raising the bar higherand achieving measurable results. It is asource of pride to me and many otherswho have poured their heart and soulinto this project when we see our ideagetting replicated elsewhere. It can bedone. Any true Lebanese withbusiness acumen and a love for theircountry can do this. Bkerzay is not onlya project to give back to the communityit is also a life changing commitment.Individual initiatives do get theexposure, recognition and supportthey deserve when they are donecorrectly and with the right intention. Itruly believe that.

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Green Economy

By Sherine Bouez

Karl Zouein, Head of KZ Architects and Mayor of Yahchouch,Lebanon, works as a Consultant Architect on projects includingresidences, corporate facilities, tourism, or resorts. After thesuccess story of 'Byblos Sud', Zouein undertakes a secondproject in the same area, 'Byblos Beach'. Blending the natural andthe built, the interior and the surrounding, Zouein proposesenvironmentally sensitive solutions based on an in depth analysisof Byblos' environmental specificities.

SustainableArchitectural Solutions Boosting a Country's Economy

This group of highly qualifiedarchitects and engineers cametogether with a common mission: theintegration of technological andecological progress in their work as a

basis for the sound economicdevelopment of every country. Theircomprehensive approach encompassesplanning, engineering, art, sustainableurban and landscape design. ❮

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Sherine Bouez: What is the addedvalue of this project to thecoastline? Karl Zouein: The concept is focusedon quality spaces located right on thesea shore. Most high end privateresidences have so far beensecluded, with lodges and pools builtin hundreds on the sea withoutbroader plans or ecologicalconsiderations. Byblos Beach is aclosed community project withsecure access that will include onlytwenty residential units of villas, withByblos beach village, a gym forresidents, and other amenities, allforming a small ecosystem as anextension of the natural surroundings.The location is exceptional and thisparticular coastline is protected byUNESCO. It is on the south coast ofByblos, a million years old, only 700meters away from the famous citadelon a beautiful sandy beach. We hadto approach the project in a rigorousway and take special care of the areaas we devised the architecturalconcept.Byblos Beach is inspired byMediterranean architecture andcombines the traditional Lebanesestyle with modern needs andfunctionality. Of course ourcommitment to executing eco-friendly building solutions is at theheart of this undertaking. Forinstance, the modernized vernaculararchitecture is naturally configured in away that helps with internal insulation.

S.B.: What natural materials areyou using? K.Z.: Ceramics, only wood, naturalstones, 'ramleh' (sandy stone) areused for all external facades,boundaries, fences, retaining walls, indifferent cuts and shapes (a roughversion or cut on the outside, and asmooth finish on the inside). Theleftovers of the stones are used asdecorative items for wall coveringsand landscape designs.

We are applying pure natural andlocal material for the external facadesthat are completely covered with'ramleh', that were used by ourancestors in Byblos. It is 5 cm thick soin addition to providing a concretedouble wall it ensures better heatinsulation, with a total width of 30 cm,significantly saving energy. All externalwindows will be designed with naturalteak wood. For an accentuatednatural effect we are going beyondour usual local market specifications:for example with the big bowwindows, with wooden doubleglazing, lift and slide windows,including all the material for phonicand thermal insulation. We wentabove the standard dimensions inwood to use natural products to thefullest and blend this effect into naturein seamless continuity. The project willexclude the likes of aluminum orstainless steel.The flooring will also be made out ofnatural stones. We have beautifulstones in Lebanon and we need tomake best use of them. They are ofexcellent quality, hard and resistant.They can be found in different colorsand textures. We get creative andincorporate them in numerous waysand sizes, rather than usingmanufactured material. For instance,the Basalt stone is a locally extractedblack stone that gave beautiful results.

S.B.: How are you taking waterconsiderations into account? K.Z.: Rainwater is collected from allthe rooftops and from landscape areasin a big water storage to be reused forirrigation. Rain water collection issignificant since it is a big project of20,000 square meters. We alsoreallocate it for secondary use. Our sewage treatment plants treat black water and channel ittowards the irrigation of the landscape,with a capacity of 40m3 per day. Weare developing our sewage treatmentplan with the latest technology. ❮


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S.B.: What are other examples ofgreen solutions? K.Z.: For heating we are using gasboilers that are far less polluting in theemission of CO2-no fuel, no smoke inall the villas! Gas meters are essentialadditions to every apartment toreduce gas consumption and limitunnecessary losses. Since we aremaking use of all the terraces they willbe included in the landscape withwooden decks, pergolas, jacuzzis, orsolar panels, for domestic hot wateras well as a maximum reduction ofelectricity and gas use. We need a secondary source ofelectricity in Lebanon, namelyelectric generators, and we areensuring a special new filter for thefirst time in the country thateliminates all pollution emissions.Along with the catalytic converter thisreduces 95% of the odors andfumes like CO2.Led lighting has been usedeverywhere, in the landscape and allthe interiors, as it is obviously a muchmore economical solution inelectrical consumption. A further linkbetween the interior and the exterioris the use of typically Lebanesevegetation on the rocks, binding thewhole project with the natural flora ofthe land. In juxtaposing architecturalplanes, materials, textures for designexcellence and sustainability lays thefoundation for a country’s prosperity.

Magazine

A Journey throughP aradise ...............................................126

by Gabriella PorelliPhotos by

Diego Fernandez Gabaldon

“We need the tonic of wildness...At the same time that we areearnest to explore and learn allthings, we require that all things bemysterious and unexplorable, thatland and sea be indefinitely wild,unsurveyed and unfathomed by usbecause unfathomable. We cannever have enough of nature.” - Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

ECOTOURISM

Bahamas

A Journey through

Paradise Unspoiled Beaches of the World

by Gabriella Porelli

Photos by Diego Fernandez Gabaldon

Bahamas

What is Ecotourism?

The InternationalEcotourism Societydefines ecotourism as‘Responsible travel tonatural areas thatconserves the environmentand improves the well-being of local people.’ Thesociety outlines sixprinciples of ecotourism:Minimize impact; buildenvironmental and culturalawareness and respect;provide positiveexperiences for bothvisitors and hosts;provide direct financialbenefits for conservation;provide financial benefitsand empowerment forlocal people;raise sensitivity to hostcountries’ political,environmental, and socialclimate.Other organizations andindividuals have attemptedto define ecotourism.Author Martha Honeyprovides seven principles of ecotourism inher book ‘Ecotourism andSustainable Development’:1) Ecotourism involvestravel to naturaldestinations. Thesedestinations are oftenremote areas, and areusually under some kind ofenvironmental protection.2) Ecotourism strives tominimize the adverseaffects of hotels, trails, andother infrastructure on theenvironment, while alsorestricting the numbersand behavior of tourists.3) Ecotourism builds

Ecotourism

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Cyprus

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environmental awareness, andincludes a prominent educationalelement, for both tourists andresidents of nearby communities. 4) Ecotourism provides directfinancial benefits for conservationthrough a variety of mechanisms,including park entrance fees andtourism industry taxes. 5) Ecotourism provides financialbenefits and empowerment for localpeople and is a tool for ruraldevelopment. It must also help shifteconomic and political control to thelocal community, village, cooperative,or entrepreneur.6) Ecotourism respects local cultureand is less culturally intrusive andexploitative than conventionaltourism.7) Ecotourism supports human rightsand democratic movements, and issensitive to the host country’s politicalenvironment and social climate.

Beaches of the WorldThe Urge to Maintain their NaturalBeauty

According to Save the Sea it is amonumental task to save the sea. Itcan be done by starting a worldwidemovement to renew our respect forthe earth, our seas, animal life andmankind itself. It takes a global,conscious effort to raise awareness,fix what is broken, and makesomething happen sooner ratherthan later. All efforts and intentions tosave the sea must be focused ondoing what is right, what needs to bedone, and having the maximumimpact so it can all be accomplishedin the most effective way possible.It should improve the health, longevityand living conditions of those who livein and around the oceans. All theseactivities should develop specificprograms and events to inspire arenewed appreciation of our seas

and increase support for thosecurrently working to preserve itsnatural habitats. Some of these programs mustconsist in creating original audio andvisual content aimed at raisingawareness, as well asconsciousness, to respect the seaand all the wondrous creatures thatinhabit it. It is crucial to help furtherthe cause of many who sincerelyshare this vision by committingthemselves, their time, energy andefforts to it. By bringing attention tothe real issues and concerns facingour oceans today, and by helpingraise awareness, and create evenmore support for those whodedicate their lives to saving thesea. In this way, we can have agreater impact saving our sea andhelp them be even more successfulat what they do best. Education is the key to success.There are so many problems facingthe health of our oceans all over theworld. One of the most severe is thestrip mining of our seas (using hugenets, sometimes miles long to catchfish). Everyday, all over the world,marine mammals and other formsof sea life are caught in these netsby the tons and die as a result of by-catch (unwanted or unintentionalcatch). Thousands of fish, whales,turtles, dolphins, and other forms ofmarine life are drowned, crushed,and suffocated, then tossed out,dead or dying, because they're notthe kind the fishermen wanted tocatch. This situation is severe andextremely difficult to control ininternational waters let alone a fewmiles off our coastline. Our seasand their invaluable resources arebeing depleted at an alarming rate.Until the world is unified in itspurpose and gets together as oneto resolve these serious problems,they will perpetually escalate, and

“It is a curioussituation that thesea, from which lifefirst arose, shouldnow be threatenedby the activities ofone form of that life.But the sea, thoughchanged in a sinisterway, will continue toexist: the threat israther to life itself.”-Rachel Carson


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Cyprus: Nature at its Best

The spectacular sandy beaches together with the outstandingly beautifulcoastal regions constitute one of the island's most valuable assets and are idealplaces where visitors can enjoy nature at its best.

“The sea will grant eachman new hope, and sleepwill bring dreams of home.”-Christopher Columbus

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eventually the damage will becompletely irreversible.There are many other problemsthat need attention too, some on asmaller scale but just as important,especially to those dedicating theirlives to it. Consider the time,patience and energy it takes torescue, care for and treat just oneinjured leatherback sea turtle or tocarefully unwind each strand offishing line endlessly tangled andwrapped tightly around the fins, tailand mouth of a California graywhale. Some of these whales andturtles have been suffering for yearsbefore someone has even beenable to get close enough to try andfree them from this torture causedby humans. Other problems occurright on our own beaches. Thinkabout how long it takes to clean astretch of coastline littered for mileswith cans, bottles, broken glass,tires and all kinds of discardeddebris. It takes hours upon hours,for days and weeks, month aftermonth, all year round.Unfortunately, this situation andalmost every other dilemma facingour oceans' environment today is adirect result of man's negligence,shortsightedness and disregard forthe sea around us.The sea represents so much to somany and has for so long.Appreciating its beauty, power anddepth is appreciating our humanity,who we are, and why we are here.Like the ocean, we are all extremelyconnected and interdependent, yetindividually every one of us is ofcrucial significance. Remember,each of us can and does make adifference in his or her own way. Nomatter how small orinconsequential what we do mayseem to us, the world will be amuch better place because of ourdecisions to do the right thing andcreate change.

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Dominican Republic

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The Dominican Republic: An Incredible Island Paradise

In the heart of the Caribbean occupying the eastern two-thirds of the islandof Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic is nestled between the AtlanticOcean on the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. As part of theTropic of Cancer, the Dominican Republic has a breathtaking topography.Mountains, valleys and beaches make up the diverse photogenic land.Three large mountain ranges run through the island, including the nearlytwo-mile high peak of Antilles. In fact, nearly half of the island is taken up bythe large mountain ranges that run through it.

“My soul is full of longingfor the secret of the sea,and the heart of the greatocean sends a thrilling pulsethrough me.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“There comes atime in a man'slife when hehears the call ofthe sea. If theman has a brainin his head, hewill hang up thephoneimmediately.” -Dave Barry

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Kenya’s Soft White Beaches

Kenya has 500 kilometers of soft white sand beaches,with palm trees, the bluest water, ever shining sun.While the beach area draws a lot of tourists, it’s stillmuch less developed than the big European or NorthAmerican beach spots – in the positive sense of theword.

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Lamu, Kenya

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Lamu, Kenya

Mozambique: AmazingBeaches

With a 2,500 km coastline ofwhite sandy beaches and clearblue reef waters and two sun-drenched archipelagos,Mozambique is famous for itsamazing beaches.These beaches areconcentrated into two areas:the Bazaruto Archipelago inthe south of Mozambique andthe Quirimbas Archipelago inthe north – both of which havea series of lovely tropicalislands which make stunningvenues for beach holidays inEast Africa.

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The Philippines: Asia's BeachCapital

With 7,107 islands, and a coastlinetwice the length of that of the UnitedStates, the Philippines can claim tobe Asia's Beach Capital. Enjoy thewarm crystal blue waters of boththe South China Sea and the PacificOcean. Mention the Philippines andimages of long, white sand beachesand bodies of water blessed with avariety of marine life come to mind.

“I really don't know whyit is that all of us are socommitted to the sea,except I think it'sbecause in addition tothe fact that the seachanges, and the lightchanges, and shipschange, it's becausewe all came from thesea. And it is aninteresting biologicalfact that all of us havein our veins the exactsame percentage ofsalt in our blood thatexists in the ocean,and, therefore, we havesalt in our blood, in oursweat, in our tears. Weare tied to the ocean.And when we go backto the sea – whether itis to sail or to watch it –we are going back fromwhence we came.”-John F. Kennedy

Seychelles

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Ecotourism

“Those who live bythe sea can hardlyform a singlethought of which thesea would not bepart.” -Hermann Broch

Seychelles’ Idyllic Beaches

Every island in the Seychelles is ringed with beaches.And what beaches they are! Spectacular ribbons of thefinest white sand, lapped by cerulean waters andbacked by lush hills and big glacis boulders and nary acrowd in sight.

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“Life is life's greatestgift. Guard the life ofanother creature asyou would your ownbecause it is yourown. On life's scale ofvalues, the smallest isno less precious to thecreature who owns itthan the largest.”-Lloyd Biggle Jr.

Sri Lanka’s Palm Fringed Coastline

With nearly 1600 km of palm fringed coastline baked to perfectionsurrounding the country, Sri Lanka is the ideal destination for beach bumsworldwide. May it be windsurfing, kayaking, yachting, water skiing, scubadiving or just lazing around for the perfect tan, Sri Lanka offers it all.

Tenerife

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Ecotourism

Tenerife: A Haven for SunWorshippers

Tenerife’s beaches havelashings and lashings ofgolden sand, some areunspoiled and off the beatentrack, many offer watersport facilities and all are ahaven for sun worshippers.

“There was a magicabout the sea.People were drawnto it. People wantedto love by it, swim init, play in it, look at it.It was a living thingthat was asunpredictable as agreat stage actor: itcould be calm andwelcoming, openingits arms to embraceit's audience onemoment, but thencould explode withits stormy tempers,flinging peoplearound, wantingthem out, attackingcoastlines, breakingdown islands. It hada playful side too, asit enjoyed the crowd,tossed the childrenabout, knocked lilosover, tipped overwindsurfers,occasionally gavesailors helpinghands; all done witha secret littlechuckle.” -Cecelia Ahern, The Gift

Thailand

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Thailand’s Astonishing Coast and Islands

With coasts on the Andaman Sea and the Gulf ofThailand and an astonishing array of islands,great beaches, great food, a tropical climate, afascinating culture and majestic mountains,Thailand is a magnet for travellers from all overthe world.Thailand is a kingdom of wonder, filled withspectacular natural, cultural, and historicalattractions. Which Thai attractions are youlooking forward to discovering on your Thailandholiday?

“The tradition offreedom of the highseas has its roots inan era when therewere too few peopleto seriously violatethe oceans – but inhindsight that eraended some 150years ago.”-James Carlton

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Timor

East Timor: An Unsung Tourism Destination

Diving, whale-watching, trekking, biking, great scenery, stunning mountaindriving and beautiful white-sand beaches. East Timor is one of the world'sunsung tourism destinations .

“The more clearly we canfocus our attention on thewonders and realities of theuniverse about us, the lesstaste we shall have fordestruction.”- Rachel Carson

“The least movement isof importance to allnature. The entire oceanis affected by a pebble.”-Blaise Pascal

Venezuela’s Caribbean Coast

Venezuela has more Caribbean coast than all the Caribbean islands put together,and plenty of sun and good weather. It has almost every kind of beach to choosefrom: small palm-fringed bays, long sweeps of soft sand, and the Caribbean’s onlycoral archipelago-Los Roques.

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The Beirut Bikeathon is a national initiative launched by GreenMind NGO for the 5th time in Lebanon and for the 2nd time inBeirut and organized for the first time in partnership with BikeLebanon, an NGO, encouraging thousands of sport lovers,companies, organizations, families, and eco-supporters to join apublic ride, to bike for a cause, and support the conversion to amore eco-friendly form of transportation: cycling. And the themeof this year’s event was “Bike for the creation of safe cycling lanesin the city”.The Bikeathon starting point was the Beirut Waterfront wheremore than 2,800 bikers joined in with their free, previouslybooked bikes or their own bikes, to participate in this longawaited event. The Beirut Bikeathon, a ride and not a race,consisted of two main tracks: one of 11.1 KM and one of 17.4KM that covered most of Beirut. The Bikeathon event was an“open ride” which means that no roads were closed in the city!Fortunately, and with the support of 400 security and organizingagents distributed over the two tracks, the bikers passed bysmoothly, proving that bicycles and cars can indeed co-exist.“Our objective for the big environmental and sporting eventwas to make a call for the request of cycling lanes in the city,starting with the city of Beirut” said Mrs. Nada Zaarour,President of Green Mind NGO. “More than 2,800 bikers fromall over Lebanon joined us with a great passion andenthusiasm to bike, which showed us that indeed, whenprovided with the opportunity, Lebanese people love to hit theroads with their bikes!”The event was covered and broadcast Live on LBCI TVchannel for 90 minutes, and also included the “NharkomSa’eed” program that took place Live on the Beirut Bikeathonstage, with the Minister of Tourism H.E Mr. Michel Faraon andMayor of Beirut Dr. Bilal Hamad present. Many national figuresattended the event as well, namely Mrs. Lama Salam, spouse ofPrime Minister of Lebanon H.E. Mr. Tammam Salam, andgroups of the Lebanese Internal Security Forces.


MAGAZINE

BeirutBikeathon2014A GreatSuccess

Beirut Bikeathon 2014 marked a major success onSunday October 5, 2014, a success that resounded notonly in Beirut but in all of Lebanon.

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Eco-Living

“More than2,800 bikersfrom all overLebanonjoined uswith a greatpassion andenthusiasmto bike,whichshowed usthat indeed,whenprovidedwith theopportunity,Lebaneselove to hitthe roadswith theirbikes!”

FUTURE ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS

28/30 October 2014Power Nigeria Conferencewww.power-nigeria.comAbuja, Nigeria

26 /28 October 2015World Mass Gathering Congress(WMG)www.worldmassgathering.comAbu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates

October

3/5 November 201410th Annual HSE Forum in Energywww.hse.fleminggulf.comDoha, Qatar

10/11 November 20146th Annual Middle East DistrictCooling Summitwww.energy.fleminggulf.comDoha, Qatar

November

10/11 January 2015International Conference onEnvironment and Bio-Engineeringwww.icebe.orgDubai, United Arab Emirates

January14/15 April 2015WEPower www.wepower-sa.comDammam, Kingdom of SaudiArabia

April

10 /12 May 2015Safety and Securitywww.edd-forum.comDammam, Kingdom of SaudiArabia

May14/15 February 20156th International Conference onEnvironmental Science andDevelopmentwww.icesd.org Amsterdam, Netherlands

23/24 February 2015Eco Solutionswww.ecosolutionsexpo.comDamman, Kingdom of SaudiArabia

February

1/12 December 2014UNFCCC COP 20/CMP 10 United Nations FrameworkConvention on Climate Changewww.unfccc.intLima, Peru

10/11 December 2014AcousticsTech Qatarwww.acousticstechqatar.comDoha, Qatar

December13 /16 June 2015The Fifth Asian Conference onSustainability, Energy & theEnvironmentwww.iafor.org Osaka, Japan

June16/17 March 2015RETROFITTECH www.retrofittechdubai.comDubai, United Arab Emirates

16 /17 March 2015 Economic Development &Diversification Forumwww.edd-forum.comAbu Dhabi, United ArabEmirates

March

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APIMONDIAwww.apimondia.com

BKERZAYwww.facebook.com/Bkerzay

BLOOM ASSOCIATIONwww.bloomassociation.org

CREATIVE LOUNGESwww.creativelounges.com

DAVID PALMERwww.bulletproof2011.com

DIEGO FERNANDEZ GABALDONPHOTOGRAPHYwww.diegofgphoto.net

EARTHJOURNALISM NETWORKwww.earthjournalism.net

GREEN MINDwww.greemind.org

JOHN WELLERwww.johnbweller.com

PERMACULTURE LEBANONwww.soils-permaculture-lebanon.com

THE HIGH SEAS ALLIANCEwww.highseasalliance.org

SEBASTIAN COPELANDwww.sebastiancopelandphotography.com

WWFwww.worldwildlife.org

URL


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We Magazine N° 13

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