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Wingate: Eroding Cliffs Under Condos

Dr. David Wingate gave an incredible interview with local news site, Bernews.  Below is an excerpt.

"Dr David Wingate has warned that the cliffs underneath the new condos being built on South Shore are eroding. The conservationist said it is a vulnerable cliff that is diminishing at the rate of 1 -2 metres every decade, and that one single category 5 hurricane could cause the cliff to erode all the way back as far as the condos."

Continue reading on Bernews.

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Wangari Maathai

We at BEST are saddened to hear of the death of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmental activist and Member of Parliament who started the Green Belt Movement that spread through and beyond the borders of Kenya. Her leadership inspired the planting of an estimated 45 million trees in and around Kenya to counter the environmental degradation caused by deforestation in her homeland. The Green Belt Movement also empowered rural African women through educational and economic opportunities. Her books "Unbowed: a Memoir", "The Challenge for Africa", and "Replenishing the Earth" are worth reading. She is an inspiration to Environmentalists, Africans and women everywhere. The planet will miss her energy and guidance.

Global Car Free Day Bermuda

Global Car Free Day Bermuda from BEST on Vimeo.

Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that we don't have to accept our car-dominated society.

But we do not want just one day of celebration and then a return to "normal" life. When people get out of their cars, they should stay out of their cars. It is up to us, it is up to our cities, and our governments to help create permanent change to benefit pedestrians, cyclists, and other people who do not drive cars.

Let World Carfree Day be a showcase for just how our cities might look like, feel like, and sound like without cars…365 days a year.

Rural Lane, Paget

Concerned members of the public reported the apparent dumping of rubble on arable land at Rural Lane.

Investigation by BEST revealed that the rubble had been dumped at the edge of the field to hide the cropland from public view, according to the land-owner, to curtail theft of crops from the plot, (sadly, a frequent occurrence). The rubble was intended to form a berm at the edge of the plot, be covered with soil and planted with a hedge. Several loads of rubble had been dumped closer to the centre of the plot, leading observers to believe the arable plot was going to be covered and destroyed. BEST was assured that all rubble will be moved to the edge of the field.

Whilst appreciating the problems facing the owner, alteration of land zoned Agricultural Reserve is prohibited by law unless approval is sought and granted by the Development Applications Board. The Department of Planning has been alerted and local residents have offered to keep an eye on developments at the site.

Bermuda's arable land is constantly under threat from development or destruction. BEST hopes citizens will continue to be alert to such violations and report them to officials and watchdog agencies.

Virtual Forum

BEST is proud to introduce Awareness NOW, the newest category of Voices of BEST! Awareness NOW is a virtual forum featuring content that is monitored and filtered by BEST, but published in the interest of Bermuda and Bermudians (i.e.: YOU!).

Click here to find out more!

Value of a Tree

Voices of BEST - Press

In parliament on Friday (July 15) Minister Zane DeSilva (Health) stated that if asked to choose between jobs and trees, he is going to choose jobs. Neither Stuart nor anyone else in BEST has asked Mr. DeSilva to choose between the two, and there is no reason why anyone should or will. However Mr. De Silva’s false choice should not be ignored as it reveals a lack of understanding of the relationship between humans and the ecosystem, and exemplifies the ease with which we tend to undermine the value of nature. Bermuda’s vegetation -- and trees especially-- contribute enormously not only to the beauty and health of our island, but also to Bermuda’s success as a tourism destination. Trees absorb carbon dioxide; they provide us with oxygen, fruits and shade. Without trees there would be no lumber for the construction industry, no deposits of oil required by the petroleum industry, and no overland transpiration of moisture that results in clouds and therefore rain. Jobs and trees are of equal importance and there is no reason why Bermuda can’t have both.

The following is an estimate of the monetary value of a single tree over its entire lifespan. Local Scientist Dr. Wolfgang Sterrer converted calculations made originally by Indian Biologist and Professor T M Das, of the University of Calcutta, to arrive at the figures for the local economy.

Press Conference

Campaigns/Projects - Park Hyatt Hotel

Read more for further information on the Park Hyatt Plans and to gain access to the contents of the Press Conference held at the BEST offices earlier this morning (14th July 2011).

Read more: Press Conference

Park Hyatt Hotel Objections