Here is the link to the magazine I am working for: SHIFTmag
SHIFTmag is a quarterly magazine on European issues.
Enjoy !
Category Archives: Environment
The story of the reluctant fisherman.
In the South of Benin lives Lucien a fisherman, who decided to follow the way of ecotourism.
Lucien fishing in the Lake. Copyright Patricia Floric
Lucien was born at Ahémé’s lake, which is surrounded by fishermen villages. When he was a child, he followed his father in the pirogue.
“At the age of eight, my papa gave me my first net – a small net, which make me feel as a strong fisherman.”
Copyright Patricia Floric
With the time, he learned all the techniques of fishing and, like everyone in the village, he became a fisherman. However, Lucien wanted to do something else. “I tried to study, but I failed at the secondary school, tried again and failed again. So, I went back fishing. But the lake was not full as before, and it became difficult to bring enough fish home. So I decided to start training to become a carpenter.”
And, Lucien became a carpenter, but he could not stop fishing, as his new job did not benefit him so much. “Few people in the village could afford wooden furniture. So I returned to fishing.”
Not surprisingly, when a group of EcoBenin came to develop the site of Possotomé, Lucien saw in this a new opportunity and volunteered.
“I am now an eco-guide. I did some training on the environment and it compliments well with my job as a fisherman.”
Since he has started, Lucien has found a new passion. “I love what I am doing, and try to learn as much as I can on the history of my region and customs of my people to be able to answer to the questions of tourists.”
Lucien guiding in the Holy forest of Kpetou. Copyright Patricia Floric
Lucien is Pedah and his culture is strongly influenced by the cult of vodun. He knows the divinities, and what it is forbidden to do. He tells stories warnings of what happen to people, who are too naïve. “We cannot laugh with the vodun. It is really serious. If you do not respect the laws of vodun some thing wrong can happen to you!”
Today, it is a day of initiation for the adepts of the divinity of the trance. Lucien is seated close to the priests. “ I have the right to be here, cause my grand-father was an important priest. Normally my father should take this position, but because papa is sick, they decided that I will be the new priest. Soon, I will receive my initiation as well.”
While Lucien is speaking the tam-tams are playing and slowly the trance is coming. Lucien is also ready to dance to accompany the new adepts.
After few hours of dancing, the tam-tams stop and Lucien go home.
In the morning, he invites me to see one of his numerous new activities: rabbit farming. “I started with rabbit, because it is a new ecological way of applying what I learned, and it’s easy to do.”
These last few years the lake has suffered. The mangrove was dying and so the eco-system was damaged.
The mangrove around the lake. Copyright Patricia Floric
In order to repair the eco-system of the Lake, and allow a better reproduction of the fish, a plan of action has been launched. “We have to replant 1million of mangroves around the lake before 2011. It is a big challenge, but I am confident, as already more than 750 000 were planted. And they are growing well”, he explained showing me the young mangroves.
“I think that the future will be better here. There are still many things to do, but it will be done.” He smiles.
Lucien, his three daughters and his grandson
Lucien has three daughters with the money that I made on the site thanks to ecotourism I will support them in their studies. I do not want them to become like the other girls in the village selling corns on the street and begging for money.”
When a poacher becomes an eco-guide
In 2007, the village of Tanongou in Benin, became an eco-village. Since that time, the life of Kevin has changed.
Kevin is 31. On each side of his face, there is a scar – the mark of his tribe, the Gourmantché.
“It is a way to say that we are from this land and that we are different from the others.”
The Gourmantchés were very good hunters, but since the creation of the Park of Pendjari- an animal reserve close to his village- it is forbidden to hunt in the protected park.
But it is not easy to stop a traditional hunter, and many hunters have become poachers.
“Since it has been forbidden to kill the buffalos, the price for them has been raised. I used to poach a lot, cause I needed money and I knew how to do it. However, for two years now, I have realised there’s another way of earning money”.
Kevin has become a tourist guide, during his free time. “I am a guide in the Waterfall, I show to tourists my land and tell them the story of my customs.” Kevin is part of Tinfi association, which was created in 2007.
Kevin guide of the waterfall. Copyright Patricia Floric
A collective effort
During that same year, Babio El-Kir Moudachirou, who is responsible for geographic tourism and adviser for GFA for the program of conservation and management, came to make the population of the village of Tanongou aware of their touristic asset.
“They were close to a waterfall, but only guides from others villages made tourists pay to see it. The prices were always changing and the community never benefited from it,” remarked El-Kir Moudachirou.
With the support of the NGO Eco Benin, which also realised the potential of this village, discussions with the population started. ”At the beginning, we were a bit worried,” explained one of the inhabitants, “because we saw many NGO’s, which came to help us, but they left and nothing was done.”
Gautier Amoussou, coordinator of Eco Benin, added, ”We are not God and we want to make sure, that the population understand, that we are not here to do the work, but only to support them. Not to support them financially but by giving methods. The first thing that we are looking for, when we arrive on a site, is to see the motivation of people. Are they ready and willing to open their door to tourists? And above all, are they willing to invest and organise their community in that direction?”
Tanongou village in North Benin. Copyright Patricia Floric
After the project was explained, some people in the villages decided to try it. “Since it was important for us that they become totally independent, because the aim at the end is for us to leave them, we advised them to organise themselves in an association,” said Jules Landjohou, following for Eco Benin the activities and changes in Tanongou.
Then TINFI, “stand up” in Gourmantché, was born and his president Joël became proud of the evolution of his village.
Joël. Copyright Patricia Floric
“Now we are offering different activities for tourists, we have many walk-circuits (in the mountain, villages and land) given by seven guides and for the waterfall there are five guides and five divers. We are also able to host tourists, as five women in the villages decided to offer a room for the tourists. And working with them we have 5 cooks, also women. There are dancers, and a painter. Each of them is paid for the services by the tourist, and eventually 30% is for the council. Thanks to this process, we have been able to support different projects for our villages, like an oven and a water pump.”
The women
It has been a real change here to see women invest and being considered as bosses in their own domain.
Fidele, who hosts tourits in her house. Copyright Patricia Floric
Fidele, who is one of the hosts, used to refer to her domicile as her husband Michel’s house. However, now inside this family place she built three “cases”, rooms for the tourists.
“I clean it and make sure that everything is nice. We built a place to take the shower (there is always water in the bucket) and it is new for us but we have done this for the tourists. There is now a dry toilet. It is good because, I can use the compost as a compost fertilizer.”
Still a farmer
The agriculture is the main activity of the village. Here everyone is a farmer. Kevin the guide, ex-poacher explained that both activities, agriculture and tourism, go well together because it is during the dry period that there are many tourists, and during the rainy period, it is the time to go to the field.
Kevin in his field with four workers to help him. Copyright Patricia Floric
As it was raining last night, Kevin was ready early in the morning to work on his land: “You know, we have to enjoy the raining time to furrow.”
His field is three kilometres from the village. This year, thanks to the money he earned by being a guide, he managed to pay three people to help him to furrow.
“We do not have a tractor in the village and unfortunately I do not have any more cows to help. So we have to do everything by hand. There is a chance that Joël, the president of the association, will be able to rent a tractor from Tanguieta ( another village), and then I will pay to use it on my second field.”
Joël is still negotiating to bring a tractor in the village. “If we will make enough money on the side with the association, we will buy one for us. At this rhythm, we should be able to get our own next year.”
Organic activities
In the land with Kevin, another guide Alain, is planting the organic cotton. “I am doing this because last year, I started with a half hectare and it was very good, so I will carry on. Some people in the village are doing the same now, maybe slowly we will be able to get a complete organic land to create an organic circuit to show to the tourists,” said Alain.
Alain furrows his field to plant organic cotton. Copyright Patricia Floric
Alain is the guide of Pendjari’s park and because he has been touristing for a long time, he has been helping the young guide of Tanongou learn the proper way of organising a circuit.
“Now their French is a bit better, but they still have to learn some more vocabulary.” Alain knows the name of every plants and he is able to tell you the species of each animal surrounding his village. He received a trainee with the direction of the park, and now his knowledge benefits the inhabitant of Tanongou.
Kevin learned with him. “But there are so many things still to do. For example it will be essential that all the guide learn first aid, to be able to provide initial care in case of a tourist is injured,” claimed Alain. This kind of trainee is often provided by volunteers sent by Eco Benin or Planète Urgence, which work closely with Eco Benin.
A long process
Eco Benin, working on the base of the volunteers and people in internship, often send people in training there.
Murielle is one of them. She is French doing a Master of Agro-engineer degree and will work in Benin for two months. Her aim is to create a club with the pupils of Tanongou to make the population aware through the eyes of their children that it is important to organise a waste treatment in the village.
Ecotourism Future
The activities that shape the eco-village of Tanongou are numerous and more and more people day after day wish to participate to it. “I would like to open a bar in the village for the tourist” said one, when another said that she is also ready to host tourists.
But Babio El-Kir Moudachirou, who is responsible for geographic tourism and adviser for GFA for the program of conservation and management warned the inhabitants of Tanongou that the village should not become a place for massive tourism.
“It will be ridiculous and dangerous for a small villages to open too much. We want a certain kind of tourists here. The good one, able to respect customs and willing to learn about us. The one coming here to throw a can on the street is not welcome.” He said “To avoid this, we have to accept a certain percentage of tourists in the village.”
Accepting this incredible challenge in 2007, Joël, President of Tinfi Association is proud of the evolution of his village:”I know many things are still to do, but I see a nice future for us”.
Eco-Benin
Benin association Eco-Benin is betting on ecotourism to raise villages economy and protect the environment.
The asssociation Benin Ecotourism concern (Eco-Benin) with the support of Planète Urgence is promoting the respect of the environment in the West African country.
The director Gautier Amoussou explains that facing a fast growing economy, which damages natural resources (deforestation, disappearance of the mangrove…) the population is suffering.
“With problems in the mangrove the fisherman cannot find enough fish to feed his family.” Gautier Amoussou said, “With ecotourism we hope to generate a new source of income to the population.”
The association invites them to an interesting double-deal: rescuing the population by saving the environment.
This win-win deal has a lot to offer. They organise tours, and have built infrastructures able to host tourists. Then, the tourists are directly invited to learn customs and participate in daily life.
Here, it is believed that it is by understanding others that you will be able to plainly respect their environment. So, no cans or plastic bags should be throw on the street; the tourist has to be responsible for his actions.
win-win
No more statutes where the tourist is king in the land of ecotourism. And it is pleasing to see them working and planting trees with the inhabitants of the villages.
In a way, it is an exploration of the culture and nature that defines an eco-trip. But what does it really offer to the population, and what more could be done?
In order to discover and teach myself about it, I’ve decided to go to Benin (I am leaving the 10th of June) to work as a volunteer with the association.
During 20 days, I will have the opportunity to see different sites: Tanougou, Koussoucoingou and Possotome. These villages meet different issues that the ecotourism try to resolve. Working close to the inhabitants, I wish to find out what ecotourism brings to the population and hopefully find in it a real win-win situation.
Ecotourism
Actually wondering about this new way of traveling; Ecotourism- I decided to focus my final project ( to complete my Master degree in Journalism) on this idea of sustainable travel.
What is ecotourism? Where does it exist? Why? Does the population benefit of this new eco-invasion?…
In order to prepare and complete my research on this topic, in the following days, we will discuss these questions.
Anyone involve in ecotourism is invited to contact me and share their experiences and point of view.
The Cove and the wake of an activist
Flipper is the icon of an adorable kind of dolphins. Their self-awareness and intelligence portrayed in television led a multi-billionaire entertainment industry and dozens of thousands of these mammals to a horrible death.
Has been a couple of days since I watched The Cove and I am still in shock.
The 2009 documentary by Louie Psihoyos about the slaughter of roughly 23,000 dolphins in a National Park at Taiji, (Japan) had opened my eyes towards the fishing industry –it also triggered the hidden activist inside me.
The film raises a mix of feelings but mostly anger.
Angry of the cold-blood-killing-skill of some Japanese fishermen and angry of the late regret of former dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry.
Mr O’Barry devotes his life to free dolphins in captivity.
He became activist after one of the five mammals he trained to feature in the TV series Flipper died in his arms.
In the film O’Barry told the dolphin actually committed suicide because it couldn’t bear the captivity.
“The self-awareness of dolphins is also found in some biological process. Rather than human automatic breath, dolphins are conscious of their breathing. I saw in Cathy’s eyes –the dolphin that died in O’Barry’s arms- the stressed she was in. She took a deep breath and simply didn’t take the second.”
The movie
The Cove emphasises dolphins as deeply sensitive, highly intelligent and self-aware creatures living in the open ocean.
It focuses on the attempt of O’Barry and an expert team of divers and technicians to disclose the secret dolphin drive hunting that occurs during the nights in Taiji.
The mission aimed to stop the uncontrolled hunt of dolphins to supply the multi-billion dollar entertainment industry. On the way they also appointed the underhanded market of mercury-tainted dolphin meat attached in the unseen drive hunt.
With hidden cameras, sophisticated underwater sound equipment and a fully plan O’Barry and company manage to get footage of the killings behind the cove.
The scenes are dramatic.
The reviews
The Cove has 39 awards from various film festivals around the world.
Despite the positive critiques, it has negative reviews as a piece of propaganda.
David Cox of The Guardian Film Blog called it a “piece of evangelism. From a Japanese point of view “Westerners… kill and eat cows. Easterners eat dolphins. What’s the difference?”
The controversy is mostly over how the film describe the Japanese people.
However, director Louie Psihoyos once said: “To me, it’s a love letter. I’m giving you the information your government won’t give you.”
The aftermath
The film woke the activist inside me. I may not going to fight for freeing dolphins now, but at least this post opens a path.
I started to wonder about how the fish industry works as The Cove probed the mislebelled of fish meat to cover the real dolphin component.
Such level of mercury poisoning already caused a disaster in Japan.
The so-called Minamata disease was a neurological syndrome including ataxia, numbness in the hands and feet, general muscle weakness, narrowing of the field of vision and damage to hearing and speech. In extreme cases, insanity, paralysis, coma and death follow within weeks of the onset of symptoms. A congenital form of the disease can also affect foetuses in the womb.
It was first discovered in the city of Minamata at the Kumamoto prefecture in 1956.
It happened after the release of methyl mercury in the industrial wastewater from the Chisso Corporation’s chemical factory, which continued from 1932 to 1968.
Shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea bioaccumulated this highly toxic chemical and by March 2001 only 2,265 victims were officially recognised (1,784 of whom had died) and over 10,000 received financial compensation from Chisso.
The danger is still ongoing. According to recent international study dolphin meat has 5 times the maximum allowable level of mercury.
A diet with such levels of mercury can damage the brain, kidneys and central nervous system.
Studies have also linked mercury with cardiovascular disease, infertility, and high blood pressure.
What’s next?
The whole world behind the fishing resulted disgusting, which is horrible to think about as I am a seafood lover.
The story portrayed in the film is well-known. Human behaviour is actually terminating the wildlife by breaking the balance in the nature for a handful of money.
I agree on something must be done and that everybody should be involved on doing so.
Dolphin hunting season in Japan begins on September 1 each year.
by Murielle Gonzalez Oisel.
Avatar Movie Avatar Movie
When some are bored to read news about environmental issues and need action, they go to see Avatar the last James Cameron movie.
No disappointment for the eyes in this polished science fiction.
The best to enjoy and take plainly part of the tale is to see it with 3D glasses.
Of course the plot stays classic: Good boy and Mean soldiers in this American scenario, but easily the magic and beauty of the world Pandora bring you into an unforgettable dream.
So let the battle to save the Na’vis’ planet take place and fly on the back of the banshes, these mysterious creatures.
The Plot:
as described in Internet movie Databased “In the future, Jake, a paraplegic war veteran, is brought to another planet, Pandora, which is inhabited by the Na’vi, a humanoid race with their own language and culture. Those from Earth find themselves at odds with each other and the local culture. Written by Giorgio C”
The Trailer:
Technology:
The website is as amazing as the movie so if you want to learn more or if you are not tempted enough have a look at it by a simple click: Avatar website … You will be able to experience the interactive trailer and enter to Pandora. Have a good trip!
Copenhagen: an environmental disappointment
Think Green, Be Green, Tomorrow will be more Green!
That’s approximately what Danish people heard every day since they were selected to become the Capital of the COP15, the United Nations conference on climate change.
As planned they opened their mind: Copenhagen city dressed in green, ecology advertising a new deal and inhabitants cycling.
Everything was perfect! The Danish capital could show the good example and charm the visitors and more influenced the UN meeting… at least they hoped.
As an ironic preview of what was going to happen the green activities in the city were named “Hopenhagen“.
On the different squares of Copenhagen NGO’s, enterprises and green business were presenting the importance of respecting ecology and how easy it is to be green.
In the place dedicated to children, a woman showed by some interactive bins how useful and fun it is to recycle! Someone else was baking pancakes by solar energy.
Maj Brit Jensen playing with a special bin. Copyright Patricia Floric 12/2009
Hopenhagen dismissed
And above all many Danish people accepted to take part of the new life Copenhagen.
A fantastic experience where volunteers were asked to open their house to delegations and NGO’s members assisting to the summit. ( an article with testimonies from participants will follow on the blog)
Sharing so many ideas and spending time with their family on a global issue as Climate Change, make Danish people directly involved and affect by the result of the conference.
The 18th of December last day of the negotiations Copenhagen was waiting for a new great deal… However it was a shy accord that the United Nations put on the table: known today as the Copenhagen Accord
The Copenhagen Accord in few points:
- Temperature: It agrees to limit global temperature rising no more than 2°c=NB: the deal did not precise a deadline and do not mention penalties for countries, that wouldn’t respect the accord
- Financing for poor nation: The text says: “Developed countries shall provide adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources, technology and capacity-building to support the implementation of adaptation action in developing countries.”
- Forest protection: It “recognises the importance of reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation and the need to enhance removals or greenhouse gas emission by forests”, in order to find “positive incentives”.
- Carbon Emissions: The accord did not specify any challenging deadline. However it said that it heard the scientific alarm. And only mentioned really unclear decision about it: “We decide to pursue various approaches, including opportunities to use markets to enhance the cost-effectiveness of and to promote mitigations actions.” Moreover it called countries to send next year their pledges for curbing carbon emissions by 2020.
Many people were disappointed by this announcement claiming that:
“it is not enough, we need more!”
Effectively, as explained by BBC in the article Copenhagen deal: key points:”The Accord, reached between the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa, contains no reference to a legally binding agreement, as some developing countries and climate activists wanted.”
It means that to be legally voted and ratified this text need to become a treaty, something what could be done during a new meeting next year or even later.
So, if activists around the world digest slowly the news, it seems that the mediation of the event did interest more people that expected. We may hope that if the government have not been sensitive enough to the climate change problem the public mind is and maybe will be heard one day…
Waiting for a deal
Long debates are taking place inside Bella Center, but decisions are still frozen
Especially developing countries suffered of unending discussions.
Mário Francisco Correia Ximenes and Manuel da Silva from East Timor expressed their disappointment: “We are not really satisfied. There have been lots of negotiations, many draft texts and no answers yet.”
The long way from Indonesia to Copenhagen was a great effort for their delegation. Their attempt to help on achieving an agreement to solve climate change has not been rewarded. “We expected this morning an agreement to extend Kyoto protocol, but we have been said to wait,” they complained.
From El Salvador, the Central America’s civil society committee left the Friday’s meeting with a bitter feeling: “We were appointed for a reunion with COP15 president to present our viewpoints but it was cancelled. This made us think that civil societies have been dismissed from the climate change debate.”
Hopes
Aloys Rurantije, director of Burundi’s Meteorological office came to Copenhagen to find a solution for his country. “The north region is affected by a terrible drought when the south experiments massive floods”, he warned.
Unfortunately, no consensus has been yet decided, but the meteorologist is confident: “Me and my colleagues hope and really think that something is going to happen next week.”
Youngsters are also interested on making their voice heard. The African Youth Initiative on Climate Change attended the COP15 conferences with a great hope of achieving a good deal. “We came to discuss the Kyoto protocol and it seems like despite US didn’t sign it before, we will get a worldwide pact this time,” AICC spokesperson said.
A valuable testimony
Julian Pillco Huillca is a farmer in Cuzco. He came especially to testify the impact of Climate change on his fields.
Peruvian geographer Victor E. Sánchez Campos accompanied him and said: “We spoke in front of UN delegations to claim for climate justice. We are really happy with their reactions. It seems that they understood Julian’s message.”
They generously offered us a copy of the farmer’s speech.
On the video attached below, you can hear him speaking about the difficulties of growing and animals breeding he is currently facing.
Despite the Spanish language on the video, the footages speak for themselves.
Special report by Murielle Gonzalez and Patricia Floric.
Global Action Day in Copenhagen
Meeting point in front of the Danish parliament house. Copiright Patricia F.
A massive demonstration took place in Copenhagen today. It was the biggest event of the Global Action Day to stop climate change.
At least 100,000 people marched together to demand a biding deal on climate change in the danish capital when the same voice echoed all around the world.
In Copenhagen, Bolivian, Brazilian and Belgian flags were floating and shaped the wave of the crowd.
Activists were chanting peaceful slogans jumping from “Peace to Palestine” to “Cut down CO2 –now”.
copyright Patricia F.
The protesters gathered at 1pm in front of the Danish parliament house. From there, the walk took 6 km (4 miles) to reach Bella Center.
Organisers and NGOs gave people the necessary equipment to march:
- Banners
- Paint
- Slogans
They also gave the energy to resist the cold: “Warm yourself up, jump and hug.”
Huging to warm up. copyright Patricia F.
People from Christiania, the famous Danish hippy community, offered tea, soup and lemonade in exchange for a voluntary donation.
On the way to Bella Center the atmosphere was really friendly – people smiled, had a bit of chat and joked with each others.
The city was well prepared for this event. The local authority called neighbour countries police force to avoid troubles.
Around 35 000 policemen secured the march all along its way.
Arriving to the final destination, demonstrators lighted candles to show the number of people concerned by environmental crisis.
copyright Patricia F.
They all hoped to make a difference and to be heard.
“It’s important to be here where the leaders of the world are deciding for our future,” a sixty year-old French protester said.
Special report by Murielle Gonzalez and Patricia Floric
