Earth Day Message

by the Hon. John Briceño

Leader, People’s United Party

22 April 2010

This past Thursday was Earth Day. For some the day passed as just another day, for others it was a day to reflect on our relationship with our environment.  In classrooms all across the country it was a time for our teachers to engage with their students about the wonders of nature and the marvels of our planet.

By now most of us are convinced that our human survival is inextricably linked to the sustainability of our planet; as such our actions should reflect that sense of respect and real love for nature.  As Belizeans we have done a lot to raise the level of consciousness when it comes to protecting our marine and aquatic life.  We have also put in reserves large portions of our land in the hope that we can leave something for those who will come after us.  These efforts are laudable, however more can be done; more should be done.

We can work consciously to raise our awareness when it comes to protecting our environment by keeping our waters clean, our land fertile and our air free from pollution.  On land we must continue to teach each other the importance of our green spaces.  Trees provide so much that is important to our livelihood, from the oxygen we breathe to the shade from a broiling sunny day, yet we seem to always be cutting down our trees.   We need to change this; instead of cutting we need to plant more trees.  Likewise we need to protect our mangroves, they are an indispensible part of our ecosystem and we need to keep our green spaces clean and healthy and protect our forests so that animals can have the space to roam.

Like air, water is life.  We are lucky in Belize to have abundant water sources, but we must never waste water, we must keep our rivers clean, minimize pollution, punish those who dump toxic materials into the rivers and lagoons and we must always keep the banks of our rivers lush with vegetation.  All this will help us to minimize air pollution and keep the air we breathe safe.

All of us can do our part; when we walk to the store instead of drive we are helping.  When we use the wind and sunshine of a bright Belizean day to dry our laundry instead of using a dryer, we are contributing.  When we sit under the shade of tree instead of using a fan, or open a window instead of running the air conditioner, we are doing our part and through these ordinary gestures our efforts yield extraordinary results.

Now I know that at times we take for granted what nature has given to us.  Why shouldn’t we; our rivers are still clean, we breath the fresh air on a daily basis, our fruit trees still yield some of the best produce in the world.  But that is only on the surface.  All the experts will tell you that more is at risk today.  We must therefore work harder to minimize that risk, mitigate against further deterioration and build our capacity.

Lately there has been a lot said about the benefits of green technology and of a more eco friendly existence.  Utilizing technology to cut wastage while at the same time reduce pollution is a good practice.  It can also help with efficiency and more meaningful productivity. By managing our resources in a sustainable manner, we will guarantee benefits today and tomorrow.

Today more than ever our world is interconnected; our dependence upon each other cannot be overstated.  The actions of those thousands of miles away from our shores can cause irreparable damage to our way of life.  What we do here can have a similar effect on those far away.

For this reason each of us must take responsibility for our actions and do our part to protect our planet.  Let us learn what is right, do what is proper and help each other to make our planet safer and our country better and our lives purposeful.

And let us always respect each other and protect our environment.

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