Earth Day is an opportunity to reflect on how we use the precious resources in our own country, as well as considering the effects of our actions on a global scale. It?s really about taking stock of our individual lifestyles and the opportunity to do something positive about improving our own well-being and the environment around us.

The natural environment is under increasing pressure from development, so it is important that we try to make our own gardens as attractive as possible to the wildlife that we do have in Bermuda. Following the devastating effects of Hurricane Fabian on vegetation, people really need to replant their gardens with a variety of endemic and native plants as well as the showy ornamentals. Endemic trees like the Bermuda cedar and Bermuda olivewood will provide habitat for the grey catbird and white-eyed vireo. The latter is a tiny, gorgeous endemic bird which will come to your garden if there is sufficient vegetation. Few people are aware that about 370 species of birds have been recorded in Bermuda, most of them migrant or vagrant species. You can do much to attract some of these species to your garden. Avocado and mulberry trees not only yield delicious fruits, but also attract some of the some of the most colourful migrant birds like orioles, grosbeaks and tanagers. Hedgerows are much better than walls to delineate your property because they provide a habitat for a wide range of critters; are aesthetically satisfying; need little in the way of repair, and soon recover after storms. Milkweed should be planted in every garden, even in pots. As well as providing an additional colourful flower to any garden, it acts as a host to the Monarch Butterfly, which is a pleasure to see at any time of the year.

The most serious environmental problem facing the world is climate change, and the need to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the air. What should be Bermuda?s role? We may be a small population in the world, but that is no excuse for not doing our bit to solve the problem. Where do trees and hedgerows come into the picture? They take in carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. One acre of forest soaks up 5.5 tons of carbon dioxide per year! So we should all be planting trees, not removing them. A concerted effort to use the car less and walk more would also help.

Bermuda has one of the highest per capita income levels in the world. Unfortunately, with the wealth comes incredible waste. We could reduce the waste with a community-wide effort and a change in business and consumer attitudes. Few people use their own shopping bags, relying instead on those provided by the store. Food produce is often over-packaged, and shoppers are encouraged to put even single items in plastic bags. Bottles are found discarded all over Bermuda. In the next millennium, geologists might be intrigued by the obsidian-like layer of glass below more recent sand deposits! The Bermuda Audubon Society has long argued for a ?bottle bill? which encourages a payment for returned bottles.

Just as other countries could learn from us, especially with regard to the collection of rain water, so too could we learn from other countries regarding waste disposal. I will never forget what I experienced in Malawi, one of Africa?s poorest countries. I saw very little trash, not only because packaging was minimal, but because everything was re-cycled, from paper to tin cans. Old car tyres, so difficult to dispose of, were cut up to make the most basic shoes. I am sure Bermuda could do far more to re-cycle many products, but it could be helped by reducing waste to begin with.

My vision for Bermuda?s future is one in which we reduce our use of fossil fuels and use solar power instead. We value our open spaces as much as our urban dwelling. Keep Bermuda Beautiful no longer exists because no one dreams of littering. The Bermuda Feline Assistance Bureau is long gone because we are responsible pet owners so feral populations of domesticated animals are a thing of the past. In reality, we will probably still have to help the bluebird and the longtail with artificial housing, but perhaps the cahow, our national bird, will be common enough to merit Bermuda once again being termed the ?Isle of Devils?.

@EDITRULE: