BERMUDA is at an environmental crossroads, confronting issues including sustainable development, climate change, pollution and overfishing. This according to Bermudian and international environment expert, Kathleen Frith who returned home this week to present the Healthy Ocean, Healthy Humans programme at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI).

Ms Frith, the assistant director at the Center for Health and The Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, is calling on all Bermudians and the Government to become advocates of change to protect Bermuda's "fragile" environment for future generations. "This is a critical time of Bermuda," she explained. "I argue that there are few places on this planet that has more to lose than Bermuda and more to gain should we make the right choices, especially about climate change and sustainable issues because of the size of the island.

"Development here is out of control and that kind of short-sighted, frankly greedy irresponsible decision-making needs to end," she continued.

She admits that that it won't be easy to change the mindset of the population living in what she describes as the "ultimate throwaway society". However, Ms Frith believes that a healthy and sustainable environment can be acheived because these issues transcend partisan politics as they affect everyone on a human level - the health of our community, our children and future generations.

If Bermudians become involved, she says, and call for the "kind of Bermuda that we want and we want to give our children", then Bermuda's leaders will follow suit.

"Some things are going to make it easier," she explained. "The price of oil has helped people realise they have to be less wasteful with natural resources."

Due to Bermuda's finite amount of space and nature of the community, Ms Frith says it would be easier to make necessary changes here than it would be in other places. "We can all remember one generation back when we had to conserve and did not import everything" she recalled. "That ethic is still here and it lingers. I'm hopeful that organisations like Greenrock will help people change their mindset."

Ms Frith said that the non-profit organisation Greenrock, which promotes sustainable development initiatives is helping to further encourage the idea that being "green" is "cool" and smart. One example of a change in mindset is the BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags) initiative. It takes ones person, she said, using their reusable bags at a shop and being seen by others, who then would consider doing the same thing. Such acts will cut back on the amount of plastic which ultimately ends up in the trash. The same, she added, can be said for Greenrock's "Bring Your Own Bottle" initiative. In many cases the plastic bottles and bags end up in the ocean and leads to the death of marine animals and sealife, including turtles.

"It's no small task I'm calling for, but those kind of changes are the sum total of many incremental changes," she explained.

What you eat is also important said Ms Frith. She is promoting the consumption of locally-grown produce as well as local organic produce because it cuts down on carbon emissions, which comes along with the importation of food.

"It (buying local produce) also supports the local economy and I'm a big advocate of going to the farmers' market and going to the farms to see where your food comes from," she added.

Another issue Ms Frith is concerned about is transportation and its impact on the environment.

"I don't see any reason why we can't transition to electric cars on this island and bring in technology which is more efficient," she said, applauding the efforts of GoGreen for promoting the idea of battery-powered motorcycles and scooters.

"If we make the right choices now about a sustainable and healthy future, it would be a real example of how to live in a way that's economically feasible and in a way that is healthy for us and for our children."

"What's really critical for me, as a Bermudian, is to get across the idea that we're at a crossroads of making really important decisions and everyone needs to be involved in helping to make the right decisions and pass along this blessing of what it means to live here."