Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Once on this island… Journal Entry



 The 3 C’s: Community, conservation, and commerce are really stressed in Long Caye, a Belizean island paradise that values sustainability and conservation. The entire staff is committed to these initiatives and visitors come to appreciate the natural beauty of the island and the surrounding barrier reef.

What is interesting is that these 3 C values were originally created by the family of Sarah Edwards, whose father purchased the island in the 70’s, in order to manage the island. Only later did they find out that the exact same values were being expressed in a book called “The Sustainability Revolution” by Andres R. Edward. His concept, the 3 E’s: ecology/environment, economy/employment, and equity/equality prove that these values truly are important to any kind of sustainable living.

I had never thought that business models could work with sustainability; that development and conservation could be a pair. However, my experience in this country has changed that. I have seen Belize Natural Energy, an oil company, stress the three E’s in its practices. This island that aims to sustain itself with rainwater also expresses their desire to build more resorts in order to bring in capital. Upon hearing that this island that is so committed to preserving the environment and not creating a human footprint isn’t planning on hiding away this reserve, but rather bring people to it, I was confused. Sarah Edwards explained that they value commerce coming in because the island needs it.

Why is that? Part of it is that the island couldn’t be up kept without fund coming in, but it also to ensure that the outside world is invested in this place – because that means they are more willing to fight for it and protect it. If they didn’t know it existed and never saw its beauty, they would have no incentive to safeguard it – or may not even know that these efforts were being made in the first place. Another reason is that observing the sustainable nature of how the island owners have been able to blend commerce and environmental protection serves as an educational tool for all visitors.

Opening up the island to the public will actually have more of an impact than simply preserving it and keeping it away from the world.

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