Welcome to the Environment Forum
For those of you who don't know me yet, I'm Keith Ripley, "Keith R," a member of DR1's message boards since June 1998. Heck, at one point, I even wrote the DR1 daily news!
I'm a writer and consultant who makes a living out of analyzing and advising on environmental, health and safety issues in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) context. Among other things, I have written the only known book on the LAC waste situation and its policy responses, including recycling policies and practices. I love the DR, with which I have had a relationship ever since I married a dominicana in 1986. I lived four years in Santo Domingo 1995-99, the latter part of which I tried to start a business group to tackle waste problems in DR.
I am not a scientist or even an engineer, although I have many environmental engineer friends who would swear I am because I know a bit of the field from constant exposure. Likewise I not a lawyer, although I probably know more environmental, public health and consumer affairs law in LAC countries than many lawyers do. But that's the nature of my work.
I have a B.A. in Latin American Studies and a Masters in International Relations. I speak and write both Spanish and Portuguese.
Enough about me.
I have a number of ideas I'd like to pursue in this forum, but by all means want to encourage as many questions and as much input and discussion (not just p*ssing matches, as in some forums) on environment-related problems, concerns, likes/dislikes and what can be done about them.
First and foremost, I think that any DR1 forum on the environment should definitely try to tap into experience and ideas of current board participants and discuss down-to-earth solutions and things individuals, families or small groups can do. For example, the recent Board discussion of "waste to energy" (WTE) revealed some participants who know or have interest in methane capture, composting, use of recycled materials in construction, etc. I also know we have people on this Board with experience in solar and wind power, and some biologists, anthropologists, etc. I hope you'll pitch in.
Maybe in this process we can also identify business and export opportunities and potential markets that have an environmental dimension. That would be terrific. I personally believe that it is possible to both make money and help the environment, and would like to identify as many ways as possible this could be done in the DR context.
I would like to build a directory of practical resources that people can tap for getting advice or tapping the aforementioned type of products and services -- i.e., who to contact regarding solar panels, or setting up composting or methane recovery projects, getting water filters, etc.
I would like to encourage people to post examples of companies or persons trying to make a difference environmentally in the DR. I know some already and are trying to get them to participate. But the more the merrier.
I would like to build a compendium of useful links -- DR's environmental laws, DR environment- & conservation-related websites, environmental conventions the DR has ratified, profiles or studies done by IO's or NGOs that have DR content, etc.
I and some others will be invited to offer a sort of "op-ed" on environmental issues, either those mentioned in the DR1 Daily News of which have come up on their own. I particularly wouldn't mind some "why can't we do that here?" op-eds suggesting things that can be done in the DR if people just give a concerted try.
I would encourage people to take and send pics of the DR's natural wonders and parks, to be posted in a special part of the DR1 Media Gallery.
I would also like to have some reviews of the DR's parks and preserves. Anyone want to volunteer to start? How about you, Cleef?:cheeky: I know you love the outdoors and you're a terrific writer.
I would like to encourage people to submit reviews of the DR's "eco-tourism" offerings. Encourage others to suggest new ones....Hey, how about having people critique how environment-friendly individual hotels are, and send those along to the hotel management? Or regularly rate the cleanliness of different beaches?
I want to encourage people to ask challenging questions about DR environment and conservation issues. Maybe we can challenge the Environment Ministry to explain or respond....If they don't, we ourselves may take a stab at it!
These are just a few of the ideas I have. Others are welcome.
I have a long list of specific environment- and natural resource-related topics we can tackle, but would prefer letting Board members suggest their own ideas and concerns first. If you are timid about doing it on the board yourself, feel free to PM or e-mail them to me and I can do it for you.
Best Regards,
Keith :glasses: