Next to my desk, I have a newspaper article stuck to the wall dated the 26th of juni 2008. The content of the article is just too big to comprehend at once. That’s why I put it next to my desk. To be reminded from time to time. The article is about a floating island in the pacific ocean, west of San Fransisco.
The island is hovering just underneath the surface of the pacific. It is unimaginably big. It has the size of Portugal, Spain and France together. It is consisting of plastic debris. It is discovered about ten years ago. The UNEP – the ecological department of the UN – is sending a ship to research this huge pile of waste. The Ocean Conservancy states that it consists for 13 percent of plastic bottles, for 9 percent of plastic bags and the rest is millions of straws, milkshake covers, beachtoys, old fishingnets and lines and agricultural plastic foils. It is known that the seas of our world carry about 46.000 pieces of plastic parts per square mile.
That huge pile of waste carries all kinds of toxic waste (such as DDT and PCB’s). It is clear that it influences micro-biology and ecological systems . The effects are yet unknown but it is clear to anybody that the effects will not be positive. Next to the toxic effects which finally end up in our food, the plastic debris also end up in the stomachs of birds and fish which do not feel hungry anymore because of a full stomach and finally die. One study in the North of Holland shows that each bird carries about thirty different pieces of plastic in its stomach. Almost each bird carries plastic.
Another article dated the 28th of August 2008 is titled ‘horticulturists transfer to biological degradable plastic’. A survey among 300 Dutch growers shows that sixty-five percent of the growers find it unimportant that production is done in environmental friendly packaging. But expectation is that this will change in the coming five years.
Because of the increasing temperatures around the world, sea levels are changing. We will have to adjust our way of living and think deeply how we will use the sources of our planet. Some countries will not be able to deal with increasing sea levels. Large numbers of people will look for new land to live. The effect will be huge. Due to modified water systems in terrain, the commonly used production systems will get adjusted. We will have to learn again how to survive on our planet.
When I am reminded of the ‘island of plastic’ in the middle of the pacific I get an awkward feeling. I realize that I am a human being too, living in a world of overgrown luxury, and for that also partially responsible. I am born and raised in horticulture but at some point it is clear that we have to make choices. Choices for the lives of our unborn children.
The world is changing because consumers are increasingly aware of environmental topics such as temperature increase because of increasing CO2 levels and the polarcaps melting. But also other topics such as waterissues and foodissues are hot. It is the ultimate time for our planet and producers around the world to choose for sustainability. Sustainability for water, for climate, for food and for health. The question for you is: how will you adjust? How long will you be able to sell your products if mother nature doesn’t agree with your methods?
Commentaar in maart 2020: De actualiteit van toen was enorme rijkdom en een ontluikende kredietcrisis. Pas daarna groeide noodgedwongen het besef om ons gedrag te veranderen. Deze - en enkele andere columns - leidden ertoe dat de columns niet meer gepubliceerd werden. De uitleg: 'dit is niet wat onze lezers willen lezen'. Het is maart 2020 en de crisis is nu een Corona crisis. Nu geen angst voor een financiele crisis waarin mensen veel (zo niet alle) bezittingen zullen kwijtraken. Deze keer staan gezondheid en mensenlevens op het spel. Awareness: wat moet veranderen?
Het antwoord is even simpel als complex: Wanneer we ons niet langer laten afleiden waarheen de bezittingen gaan of wie de macht heeft, zullen mensen lief zijn voor elkaar. Het is een boodschap van Bijbelse proportie die ons al duizenden jaren met crisis en plaag wordt voorgelegd.
Wat doemt? Schikken, hoe doe je dat? Wat wil je bewaren? Drie goede vragen die uiteindelijk leiden tot 'heb elkaar lief, zoals je zelf lief gevonden zou willen worden'. Als vanzelf zul je dan geen dingen doen die doemen, de lastige dingen schikken en bewaren wat werkelijk waarde heeft: jezelf en de ander.
In deze moeilijke tijd valt de razende economie waarin ik opgegroeide stil, omdat het vermijden van fysiek contact met anderen een mensenleven kan sparen. Terug naar huis, terug naar familie, huwelijk, gezin. Daaromheen een cordon sanitaire. Liefde kan bestaan zodra jij het bent. Ik vermoed dat dat is wat God is. In tijden als deze willen we dat herstellen: Nood leert bidden.
Het einde is nog niet in zicht.