Position Paper

STOP THE IMPENDING REEF CRISIS

by Captain Don Stewart
August 20 1996 NOTE: 1996!
Bonaire
Dutch Caribbean

My novelette, The Leaching Field, has inspired this position paper.
Years ago, long before the outside world ever knew that a Bonaire
existed, we had discovered the value of an untouched, undamaged reef
colony, the one which exists on the undersea slopes of this mountain
peak, which is Bonaire. You might say it was destiny, the karma of
this island that it would one day earn an income from the exploiting of
this natural resource. God only knows there was nothing else
available.

Over the years, Bonaire has become a hero, a pace setter, with an
aquatic attitude that has made a worldwide impact. It was Bonaire who
first established a truly symbiotic relationship with our reefs, a
man/sea concept for the entire aquatic world to follow. Today, Bonaire
has become the center of universal reef conservation. You might say
Bonaire is to reef conservation what Greenwich is to time. Small,
unknown, yet every conservationist in the world knows of us and is now
starting to copy our ways.

As these words are being typed, there seeps, unknown and unseen, deep
within our coral foundations an ongoing lethal flow of fecal effluents
that is slowly moment by moment finding its way into our sea. Hidden
and out of sight, it comes directly and indirectly from the leaching
of the excess effluent of septic systems of the tourist camps built
along the shoreline. I am the inventor of the leach hole system, and
there is no question that in its time it accomplished my intentions--to
dispose of excess fecal effluents. Then, tolerable, today a monster.

Nat King Cole sang it so aptly, "You always hurt the one you love, the
one you love most of all." Unwittingly, of course.

Faced again with yet another problem, one that has been growing over
the years, Bonaire once again has an opportunity to step into the
forefront by solving a major difficulty which confronts not only us but
all islands.

This fecal effluent (excess liquid from the septic tanks) has been, and
is being drained onto our reefs. Without a change in our policies of
waste water engineering, many of our reefs will go the same way as
other island reefs have. Total destruction. We are only one island,
and all the islands are faced with this problem.

As the long time leader in reef conservation, Bonaire can once again
demonstrate practical solutions to a major, worldwide problem. Short
term, relatively inexpensive solutions are available and must be
implemented now, while we wait for the long term completion of a major
sewage treatment plant.

As always, my urgent concern is for the ongoing security and health of
my foremost and best friend, the reef.

Today my mind is full of hostilities and anger. Death is on the
horizon, and I am contemplating a hard line New Year's resolution to
take on the waterfront properties head-on concerning the apathy which
exists concerning this willful destruction of the reefs. There was no
need to allow it to come this far. Flags have been waving for the last
twenty years.

Read more on my personal story channel.
For example, page 2 of the Challenges: SCENARIOS.
http://captaindon.booksyarnsfairytales.com

Captain don/

captain don
i don't understand why the government of bonaire has taken so long to try and fix the problem. without the reef there is no BONAIRE. hope u can do something. the other thing i don't understand why the island is adding more hotels? can it really be beneficial or will this just add to the problem?
es

I think Don's point is that we ALL need to do something, Elaine. The only requirement for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing. Ask your favorite resort what they do with their sewage, and if you don't like their answer, maybe find a resort that has a better answer, and vote with your vacation dollar..

Here's one thing that everyone can do - shower off your sunblock BEFORE going into the water. Studies show sunblock contributes to coral bleaching.

link to study

Elaine.

I believe (maybe cynically) that Bonaire and many other islands will never be able to rely on their leaders to implement environmental directives.

The reasons? Well sadly it comes down to money. People in power are not particularly concerned about the condition of the island in 5, 10 or 20 years. By then, they will have lined their pockets and more likely be living thousands of miles away.

The revenue from tourism is the cash cow of Bonaire. Although many of the visitors and residents care about it's natural resources, the powers that be see only the mighty dollar. A little research will show those who care to look, which ministers past & present have properties abroad ready to move to.

World heritage status could be the saviour for Bonaire. Legal action could be taken against the Netherlands if the wantonly allow the coral to be destroyed through neglect, especially on the evidence of reports dating back many years.

Although the island is run locally, it is still Dutch territory and could not survive without their funding.

If they want to see a return on their money, they need to look at how to protect what they have. When (and sadly yes, I said when not if) the coral dies, Bonaire has nothing else to offer as a tourist resort. The divers will not come, we have no beaches of note, no infrastructure for alternative tourism, no golf and no attractions.

Petitioning the Dutch Government will be more effective than petitioning the Bonarian Government who, if one is honest, have done very little for Bonaire in any department.

And there lies a large part of the problem. The old colonialist ideology that the locals are too incompetent to manage their own island and require the the mighty European saviours to tell them what is best.

As long as that attitude persists, the locals will not be receptive to any ideas from foreigners, either good or bad. Bonaire may be a Dutch territory but I doubt many of the Antilleans feel any political, cultural and economic harmony or equality.

I think that you over simplify the problem Fid.

I am not blaming the local people I am saying that the Netherlands has a profound responsibility to protect an island that they colonised.

Whether the indigenous population feel any allegiance to Holland is by the by, the truth is that without the financial support that they receive, the island could not be self sufficient in it's current form.

Maybe if slavery had not occurred and the island was allowed to grow slowly through generations without interference from outside, Bonaire would still be the unspoilt paradise that it was.

Unfortunately at this critical stage, someone with the money to back up their promises has to step in and I'm afraid that only the Netherlands has that power.

I totally agree with you Tony. You cannot turn back the hands of time nor can you re-write history to reflect contemporary social values. At the same time it is difficult to change the socio-economic condition of the native Antilleans either. It is a process that takes a few generations and unfortunately Bonaire is changing much to fast for that to occur.

It is inevitable that most Antilleans will be left in the dust and they will likely end up being very resentful and unreceptive of any environmental initiatives.

guys, guys, guys, please read the original thread. this is about toilet water entering the sea. the largest contributors are the very hotels that make the most from the tourist dollar.
SO, what you need to do is contact bonaire hotels, contact the tourist office, contact the marine park officials,contact the government.
where are those e-mail addresses?
you have to push the hotels into being proactive.
this stuff is going into the water every day.

captain don, do you have any suggestions?

dennis

Thanks, Dennis. Very clear and concise as to what we (as visitors) to Bonaire need to be aware of and how to follow up on the situation, etc. cb

Carole, Dennis, thanks.

So, what CAN we do. I know this has been discussed on BT for years, more and more recently in the last few years. Carole, you know Sean, what does he have to say in regard to how we can help? Another mass email campaign to the government, which BTers have done about the Cruise Ships, crime, etc.? I guess we read the words but feel helpless as our concerns fall on deaf ears...and we really do NOT want to boycot Bonaire. It's a lot like the US government, hard to make a difference it seems.

Her is don/ I address this directly to you Dennis Lingley - - Please stay with this conversation. It seem that only you out of my 64 last threads seem to be cohearent with the empending truth.

To day. As it was yesterday and the week before and all time before that. My estimate of RAW sewerage being dumped directly into the sea by the beachfront properties excells over 20,000 gallons of RAW UNTREATED sewerage daily

I further know my reef is dying because of this.
For god's sake read my stuff. you have been ignoring it for the last 12 years.

You worry about plastic bags and how we are making gravel and sand to build your new Hotels.IE Hilton and the new didvi plus to numerious to mention.

This Envoromental hero Shon Paton and his tubes has really done a job on us. IE' The landfill. Finaly there is going to be a dump charge! when I inquired from the new cashier at the land fill gate. What's up don?

She cried. "don" she said. They won't pay and every vacant lot on Bonaire will start getting their trash. No body to stop them. WhenI asked who will stop them Ha ha ha she said.

Thank you shon. for finding fault and no cure.

While I am wound up let's talk Freewinds. I have been wih them from the begining. No better friend has Bonaire ever had. Ten sewarage trucksweekly. That is only 90 tons. M3. A ton is 250 gal aprox..to LVV each week. Ten trucks. Ha I am demanding that the beach front poperies start. Trucking their waste water out. It will go to LVV at forty trucks a day. More New truck will be arriving shorly. Better the land drinks it rather than the sea.

And speaking of the Freewinds - I made a deal with them that all their toilets will be shifted to fresh water and the clorine machine will be shut down when visiting Bonire, making their sewerage same as our Hotels.

If I get my way, we will be shipping over 5000 tons daily to the LVV Property. Now let's here your comment re-this.

Better yet. have a chat with our favorit property and ask them where their wastewater go.

I dare you! Captain don/


Try this one for size.

Bon dia, Don...If I might clarify one point you have made...Sean Paton has been in active dialogue with government officials with regard to waste water and the landfill. The govt officials are not always the most receptive, willing or available people to reach and meet with to try to reach final resolutions to the situations now at hand.

One man cannot change the world but he is certainly trying very hard on Bonaire's behalf.

Your points are excellent, as well, for all of us who return to Bonaire to press the resorts and innkeepers for information on exactly how they are disposing of their waste waters and "where", etc.

I truly believe there is strength in "numbers" and that we should all (to include Mr. Paton and yourself) work together to bring these conditions and resolutions to a head as swiftly as possible.

Your love of Bonaire and efforts to keep her pristine and healthy are appreciated by all of us and we do thank you for your dedication and hard work.

OK folks....up and at 'em...start contacting your resorts via phone and/or email or snail mail to ask them exactly what they are doing with their waste water (be it grey water or sewerage waste water, etc.) right now and what do they propose to help in the efforts to change the existing methods as soon as possible....before there is nothing left to save (i.e. the reef and marine life as well as land). Thanks for listening...cb

Mr. Paton has been researching and discussing other methods (temporary methods until the final plant is built) to "treat"/contain the waste waters now being taken to inland sites and dumped.

As I have mentioned before, my husband is an operator at a waste water (toilet water) treatment plant in NJ. Suggestions for the "temporary" fix have been made but nothing can be done on Bonaire without the government's direct involvement/financial backing.

How will the waste be treated once it is taken to LVV? (refer to above thread).

I'm just curious. I am not judging or criticizing anyone or any suggestions at all...far from it. I think it is excellent that Don is placing the cards on the table for everyone to see.

I'm just trying to think this through/forward "if" the waste was to be trucked and dumped at LVV...how would it then be treated or dealt with? Thanks! cb

I Just sent off my email inquiry to Sara Matera who is the GM at the Divi Flamingo. I will let you know if/when I receive her response to my questions regarding "toilet" waste water, etc. cb

I think that the criticism of Sean is unfounded.

I would hope Captain Don that you & he could be useful allies. He has the media at his disposal and is not afraid to speak out to the Government.

As far as dumping costs are concerned, it is the failing of the Government to implement safeguards to stop fly tipping before imposing fines. I am sure that most people would have expected that provisions would have been made to bring perpetrators to task before imposing charges. The Government have merely paid lip service to the matter without thinking it through.

As far as congratulating those who dump sewerage at LVV, how long can that go on. Apart from destroying the environment around it above the ground, it is only a matter of time before it reaches the water table.

I know how much work you have done for Bonaire as an environmentalist Captain Don and for that, I congratulate you. However, I would respectfully suggest that you have an ally in Sean who is also fighting for Bonaire and it's natural beauty. Something that he does without plaudits or fiscal reward.

Strength in numbers. Alliances. Knowledge, education, tenacity,etc. These are all Key to the success of new procedures which need to be studied and implemented as well as to the protection of Bonaire's very sensitive environment below ground level (waters) as well as on land.

Antony, thanks for your support and post regarding Capt. Don and Sean working together as "allies" on these issues.

Two men who love Bonaire dearly and are very concerned for her welfare will work definitely work best together as "one" than as two divided units.

United we stand, divided we fall.

Kudos to both of you, Capt. Don and Sean for your care and efforts to help resolve the many issues at hand and issues which will be facing Bonaire in her future. Our many thanks to you both. cb

I hope this goes with the topic, as it is something I just stumbled onto here in the states.

Our property is 15 acres of wetlands. We have a pool and it has a "sand filter". The pool people want to dump the contaminated sand on the wetlands.
They say that is what they do with all the "bad sand" I called the county, state and they were clueless.
I called the Board of Health and they told me to throw it out "little by little in local trash" Although the local trash company said they will not take it in the landfill unless it is treated first!
The enviornmental agency I spoke with said they would take it for 600 dollars (400 pounds of sand)
We have no problem with that...we just want to do the right thing with this material.
This is our first pool..

If the states are so blind to something like this...(how many pools are there in New Jersey!) I shutter to think of what must be happening on Bonarie.
We take pride in not putting pesticide's on the lawn and such. Where do people think this stuff goes! The river's and the oceans!
We will ask our hotel about their policies when we arrive in September, hopefully most vistor's (that care) will stay at resorts that care.

Take away the economic incentive to pollute which is the direct motivator.

Government can charge every business, every residence for the cost of disposal of solid and liquid waste. There is no additional cost to the individual/business to actually have it picked up and disposed of.

Illegal dumping was a problem in my community. Our local government requires all to pay for trash pick-up. Picking up large items (like old refrigerators) is no extra charge, you call them and they pick it up. Everyone is required to participate financially in the liquid waste system. There is no additional cost to do things properly and it's easier than illegal dumping.

What it takes is a local population that wants to solve the problem. I think most of us who visit would be willing to pay the additional cost. Currently we pay STIMPA and I doubt there's a significant outcry about that.

(Message edited by thom on June 23, 2008)

(Message edited by thom on June 23, 2008)

(Message edited by thom on June 23, 2008)

No kudos are warranted at this point. Bonaire does not have residential recycling, resorts are dumping raw sewage into the ocean (according to articles posted here) and there is no real strategy in place to tackle even the most basic environmental issues.

With all due respect, some people have had 30 or 40 years to do something about the basics, like recycling, and yet little has been done except promotion of the island.

It is great that the reefs are protected, but what is going to happen when all that engine oil, chemicals and crap in the landfill seeps down to the water table? When I changed the oil on my truck I was told to take the old oil to the landfill. It is currently sitting in the plastic oil containers in the storage room. I can't pack it in my suitcase and fly it out and there is no where to take it where it will not end up in the landfill.

Kudos are definitely not in order.

Hi, Fid....agree with, too.

The kudos were for their concern, care and efforts....not for anything in particular which has totally been accomplished as yet.

It's a hard battle to fight and implement all that needs to be done but someone's "voice" needs to be heard and very loudly. Ayo. Carole

I only have two fingers for typing so i will cover several things in this one posting.
On monday all the ocean side hotels and apartment buildings will install small pumps that will strain the poop water and send it to the street. everyone will purchase the size plastic holding tank that fits their needs and connect the pump to that tank. L.V.V trucks will easily stop and fill. the liquid flow will be counted by a water meter. the price will be lower because there is less labor involved.
the water will be taken to treatment ponds and the resulting cleaner water will be used on L.V.V. fields to grow grasses for goats and sheep.an example for local "farmers"
in time the water will be piped to several lakes inland where the water will seep into the ground water. now anyone with a molina or solar pump can irrigate his fields for feed grasses.no one drinks ground water now so the added water isn't going to end up on anyone's table. bonaire can have an export other than antilleans, bonairians can sell something other than their homes.
this water is liquid gold.

other things: when don talks about green he's talking about sewage, when americans talk about green they mean laundry detergent and dog shampoo that doesn't pollute. don speak is different.

if sean's complaints about the land fill resulted in the government now charging fees to dump....he needs a kick in the behind. bonaire has too much open land where everyone will dump their garbage. it's a very bad idea to charge.

i'm sorry everyone but before you say: "bonaire should, bonaire should" i think you should look at your own city. I've lived in a number of american cities and recycling is half hearted at best.certanly nothing like europe.

long before stinapa (maybe 1965?)captain don was telling tourists that there will be no spear fishing, no taking coral souveniers and no sea shells.he had the only compressor(s) and if you crossed him you would not get air. there was no law, he just told visitors that there was. i believe that the hotel/dive shop operators of today would have rented out spear guns and sold bleached coral, with sea shells in the show case.
bonaire hotels employ a large percentage of the island's workforce and still the hotel operators don't press(fight)the government. hotels have the power to change the proposed government sewage plan. it is back breakingly expensive and short sighted.
who said "a committee is a dog with five legs"?

buy the way, i did ask sara matera at the divi about waste and she did reply favorably.
she also said that they are active with others on how to solve this problem.
es

I posted this already in an other section:

Dear Captain Don,

If I remember well we met in 2002-3 at your resort discussing the ill planned EU-sewage project for Bonaire.

May I draw your and other interested readers attention to the key words: Resource Orientated Sanitation = Ecological sanitation, nickname: EcoSan. see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosan

- If you like to discuss with ecosan experts and like-minded persons like you direct I recommend an on-line forum: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ecosanres/
Topical discussions dealing with various aspects of sustainable sanitation, the ecosan loop - hygiene, agriculture, sanitation, environment, policy, methodology, training, knowledge networks, regional activities, social acceptance, etc.

- If you like to get more hands one know-how on ecosan to turn the “burden” into money I recommend:
UNESCO-IHE copyright free on-line course materials.
For sure you can find in there many "copyright free" suggestions for saving your running costs and having an asset rather them having a burden on human waste and finally protect the corrals the base of Bonaire’s general income. This updated "demo" version is available all year round, and it is containing *ALL* the course material.

You may find the course at:
http://www.lms.ihe.nl/index.asp

Login (ID): ecosandemo
Password (PWD): 1234

hope this helps,
Detlef


additional: As an EC-official I tried to work honestly 2002-3 on the EU-Sewage Project for Bonaire. As a matter of concerned curiosity may you update me on the status of the project.

FYI, I regret, by 2002-3 it was in my professional opinion an ill planned "White Elephant" project and I was forced to make an official complain to the EU-Ombudsman. see http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/decision/en/031875.htm

I hope you know the details and the future impact to the Bonaire environment, especially the corrals.

Thanks in advance.

Hey guy's remember I still gotta pick up full of 6 volt batteries. .

Detlef said.... give em back to the guy what sold em to me,

God he died three yeas a go.
We are talking 24 deep cycle 6 volt batteries whot I paid 108,00$ each for.,,big tax included.

1 The land fiil?
2 The ocean?
3 Dump 'em in the mundy
4 or wait for a friend to drop by and take 'em home.when he returnes to New Jersy.?

Choose,,,, tomorrow they are gone. I need my truck

Serious. Where? Tell me and I will pass it on.to garages..

Daddy Warbucks.

Dear Daddy Warbucks aka Captain Don,

At least here in Germany the prices for scrap are going up and up and up, with no possibilities to return, as China and India becoming more and more hungry for metals. Scrap searchers passing now every week by and asking very polite for old metals, preferably lead (batteries), coper and alum.

It would be very strange if scrap prices are of big differences in the Caribbean!?

I know in the past in Guyana (former British an part of Caribbean) from a German business man who collected all the old cars/lorries and old metals and shipped them by containers overseas and made a good living out of "waste" and by the way cleaned the trashed road sites of Guyana as an nice by effect.

Is your old friend from New Jersy maybe an scrap-searcher? ;-)

What about better sanitation approaches you are looking for?

Good luck
Detlef

You should sell them at the cruise ship market as authentic Bonairean antiques.

Join the SOS Campaign To Save Bonaire's Reefs by lobbying government officials, hotel and resort owners, shoreline restaurants and properties to:

1. Have all sewage immediately trucked away from the sea to Lagoen.
2. Build the tertiary sewage processing plant at Lagoen THIS YEAR and don't wait until the island has been dug up to put in sewer pipes, which will take years. By then the reef will be dead!
3. Advocate that resorts of a certain size have their own tertiary sewage plants put in THIS YEAR!

For who to contact, see the SOS Campaign ad in this week's Reporter. It is sponsored by Friends of Bonaire's Reefs

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/824477/6_volt_battery_hack_youll_be_amazed/

Hope you can open this...
Just thought it was an interesting way to make the 6 volts easier to take back to the states to recycle.
Plus a savings if you need a bunch.

Captain...we would be happy to take "a few" home with us.

Ahhh Meryl, not quite on the battery hack.

Thanks Cecil!...thought it was too good to be true...
But I will still take a "few" of the 6 volts home on our visit if the Captain hasn't already made other plans.
We take all our battery's home with us..another 2 or so shouldn't be so bad...and it will off set the tequilla and vodka and bagels we brought down!

I like Fid's idea! And you could have some of the locals paint them...hey, it's original island art!

I adress this wee note to the lass known as lady
Maryl Vira. I have just looked ya up on theyou pofilile and see that ya be likin the hills with all the fan corals.

I don;t blam ye. for I be likin 'em too.
It looks like ye be on the back side of the wee island of bonaie

You know I have named over 54 reefs on island, Which one Lass?, might just be one that I have a story on?

Now lets talk batteries - Seemed no one wanted them so in the back of the night I sacked them on some far corner in a kanuck'' maybe a mile from my farm. To the north.

I thank ye for your offer. Now! Just how many be ye wilin to carry north. I can have Ramon my grower take the truck back up in the hills and bring back what ever ye want.

Then I ask, Ye want the acid dumped out of them? there are 24. out there. Each weights 59 pound with he acid sill inside.

What say ye lass? How many ye want and where will Ramon deliver 'em?

Daddy green thumb - The island grower NV..

I never realized that Bonaire had no sewage treatment plant! I guess if they did not have the foresight to build something to control their waste prior to building the hotels (and homes), they deserve whatever happens. That is the most stupid plan I've ever seen---like no one knew sewage is dangerous to animal life? Even medieval folks figured that out. I would think this is a crisis if the island expects to stay alive. They choke on a gnat (not replace the sand at the little Divi beach) and swallow a camel (no wastewater system). They don't deserve the beautiful island if they can't be good custodians of it. Are islanders so powerless that they cannot control their destiny at all?

If you are interested, see tones and tones of material on that at: http://is.gd/hvb4 (SOS Campaign To Save Bonaire's Reefs)