International Water Day!
This past Thursday, March 22nd , was the international World Day for Water. This day was designated in 1993 by the UN to raise awareness about global water issues. Each year, there is a different theme, and this year’s was “Coping with Water Scarcity.” It dealth with the issues for people around the world who don’t have access to clean water, or any water at all.
This year, to honor this day, Israel showed off their newest desolation plant to visiting diplomats. This is one of the most advanced plants in the world that converts saltwater from the Mediterranean sea to freshwater that can be used by surrounding citizens. The plant turns over 330,000 cubic meters of water everyday. It uses a reverse osmosis method that is very inexpensive. It costs a mere 53 cents per cubic meter as opposed to 80 cents per cubic meter at many other sites. The facilities specifically impressed Chinese diplomats, who are hoping that Israel will help them develop similar facilities to support their growing population.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/WJT_045.jpg/450px-WJT_045.jpg
I think that this method is good for many countries that can’t necessarily afford expensive facilities, because of its cheaper price. I think that many other countries, besides China, should look more into this plant in Israel to see if they could develop similar ones.
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Mexico Does Little to Stop Animal Endangerment Laws
Much like the drug-trade, something that we know is there but is very difficult to stop, there is an illegal market in Mexico that captures endangered species and sells them at local markets. Unfortunately, Mexico is doing little to enforce their laws against the ownership of exotic/endangered animals.
The United States based program in Mexico, Defenders of Wildlife, are very helpless in this situation. They simply do not have the funds or the man power to return all of these animals to their natural habitats.
One of these such markets is the Sonora Market in Mexico City. It’s quite difficult for the Defenders of Wildlife to catch vendors in the act because of the rate of corruption in the justice system. Crooked cops give vendors a heads up when the Defenders of Wildlife are coming for an inspection so that they can hide the animals.
Someo of the animals sold include squirrel monkeys, boas, yellow-headed parrots, jaquars, eagles, and crocodiles. Some of them are sold for as little as $200.
Image Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Squirrel_monkey.jpg/449px-Squirrel_monkey.jpg
The law in Mexico can imprison someone for 12 years is they are found having/selling/capturing an endangered animal. Unfortunately, this law is very rarely enforced as there are numerous cops patrolling the market who do nothing about this issue.
Defenders of Wildlife estimated that up to 80,000 parrots were captured illegally in Mexico last year. A conservationist, Juan Carlos Cantu, said that around 80% of parrots in particular die before they are even sold.
“It’s like the drug trade: we know where they are but there is nothing we can do. As long as there is demand, there will be a market,” Cantu said.
I think that this situation needs to be resolved with a better system. Now that we know that this corruption is going on, we can attack these criminals at their source, the markets. I think that more people should be involved in this problem, as the Defenders of Wildlife need help.
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