A Clean Tech Forum for Bahamians

by Larry Smith

At the recent Freedom 2030 renewable energy conference hosted by the Cape Eleuthera Institute, there were calls for a public forum of some kind to share information and news about clean technologies in the Bahamas.

The feeling was that a lot was happening, but little was known about it. Combining our efforts and sharing information on a variety of energy, recycling and sustainable development issues might help to move things along at a faster pace.

I proposed a web site to jump start this project. Initially, posts will be produced by me from info provided by you, the members of this list:

Ginny McKinney - Waste Not Ltd
William Bardelmeier - retired principal of Bardelmeier & Jones
Etoile Pinder - JCN/Dialogue
Richard Coulson - R C Capital
Mary Minzt - Long Island resident
John Hedden - Abaco resident
Anita Knowles - executive director, Abaco Friends of the Environment
Eric Carey - executive director, Bahamas National Trust
Dave Ralph - editor/publisher, the Abaconian
Mike Alexiou - principal architect, Alexiou & Associates
Keith Bishop - principal consultant, Islands by Design
Jack Kenworthy - CEO, Cape Systems Ltd
Jason Hayman - principal, Sail Nassau
Michael Moss - chairman, Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas
Doug Cotton - vice president Haley & Aldrich
Peter Andrews - principal, Bahamas Waste Ltd
Fred Gottlieb - chairman, Bahamas Electrcity Corporation
Frank Comito - executive director, Bahamas Hotel Association
Sam Duncombe - director, ReEarth
Petagay Hartman - Tiamo Resort, Andros
Oscar Spencer - Bahamas office, Inter-American Development Bank
Stuart Ray - Lyford Cay Foundation
Earl McPhee - Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
John Moyell - Clipper Group
Casuarina Mckinney - executive director, BREEF
Neil Sealey - publishing director, Media Enterprises Ltd

This is by no means an exhaustive list.

At some point, it would be useful to stage public meetings focused on a particular issue or technology, with speakers drawn from the group and its associates. Publicity from this would help with lobbying of the government and civic organisations.

This would be a low-cost, low-effort start-up that could go in a number of directions.

Your feedback is welcome.

Comments

[Bill Bardelmeier]

I very recently sent a message to Chris Hartley suggesting there is not enough effort put into disseminating good tech info and wondering if we shouldn't pull a small group into a monthly lunch together.

I had in mind persons like Erik Cottell and perhaps Michael Oakes.

Your suggestion is much broader and probably better. I'll be thinking on it
and will revert

[Etoile Pinder]

great ideas, and am thrilled to see that the initial move has been made.

Obviously I am more than willing to highlight any issues / speakers who might come on Dialogue.

(Unfortunately the PLP convention took over the time slots that was to be the Freedom:2030 shows, so they will now be playing over the next several weeks.)

I had already talked to Ginny about having her come on with a couple of people (the green bag people etc) to do a show about the basics of reduce, reuse, recylce and what people can do here.

If the website / blog are together within the next month or so, then we can flash that up every so often during the show to raise a little more awareness in the short-term.

[Keith Bishop]

I am in agreement and willing to support when able.

[Dave Ralph]

Do existing organizations ever get together in Nassau to discuss common goals?

This would include, BEST, Re-earth, the Nature Conservancy, BNT, Friends of the Environment, BREEF, Save the Bahamas Association, and whatever else there is out there.

John Hedden suggested to me that the College of the Bahamas be invited to chair a gathering. There is strength in numbers and most of these groups have a common thread.

Your suggestion for a forum echoes this same thought and would complement the general concept I proposed to John.

Your concept and mine are essentially the same. Even an alliance or coalition of interested groups can have committees with specific interests but still be united.

[Graham Seiner]

I appreciate your initiative in keeping this going. I've hosted blogs before and agree that Typepad could work, and we could even host something on our site if there's enough interest in a dedicated site.

I think the meetings would also be a great way to put the issues into the public arena - we'd be happy to speak and could probably bring in other industry experts.

So, please count us in for supporting this effort, and let me know how we can help.

Cape Systems Ltd

[Ginny Mckinney]

Great idea. From a conversation I had today with Shelley Cant at the BNT I realised we should do a poll/referendum type thing on any and all the alternative technologies.

The more the general public endorses any of these initiatives the more the politicians can breathe easy about implementing them.

Tell me what I can do to help with the website. Or any of your suggestions.

[Dick Coulson]

Very interesting.

[Mary Mintz]

I am in Larry! I can find out about technology in the states.

I have seen the trash problem on Long Island where my husband has built a small cabin. We are very aware of the mounting problem of trash both in the US and in the Bahamas.

I would like to set up a model facility on Long Island to recycle plastic but we will have to get it off island once collected
and sorted and compressed.

The problem is going to be very big in the future and there will be not enough places to bury the trash and burning is very toxic.

[Name]

for Ginny McKinney:

Do something with a group,
but only when you have the numbers
to make it worthwhile.

The Point is a social platform for people
to solve problems they can’t solve alone.

Create a Campaign
Start an ultimatum, fundraiser, or social contract. Whatever the cause, use a campaign to bring it to the tipping point.

https://www.thepoint.com/

https://www.thepoint.com/doc/tour1

[ginny mckinney]

With the latest fire at the landfill we should be fast-tracking the Thermal Conversion proposal put forward by Bahamas Renewable Energy Resources (BRER) Company.

This technology involves a controlled heating of the municipal solid waste (or garbage) which takes place either in the absence of, or with minimal, oxygen. This in turn, through chemical reactions, creates gases that can be used to run turbines, which create electricity.

Additionally with the recaptured heat from the turbines we could create over a billion gallons of fresh water through reverse osmosis. It is a win-win situation and our garbage becomes another source of power, instead of sitting in the landfill creating huge amounts of methane, (a gas 20 times more damaging than CO2 in terms of global warming) and sporadically burning out of control whenever the circumstances are right.

Wonderfully, after this process takes place we are left only with an inert aggregate that can be used like sand for block making and road building. BRERCO will also reinvests ome of its profits back into the community, particularly for education, health, the police and the judicial system.

Recycling still takes place because metal and glass don't burn (garden waste does but shouldn't), which brings us to another point.

If we would just get on with separating our garden waste (instead of trying to get it picked up with our garbage by the DEHS or burning or dumping it) we could develop our composting even more, which would create good soil and avoid more methane production. Then we'd all have great gardens and even get our farming going on a realistic level.

AND If we would just collect and get our aluminum cans (juice,beer,soda) to a school or one of the depots, through Cans for Kids, we could be donating over half a million dollars to the youth of our country every year.(Finally a cause worth drinking for.)

Why do we only talk? Why don't we walk the walk. It is so simple to get started, but we are as paralyzed as the governments we elect to lead us and who we then complain about.

Saving the planet starts today in all the small ways - can collection, composting garden waste, changing your light bulbs from incandescent to florescent, driving with a friend, turning off the water while you brush your teeth, not flushing the toilet every time you pee!

And then there are the big ways: WASTE TO ENERGY, SOLAR ENERGY, WIND ENERGY, DEEP SEA COLD WATER THERMAL CONVERSION, TIDAL ENERGY, SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE and so on.

Lets just get on with it!

Ginny