1st ANNIVERSARY!!! One year living simple and enjoying the beauty of our Planet

The Downshifting for Earth Project (dfE) has the honor to share with all our visitors, friends, family and supporters our happiness for the accomplishment of the first year living with very low carbon footprint, while traveling in Oceania and South East Asia!

According to objectives established by the project kick off, we have indeed reduced drastically our carbon emissions from about 30 to somewhat like 4 ton/year/person (t/y/p). However, it's still about 100% ABOVE our target of 2 t/y/p!

Even with our efforts to reach that level, there are aspects of traveling that we could not reduce so far, to mention, fossil fuel consumption - although traveling mainly in sailing boats, engine is used when wind is not sailable -, our dependence on the bank services, consumption of industrialized, non-seasonal and/or imported groceries and the very calling socialization with friends in bars and restaurants.

We came to the conclusion that, to reach the targeted carbon emissions, we should either travel much less (or shorter distances) or off set another 2 t/y/p to compensate the displacements. Thus, the planning for the next period will consider  these aspects.

As important as the concern on carbon emissions, we want share our joy on learning the great cultural aspects on the going. In places like New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu - consider the happiest people in the world, in 2006 -, Utupua Island in Solomons, we could experience living with the local communities that live sustained on values such as sharing, deep understanding and respect for the interconnection between human being and nature, simplicity, detachment to material, respect to the ancestors, truly hospitality. All that is commonly observed among most backcountry or islands inhabitants, who live all that with immense happiness. 

We understood the greatness of traveling in real contact with genuine local people, what we could call meaningful tourism, where real cultural sharing takes place instead the usual sights-inn tourism, commonly demanding high carbon activities.

To end this first year of downshifted life, we want to indeed acknowledge Infinity Sea Tribe - a true life experience -, every single person who had visited our blog and gave us any word of incentive. Also, we want warmly thanks to our friends and family, who unconditionally and enthusiastically supported our project. Due to all this we can consider the dfE Project is a great success!

Our special words all those who - either had fed back us or not - somehow felt encouraged by us to reflect about personal carbon emissions, or in any sort of life changing project. We just want to emphasize that anyone can do anything. First steps are to be aware, calculate your carbon footprint,  dream, than decide what kind of lifestyle would fit best to your beliefs! After that, be confident, coherent, plan and execute! It works!

As the summit of our 1st project anniversary, we'd like to share one of the most beautiful lessons we have learnt in this trip: The chief of the Sangava Village, in the remote Island of Emae, Shefa Province, in Vanuatu, wisely told us that, although Climate Change impacts are already happening on his Island and on his people - who have started being relocated due the sea level rise - he calls all his community to keep living in joy, without fear, just facing what has to be faced.

We found that lesson a tonic to our project and we agree that it fits any project or dream. Even when it requires paradigms breakage, extreme difficulties, the best attitude is face them all without fear, with joy.

We wish a much better treatment for the Earth, Nature and all Humans in 2012! 

And fair winds to every one!

YES! We'll be very happy with you comments, praises, criticisms, feed back. All welcome!

Moving Planet in Utupua, Solomon Islands

As part of the 350.org campaign to build global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis by moving the planet beyond fossil fuels, Infinity Expeditions organized week of activities in Utupua Island, Solomon Islands, starting on Sept 20^th, 2011.

People from the Utupua Village of Nembao, aware of the safe level of CO2 in the atmosfere

Last June, in Sigatoka, Fiji,  5 Infinity crew members, joined the climate leadership workshop where 50 people were representing 13 Pacific countries — Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, the Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Vanuatu, American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand. We came out from this workshop more prepared to act against the climate crisis and committed to build up the Moving Planet on Sept, 24th on board Infinity.

Watch the video produced by Infinity Expeditions and dfE:

Moving Planet in Utupua

The event in Utupua mobilized approximately 500 people in four communities, Nembao, Aondo, Asumboa and Aveta with educational and cultural activities.

We promoted seminars on climate change awareness for 300 students at Patteson High School, disposal of plastic and batteries waste at Nembao Primary School e an overview about volunteer's home countries. Actions included plastic and batteries waste collecting, coral reef checks, solar panel repair and the manufacture of over 40 sails for traditional sailing canoes, supporting this fantastic and sustainable culture. Sailing canoe is the main way for transportation in Utupua. This is an inspiration for all of us since this modal is zero carbon emission.

Sept. 24th - Zero carbon emissions day

On Sept. 24th we had cold breakfast and lunch on board, paddled and walked to move.  We had dinner at Nembao village and concluded our day listening to guitar and angelical local young voices.

Pacific climate crisis

The effects of climate change on remote islands such as Utupua, bring us the urgency of lifting the rights of people and nature over the rights of polluters. It is unfair that these people, who have a very sustainable lifestyle — use sailing canoes and hike to travel, develop organic gardening, collect rain water and use solar energy only —  are facing a series of adversities not caused by themselves. 

Sea levels rising, more accelerated over the past five years, brings very real threats to life on the islands. Systematically, the reservoirs of fresh water and crops have became salty, coastal trees which are a natural protection against cyclones are being felled. Their houses have been washed out by high tides, what provokes the islanders to relocate. The increasingly frequent and potent cyclones destroy everything in their way.

The higher seas and oceans temperature and the significant increase of plastic particles  in plankton parts are degrading coral reefs and marine life - entire food chain - leading to their death.

These facts described above impacts in a very basic need of island people; their water supply, food chain and housing.

Our time in Utupua was very fruitful and led us to call up individuals, societies and governments to do their share and get the atmosphere's CO₂ level back below 350 ppm.

Notes:

1. 350.org is building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis. Online campaigns, grassroots organizing, and mass public actions are led from the bottom up by thousands of volunteer organizers in over 188 countries.

2. The number 350 means climate safety. To preserve our planet, scientists tell us we must reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere from its current level of 39o+ parts per million to below 350 ppm. But 350 is more than a number—it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet.

Crew members which joined the climate leadership workshop: Raquel, Emmaline, Francis, Laura and Annelie

Kids at Asumboa Village

Click here to see more PICTURES of this great environment and social project!

Greetings from dfE Team!

YES! We'll be very happy with you comments, praises, criticisms, feed back. All welcome

Mr. Sabu Beach. What do I have to do with it?

This is the beach of Mr. Sabu:

This is a small bay in the heart of Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands. Continuously, tons of garbage such as fishing boats wrecks, plastics, old tires, etc., arrive floating in this place.

After the Second World War, thousands of ships and other war equipment were abandoned in almost all Pacific islands.

Later, the fishing industry continued to use paradise islands to  dump their remainings.

Today, even computer housings are arriving in Mr Sabu's beach.

We asked the Honiara City Council if they could clean the place,  but we were informed that  Mr. Sabu should take care of trash landing on his beach. The answer was something like "this is the law" and " there is no recycling of plastic or tires in the country"!

There is Mr. Sabu. He confessed that in the first years, he tried to keep the beach clean. But...

He's got tired.

Indeed, almost none of these debris were produced in the Solomon Islands. The companies that had explored the business of plastics, bottles, cosmetics, tires, fishing, etc, had systematically abandoned  their "legacies" here after secured their profits selling the products.

Mr. Sabu never had a car, do not buy bottled water, but always lived in this small beach that bears his name. The city of Honiara grew. Himself and another two families are now squeezed between the promenade and the shore, which now has tons of garbage. Again, among these spoils, very little was produced in the Solomon Islands.

The marine life in this place no longer exists. The beauty of the "Sabu's Beach" is completely obscured by the dirt. The health of families living there is compromised. Traditional knowledge, fishing, contemplation of nature; all this had disappeared.

The causes are plural. But I see that  the corporations that sell these products - tires, plastics, ships, etc. - are running their businesses without any concern on life cycle. Bridgestone* - and all other tire manufacturers - haven't  done enough to prevent the end of their products to be like that, as in the photo. I personally shoot it.

* BRIDGESTONE Tires at the beach of your Sabu. He never had a car.

Packaging manufacturers and beverage bottlers act in the same way. Consumers of all these products - many times are ourselves - do not enjoy any better reputation. Something is very wrong in our societies.

This Mr. Sabu does not consume any bottled water. Maybe one shampoo every two years. He does not even buys chlorinated water...

Well, what each one of us has to do with it?

We could consider these questions:

Does the Company I work for is indeed taking care for their products till the end of the life cycle?

When the tire of my car is worn out, do I make sure it is going to be properly recycled or, quietly, I'd be happy to let "Mr. Hole" to kindly dispose it next to Forgotten creek?

As always, your reviews, comments and criticisms are very welcome.

REEF CHECK

Coral Reefs, festival of forms and colors - Lelepa, Emae, Maskline, Malekula e Espiritu Santo Islands, Vanuatu.

Coral reefs are biological treasures of the ocean. More varieties of plants and animals live on coral reefs than in any other ocean habitat. Throughout the ages a vast array of animals and plants have become associated with coral reefs, creating some of our earth’s most fascinating, complex and biologically diverse ecosystems. At least 350 million  people and a quarter of all ocean life depend on coral reefs for their food and livelihood.

Corals are coelenterates, a class of animals that also includes sea anemones and jellyfish.They are formed by thousand of tiny polyps grouped in colonies that attach to hard surfaces of the sea floor. Corals are basically carnivorous animals although they do get nourishment from plants, zooxanthellae, with are embedded in their tissues. Corals and zooxanthellae live together in mutually beneficial symbiotic arrangement.   Zooxanthellae gains protection, utilize the carbon dioxide produced by corals respiration for their photosynthesis and use other compounds excreted by corals. On the other hand, corals welcome the oxygen produced by zooxanthellae photosynthesis and gain an efficient elimination system that make them save energy for more important things such as reproduction and growth. Corals are generally nocturnal feeders that make them retract their polyps during the day and expand during the night. So, it is only at night that they can be visible in their complete and colorful forms.

However, the health of coral reef ecosystems is threatened by many problems. Despite the seemingly robust nature of many types, all corals are fragile and can be damaged by the gentlest touch. The most serious impact is caused by human touch. Overfishing, known as predatory fishing, and man-made pollution have devastated numerous coral reefs throughout the world - and it is getting worse. Whether this pollution is in the form of chemicals - insecticides, fertilizers, industrial effluents, etc -, siltation, oil spills, or whatever, the result is the same. Not only the pollutants kill the corals directly, they can kill them off indirectly by affecting their food supply.  This is very unlikely that man also harvest corals for use as decorations in marine motif restaurants, aquariums and private collections, for instance.  

During the last three weeks Katie Thomson from Reef Check Vanuatu (www.reefcheck.org) trained and certified Infinity’s crew for reef check surveys in the Indo-Pacific region. The training included biology, formation of corals and sea life associated with them, survey methodology, identification of substrate categories, fish and invertebrate indicators, predation actions, coral diseases, snorkel and diving survey practices on coral reefs.  

Reef Check is an international non-profit organization dedicated to bringing coral reefs back to health and keeping them that way. Reef Check’s core mission is to train teams of volunteers to monitor the status of reefs around the world. The information gathered is used to make sound decisions on how to preserve and wisely manage reefs.

Reef Check Vanuatu is an affiliate of Reef Check International trains volunteers and local communities throughout the islands to monitor their own coral reefs. The data collected goes to support community conservation initiatives and also help inform the national Fisheries Department on trends and threats to coral reefs around the country. Reef Check Vanuatu also works to encourage and support communities in using the traditional form of marine conservation which is done by the chief putting a taboo on the reef. 

Our past snorkel and diving trips were just amazing. Beyond a beautiful visual experience, they now help to preserve the fantastic coral reef ecosystem!  

In the crater of volcano Yasur

Tanna Island, Vanuatu 

It sounds as fisherman’s story. On the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, there is an erupting volcano, which is open to visitors. Of course, we checked it out. 

Vanuatu is an archipelago in "Y" formed by 80 islands, located on the edge of the Pacific tectonic plate being forced over the Indo-Australian plate. This action causes frequent volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis sometimes. In this country there are nine active volcanoes, two in ocean waters. Therefore, smoke and thermal baths are common throughout the archipelago. 

From Port Resolution, where we were staying, to the crater of the volcano Yasur takes about three three hours walk. On the way, we stop at a place where festivities of independence of Vanuatu were taking place. Among sports that we know as soccer and volleyball, also witnessed the coconut tree climbing context and the bizarre “boiling water drinking” competition. The winner climber took a little longer than 30 seconds to ascend, harvest the nut and climb down the tree, as tall as about 30m. In the of boiling water game, the contestants drink a full glass of boiling water in a few minutes. 

On the walk up the hill toward the crater of Yasur, since we could hear the muffled roar of explosions and feel that typical odor of sulfur. We stepped up on the mountain at dusk. From there we saw the sunset through Yasur’s eruptions of smoke, that  happens every minute, about 100m away from where we were. After dusk, the fireworks festival has become impressive. We could then see the soup bubbling lava, massive red lava bombs being shot as high as 300m. All this occurred generally within the perimeter of the crater. 

  

However, where we were, at the top of the mountain, we watched some giant lava chunks sometimes falling outside this perimeter. The tailwind made the most of these - at least the small ones - to fall in the opposite direction to where we were and that gave us a tiny sensation of safety. However, we are not sure we were in fact in a safe place. Around us were all sorts of petrified rocks, and we believe that no one has loaded them up there just work out or so. 

Well, if we were not there watching the eruptions, hearing the incredible explosions involved in the smoke and feeling the cold ashes “landing” on our skin, you would not believe that all this is possible to watch, as up close as it was, a volcano in full activity. 

To extend our stay in this spectacular mountain, I, Francis and Lise spent the night camping there, at about 300m from the crater, with an special license from the park manager, since this is not allowed for all visitors. We set a wood fire to ward off the cold and enjoy our super noodles accompanied by a bottle of New Zealander malbec. We stayed there chatting until the wee hours of the night, enjoying the sky reddening to each eruption. In the morning, we prepared our breakfast in a volcanic vent, next to our camp: additional zero emission! 

Yasur, our “bravos” on the your show of nature. Unforgettable!

Interview with Christina Ora to the dfE Team

Interview with Christina Ora, from Solomon Islands, about the reality and perspective for her country that is already being hit by rising sea levels caused by global warming.

Christina was the representative for the Pacific Youth in the COP15 - Copenhagen - in 2009, acclaimed in her closing speech at the conference.

In June, 2011, the dfE team has joined the Pacifika Climate Leadership Workshop, sponsored by global environmental organization 350.org, in preparation for the moving planet action.

During the workshop held in the town of Sigatoka, Fiji, Christina, who also attended the event, kindly gave this interview to us, on behalf  of Infiftyyears, a media project run by the Organization Infinity Expeditions. Watch the interview:

dfE Intinerary