World Turtle Day!

It's World Turtle Day today... I know this because of twitter: 

World Turtle Day:Trinidad and Tobago supports one of the largest nesting populations of nesting Leatherback Turtles. twitter.com/TourismTT/stat…
— Tourism T&T (@TourismTT) May 23, 2013

Trinidad and Tobago is the nesting ground for five species of turtles: leatherbacks (as seen in the photo), hawksbills, green turtles, olive ridleys and loggerheads. I think that's pretty impressive. My department has been talking about going turtle watching during this turtle nesting season. I've been once... and it was poorly timed such that I saw not one turtle and froze most of the night (sea blast... it can be cold). I'm looking forward to trying again sometime. Read that Trinidad is 'now likely the world's leading tourist destination for people to see leatherbacks'. If the world is coming here to see them then surely I can take time to go see them as well. 

If you're interested in turtle watching or conservation you can check out the Turtle Village Trust. They're doing some really good work. 

peace,

Ren

Responsibility...

"I want to remind us all that the world is listening, all the time. How we are ripples out from us into the world and affects others. We have a responsibility – an ability to respond – to the world. Finding our particular way of living this responsibility, of offering who we are to the world, is why we are here. We are called because the world needs us to embody the meaning in our lives. God needs us awake. The world we live in is a co-creation, a manifestation of individual consciousness woven into a collective dream. How we are with each other as individuals, as groups, as nations and tribes, is what shapes that dream." ~Oriah Mountain Dreamer

There's a lot of talk happening on my Twitter stream about the recent turtle deaths. It is heartbreaking and I'm wondering just what will come out of all the talking.

This article best reflects my thoughts... who bears responsibility for what has happened? People are talking about the Government and how this could be allowed to happen and what is to be done about it... this situation did not just spring up in a week. Who allowed the hotelier to build so close to the nesting site? Who is supposed to monitor our waterways? A river does not shift course suddenly. Yes, bulldozers moved in and devastated a nesting site. Who sent them in? Who were the drivers? As I told my mom - if I were driving a bulldozer that unearthed so many eggs/hatchlings I'd have stopped to consider the consequences.

I think we all need to look at ourselves, at how we think and at how we respond to circumstances. If we are placed in positions where we can effect major change, as in the case of persons in Government, then we should realise that such positions carry with it a responsibility and a trust from the persons that have bestowed that power. If, in the course of our daily lives, we see opportunities for us to further develop ourselves... it is our responsibility to consider how such development would affect the environment around us.

My thoughts of course... feel free to disagree. I'm just wondering how deeply people are thinking about such things at this time.

peace,

Ren