Research- Environmental Issues in the Dominican Republic
Part 1: Basic Questions:
- What are some of the most pressing environmental problems facing the DR today? Why? Where are these problems most prevalent?
The Dominican Republic is a developing issue where government has fewer resources to deal with environmental issues and where there is less public concern and awareness in these issues. The Dominican Republic faces a number of issues, from poor land management, water quality, air pollution, and bad sanitation. One of the worst issues is water amount and quality. As the populations grows and moves to the city there is a higher demand for water, not only for the people but for business. However, water contamination is a serious problem increased by the inadequate sanitation infrastructure especially in the cities. Only 3% of the national budget is used to address sewage and water pollution concerns. Industries deal poorly with chemical waste that affects fresh water, especially in the cities where most people have to drink bottled water bit cannot get it. The fact that so much bottled water is consumed is an example and only solution to avoid contaminated waters. This issue is both in cities and country where it is already difficult in enough to get water but to have it contaminated. Areas with heavy industry suffer most as the waste contaminates the area and the government is not doing much to face this.
Animal population is also suffering as 10% of the areas animals are endangered. This is connected with deforestation as many lose their natural habitats. Animals suffer in the areas where there is a lot of tourism, where hotels and attractions are built in these animal niches.
Waste is a horrible problem as the garbage companies do little and the culture is so accustomed to throwing trash in the streets and leaving it there. This is horrible in the cities with large population because poor sanitation leads to sickness and disease and poor health. Then air and noise pollution horribly affect the cities. The loud culture damages hearing and health. Horrible traffic and government control make this worse. Air is polluted from the gas, little concern for the environment from the people, and industrial waste. Low awareness in the cities and acceptance of the problem only make it worse as government does little to help and much of what they do is disregarded.
- Which methods demonstrated in the video could be transplanted into the DR? Why? How?
The most successful method would be to create public awareness. Government can pass the laws but will not enforce them as they should. People should stand up and take initiative. Organizations have been created but its hard to change people whose culture accepts disregard of the environment. However, the cause is not completely lost because the country does have national parks and large forests, unless the completely baron Haiti. On the other hand, Bajos de Haina, twelve miles from the capital and most populated city, was included on the Blacksmith’s Institute of the ten most polluted places on Earth, not the best top ten list to be on. The area is so polluted that all its inhabitants have some degree of lead poisoning. This is not a pleasant outlook especially because the capital is at such a close distance, that it cannot help but be affected. To public awareness, therefore, would be the only issue. Ads should be placed around, and it should be constantly in the media and the public eye. Campaigns should be endorsed by people the population adores. Government should increase environmental budget, especially to improve water conditions, and the policies they pass should be better enforced.
- What can you personally do to create/promote positive environmental changes?
Just promote awareness and do our own part. The school for example started recycling and hopes to adopt a park and clean it up. Spread the word and tell family and friends about efficiency and help create environmental awareness. Try saving water, like in showering or in appliances. Be green and replace some appliances that use less energy, for example changing to environmental friendly light bulbs. And remember, reduce, reuse and recycle. Heat and cool smartly, turn off lights, save water, maybe seal and insulate your home, and just do your part not to waste.
Part 2: “Action Report & Action Plan”:
1) The problem of Air Pollution in the Dominican Republic
Air Pollution is the human introduction into the of , , or that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damage the environment. Air pollution causes deathsand .Air pollution is often identified with , but the greatest is actually mobile sources, mainly .Gases such as , which contribute to , have recently gained recognition as by climate scientists, while they also recognize that carbon dioxide is essential for plant life through .
Air pollution is already a predominant problem in the world and affects industrial
nations just as it does developing nations. The Dominican Republic has become an urban nation over the last 30 years, as 2/3 of the population in the city. During this same period, industrialization within the cities has occurred and horrible control has lead to increased air pollution.
Major sources of air pollution in the Dominican Republic include motor vehicles,
thermal power plants, and other industrial sources. With the large movement to the city, vehicle use and ownership increased. Urbanizations lead to construction of more streets but also serious air problems. The city of Santo Domingo especially suffered, and an example can be seen in the black smoke coming out of the buses. Some of the principal air pollutants in the country include: particulate matter, carbon monoxide, lead, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxides. High percentages of carbon dioxide and methane affect and damage the ozone layer. Most of these pollutants come from the transport/industrial sector, but also from the agricultural sector.
Sometimes when flying in to the city or looking in the higher levels of an
apartment building, you can see clouds of smog. When driving in a crowded street, you can see the smoke coming out of the vehicles and you can almost taste the pollution. Industries, vehicles, appliances, etc. have few environmental restrictions so they release more carbon dioxide into the air than should be allowed. This is an issue in cities like Santo Domingo, with poor enough sanitation, where there is most industry and people, so more vehicles.
Growth in private vehicle ownership is increasing 7% yearly and it is estimated
that there will be over 2.2 million privately owned cars in the nation by 2010. This is a serious concern because motor vehicle exhaust is the source of 85% to 95% carbon monoxide in urban areas. A 1991 study carried out by INTEC, revealed carbon monoxide levels to considerably higher than internationally established norms. This demonstrated the growing air pollution problem in the capital and other urban cities since 17 years ago, which still continues today. The US EPA allows for cities to have an 8 hr average of CO equal to 9ppm, which is similar to international requirements. For Santo Domingo central the average is 17ppm and for the other parts of the city the average is 34ppm, both well over the average. Between 1980 and 1995, CO2 emissions have increased from 1.1 to 1.5. In 1998 the government took some measures to diminishing these emissions. On the other hand, total consumption for petroleum based fuels, for automobiles and industrial use, has increased dramatically. In 2001, consumption of gasoline was approximately 7.8 million barrels per year, 14.8 million barrels of gas oil, and 5.9 million barrels of fuel oil. The fastest growing sector was gasoline consumption. For example, in 1972 35 thousand barrels of petroleum products was consumed daily, whereas in 2000, 137 thousand barrels were consumed daily. This is over a 400% increase in just 18 years. Even worse, Bajos de Haina was selected in the top ten list out of all the world of the most polluted places. This pollution trails into the capital and can lead to serious health consequences. Government does little to address these concerns, and only one law was passed from 1990 to 2000 to curb pollution. However, improvements have occurred in other areas as reservations and forest protection has increased.
2) Action Plan
A. Actions needed
The most satisfactory long-term solutions to air pollution may well be the elimination of fossil fuels and the ultimate replacement of the . To these ends efforts have begun in the United States, Japan, and Europe to develop alternative energy sources as well as different kinds of transportation engines, perhaps powered by electricity or steam. A system of based on trading emission rights has been established in the United States in an attempt to use the free market to reward pollution reductions, and the international sale of surplus emission rights is permitted under the Kyoto Protocol (see below). Other proposed solutions include raising electricity and gasoline rates to better reflect environmental costs and to discourage waste and inefficiency, and mechanical controls on coal-fired utility plants.
Government laws need to be passed and establish limits and controls. In the Dominican Republic the government has had rules that enforce the stop or at least reduce of Air pollution. For example, there are certain rules on the factories in the Dominican Republic that limit them to produce as much pollution as they want. Every year, cars have to get a “revista”. That is basically a test that would say if your car is fit to be on the street. In this test the have to check how much pollution the exhaust is giving and factors in that matter. I believe that we could do much more than just a few rules that aren’t even followed that much. There should be more corporations and more attention put in this problem because this is something that is going to affect the whole world and should be a priority.
B. Contacts in the DR-
Government:
1. Secretary of state of Agriculture: (involved in environmental projects)
Autopista Duarte, Km. 6½, Jardines del Norte
Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
Tel.: (809) 547-3888
Fax: (809) 227-1268
2. Secretary of State of Foreign Relations: (working with international
organizations such as USAID)
Av. Independencia #752
Santo Doming, República Dominicana
Tel.: 535-6280
3. Secretaria de Estado de Obras Publicas y Comunicaciones (SEOPC): (Works on public projects and can help Spreads environmental awareness)
Av. San Cristóbal esq. Tiradentes, frente al Estadio Quisqueya
Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
Tel.: (809) 565-2811
Environmental:
- PRONATURA Fondo ProNaturaleza
Calle Paseo de los Periodistas #4,
2do. Piso. Ensanche Miraflores,.
Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
2. Conservacion de la Biodiversidad Costa-Marina de la Rep. Dominicana
3. Centro para la Conservación y Ecodesarrollo de la Bahía de Samaná y su Entorno CEBSE
O/Leoncio Ramos No.48, Mirador Norte.
Apdo. Postal 22427
Tel: (809)531-7803· 531-7903 Fax: (809)531-7306
Business:
1. Acuario Nacional: (ecotourism)
Ave España No 75,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic ·
809-766-1709
2. Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism:
1000 Ave Ponce de Leon, 5th Floor
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00907
Tel: (787)-725-9139
Fax: (787)-725-9108
3. Caribbean Tourism Organization:
CTO Barbados (Headquarters)
One Financial Place West Collymore
St. Michael Barbados Tel: 246-427-5242
4. Caribbean Conservation Association:
The Garrison,
St. Michael, Barbados
Tel: (246) 426-5373 Fax: 429-8483
C. Personal actions YOU can take:
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Change 5 lights: Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used with that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
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Look for : When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including , , and .
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Heat and cool smartly: Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a , and make sure it is .
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: Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great . The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose for better performance. Forced air that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy wasters. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home. Not sure where to begin? A can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Use green power: is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify your house to generate your own green power. , it offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over conventional electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply. If you are interested, there are a number of steps you can take to create a , including and researching .
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Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: If there is a recycling program in your community, your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by . in your home helps from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
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Be green in your yard: Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to (PDF, 8 pp., 1.59 MB, ). your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. See EPA’s for tips on how to improve your lawn or garden while also benefiting the environment. can save energy, save you money and reduce your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.
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Use water efficiently: Saving water around the home is simple. Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions. Look for products with EPA's label; these products save water and perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts. There are also simple actions you can take to save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away. See for more water saving tips.
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Spread the Word: Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.
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