Climate Change and Developmental Impact

It's been raining cats and dogs again in Kuching. We did have a few good sunny days in the last couple of weeks, enough for a couple of good field trips. At Borneo Echo Streams, we have been working the last few months on expanding our capacity for quarantine and breeding both in Kuching and in our villages. The weather change have impact and will continue to be unpredicatable as the world faces this phenomena. Rivers swollen due to heavy downpour when it was supposed to be the dry season.

Dvelopment of land has a major impact too as many developments are done at the cost of nature and the environment. Values of stability in nature is exchanged for developer's cost saving. Wetlands, a major natural source of cleaning our water is disappearing. Flora and faunas we know so little about are also dissappearing at alarming rate. Who knows if one of them holds the secret to the cure of cancer or some other illness.

For the poor farmers, things gets dicey as well. As I leave next week for a trip to Padang, Sumatra and the Mentawai Islands, the whole issue of how global climate change affects everyone remain in my thoughts. We need to think of new strategies to cope with these changes with view of long term sustainability. In the end, we have to all be better stewards of the wonderful resources of this planet. For hobbyist, the time for taking for granted what you have is gone. Take care and learn about the fishes and plants you are keeping. For those in the trade, sustainable and responsible practices will keep this trade healthy.