Welcome to the August edition of ECCO Magazine’s monthly e-Newsletter, in this and every issue we bring to you a challenge, yes, ECCO Magazine’s 2010 Green Challenge. We ask you to examine your lifestyle, your routine and make simple steps to implement new and exciting green tasks. This month we look at ways to green your daily travel.

Another exciting article in this issue features Invasive Species, the infamous Lionfish we have all been hearing about. What it is and why we need to make it a new delicacy to help Jamaica’s marine life.

Join us as we work towards greening Jamaica. Sustaining this beautiful island we all call home.

Happy reading!

Shelly-Ann Dunkley

E.C.C.O. Magazine

Cel: (876) 378-1257

Fax: (876) 926-8152

MAGAZINE

Shelly-Ann

CONTENT• Invasive Species

• Green Challenge: Transportation

• ECCO Green Army Calendar

OUR PRINT PARTNER

GREEN TIPWays to cut your heatingbill and get green: fix leaks, buy a water-efficient showerhead and substituting the long shower for the long bath

hat is an Invasive Specie?The term invasive species describes the set of harmful, non-native plants, animals, and microorganisms found throughout the World that that are introduced into a non-native ecosystem and which cause, or are likely to cause, harm to the economy, environment or human health.

In many countries in the World, the introduced species can cause widespread damage (and in some cases causing the extinction) to an untold number of wildlife habitats.

How do Invasive species cause damage?Invasive species impact adversely upon biodiversity, by crossing an environmental boundary, into a new habitat where they cause the displacement, decline or elimination of native species through competition, predation, or transmission of pathogens – and the disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions.

Why are Invasive Species Harmful?

What makes Invasive species so harmful is that, many cannot be stopped or controlled; they successfully out-compete native organisms for food and habitat, spread through its new environment, increase its population and harm ecosystems in its introduced range.

How are they transported from One Place to Another? • They maybe transported in the

ballast water of ships and then released into the waters in ports of call.

• Many more arrive in productsthat are imported from another country.

• The international trading of exoticspecies; that is the exporting and importing of plants and animals (such as ornamental tropical fish, rainforest birds, exotic plants, and various species introduced for a purpose).

• Peopletransportingexoticspecieson yachts from one country to another, without quarantine.

• EmptyingAquariumswithimportedfish, into waterways

What Invasive Species do we have in

W

byRachelAllen

ROARING LION

the Caribbean now?While there are in fact a few, the most disturbing one, which has been wrecking havoc in many Caribbean islands, is the LION FISH. But what is the LIONFISH…?

The Lionfish, also called Turkey Fish, Scorpion Fish, Dragon Fish are native to the reefs and rocky crevices of the Indo-pacific. They have now found their way into the warm waters of the US Coast and the Caribbean.

Pretty much everything about thisvenomous fish- its red and white zebra stripes, long, showy pectoral fins, and general prickly demeanor says it all – DON’TTOUCHME..orelse!!

The Lionfish can live up to 15 years and grows to approximately 15 inches (0.4 metres) in length, but between the Turks and Caicos Jamaica the largest seen has been 10 inches ( meters).

If the Lionfish feels threatened by you, it will deliver to you a sting via its 18 needle-like dorsal fins – in an attempt to defend itself. It has extremely fast reflexes, coupled with its ability to camouflage itself makes it a venerable predator for fish and shrimp. The lionfish can be seen spreading its fins backing small schools into corners where it can more easily swallow them.

Asting from the lionfish to humans isextremely painful, causing nausea and breathing difficulties, but is rarely fatal.

In many countries in the Caribbean, the Lionfish is becoming a tasty meal. This is encouraged as the Lionfish has no real predator. That is, there is no other marine creature that threatens it. It is reported that in the Bahamas, its population has grown exponentially and in Jamaica it also continues to grow significantly. So, while its prey

(young grouper, snappers, shrimp, etc) continue to diminish, the overall health of marine life, coral reefs will continue to be affected negatively by this invasion of the Lionfish.

Many Caribbean islands are hostingLionfish derbies, where divers and residents are taught how to safely remove the Lionfish. In Cayman, in one day 233 Lionfish were collected.

If you want to know how to safely remove a Lionfish, there are many places online that you can contact or yourEnvironmentalAgencyorFisheriesDep.

Addressingtheproblemofinvasivealienspecies is urgent because the threat is growing daily, and the economic and environmental impacts are severe. This loss is estimated to be in billions of dollars of damage annually.

Remember, if you are not trained, you should never attempt to hold a Lionfish with your bare hands. However, for those brave souls who want to taste this new delicacy, try safely removing the needles and cooking and eating it… it just may become your new favorite seafood!

2010

July Newsletter

Green Challenge

Transportation is thought to be one of the major contributors to global warming. Whether it’s from the millions of cars on our roadways in Jamaica and around the world, daily air travel, trucking agriculture from farm to your table or global commerce (import and export), millions of gallons of fossil fuel are burnt and tons of emissions are released into the atmosphere. With gas prices constantly on the rise and the increasing number of cars on our Jamaican roadways all these elements contribute to air pollution, carbon emissions and numerous other environmental and health concerns.

The U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) estimates that burningone gallon of gasoline emits 20 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2), based on 15,000 miles of driving per year.

Problems with conventional transportation: • Risingfuelcost:toindividualsand

to Jamaica • Fossil fuels – nonrenewable

source • WaterandAirpollution • ContributortoClimateChange

Things to know: • According to the EPA the internal

combustion engine wastes approximately 62 percent of the energy generated from fuel.

• The wasted energy enters theatmosphere as heat

• Idlingvehiclesuseup17percentofthe energy in a car

Owning a vehicle isn’t simply about drivingfrompointAtopointB,therearecountless trips to the repair shop, tyre pressure to regulate, gaskets, cranks and shafts have to be maintained and muchmore.Don’thaveanEV(ElectricVehicle)orHybridvehicleyoucanstillbe an environmentally responsible driver. Greening your daily routine shouldn’t have to be a tedious and expensive task, here are a few simple steps to green your routine.

Green Tips:

1. Keep your car tuned: you can save money on gas and reduce your car’s emissions by changing your oil regularly, keeping tires inflated, and checking hoses, spark plugs and filters regularly. Properly inflated tires can reduce fuelconsumptionbyupto3percent!

2. Carpooling: get the latest office gossip while sharing a ride with co-workers. Saves money, reduces the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and keeps you up to date on office happenings.

Transportation

3. Do not idle your vehicle: this reduces CO2 emissions and saves on gas

4. Telecommuting: While there is definite benefit in face to face communication, where possible teleconferencing or telecommuting can reduce costs to businesses as well as the environment. When possible work from home. Tell your boss you are saving the environment.

5. Buy an EV or Hybrid vehicle: Opting for a Hybrid vehicle is another low carbon emitting option, they may prove costly but the savings are priceless

6. Lower your consumption - save on gas: If you drive smoothly and try to avoid abrupt acceleration and deceleration as much as possible, you’ll save fuel

7.Add a Fuel-Consumption display: a simple device that will help you see a 15-percent boost in fuel economy just by monitoring real-time mpg feedback.

8. Choose your route: plan your daily activities around town.

9. At a long stoplight, shut your engine off. That’s what a hybrid does. This reduces the amount of heat and CO2 released from the vehicle

10. Go slower: Speed lowers fuel economy

11. Walk: not only will the save you money and help save the planet but it’s also a healthy alternative

Sources:http://www.good.is/post/how-to-double-your-cars-fuel-economy-without-spending-any-money/

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/15-easy-ways-to-save-gas.html?page=5

ECCO’s GREEN ARMYcalendar 5th: RootzUndergroundperforms@Groovin’-AZenEvent!

7th: MockingbirdHillCountryFair

7th: FarmtoTableDinner

9th–20th: GreenCamp@BuildingBlocksPre-School (Emailgreencamp.jamaica@gmail.comorcall457-5177)

21st–22nd: ConsumerElectronicsShow@WyndhamHotel

Until the 26th: Summer Theatre Camp for Kidz (31BarbicanRoad,call318-6970fordetails)

AUGUST

GREEN FACTContainers of electronic

waste or e-waste that should have been recycled have been illegally shipped to

places like China andAfrica