Monday, January 31, 2011

Sustainability and Responsibility

"Our ancestors viewed the earth as rich and bountiful, which it is. Many people in the past also saw nature as inexhaustibly sustainable, which we know is the case only if we care for it. It is not difficult to forgive destruction in the past that resulted from ignorance. Today, however, we have access to more information, and it is essential that we re-examine ethically what we have inherited, what we are responsible for, and what we will pass on to coming generations."--His Holiness the Dalai Lama

I've been watching a lot of documentaries lately about two things: our food, and our oceans.  I know a lot of people discredit political, social, and environmental documentaries, because they feel it ends up supporting only one side of a particular issue.  Maybe so, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're factually inaccurate, or that they don't make a supportive case for their argument.  I believe a lot of peoples' decisions to support an issue are based upon their perception of the people involved, and not the issue itself...especially when it comes to animal rights and the environment.   While humans claim the top of the food chain, a lot of them don't want to claim the responsibility that comes along with occupying that position.  The earth may be on a cycle of change that has occurred since it's creation (however you regard that creation to be), but it's short-sighted and downright irresponsible to think we do not contribute to the degree of change.  I think a lot of people see the earth as an infinite resource for the taking; that fixes itself when it's sick, and can't be permanently hurt, no matter how much pollution we pump in, or how many resources we pull out.  And there are governments and corporations that try to control and monopolize the environment, not just for money, but for power.  Power to suppress, start conflict, wage war, and feed the egos of Presidents, Prime Ministers and CEO's.  This mentality affects every single species on the planet.  

What you buy, how it was made or harvested, where it came from, how it got to you...it all affects the environment.  A good steward is someone who will help reduce that effect.  Now think of that word, "Reduce."  In the U.S., there's the phrase, "Reduce Reuse Recycle."  Seems like a great little marketing tool.  In my hometown, we each have these big blue bins (literally the size of our garbage cans) for putting recyclable products in.  Every two weeks, a truck comes and empties the bins.  While it's great that we have a system in place for recycling, that's the last part of the phrase.  Think about it.  Our first job is to reduce!  Reduce the amount of carbon monoxide we put into the air and water.  Reduce runoff from factory farms.  Reduce our use of plastic.  All of these things are having an immediate and devastating impact on the environment, and they're having an impact on you.  Do you really want to breathe polluted air, eat food contaminated with mercury, E. coli and salmonella, or swim through a pile of plastic garbage at the beach?  The most valuable resource on the planet, the one thing that sustains ALL life, is constantly under attack by humans....water.  Hell, when we search for potential life forms on other planets, we look to see if there is water.

The documentary The End of the Line examines the overfishing of our oceans, and the damage large scale fishing operations are having on coral reefs, coastal fishing communities, and marine wildlife.  Consider this: 

One billion people rely on fish as an important source of protein. 

According to the UNFAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization), about 70 per cent of our global fisheries are now being fished close to, already at, or beyond their capacity. 

As many as 90 per cent of all the oceans large fish have been fished out.  
 
One per cent of the world's industrial fishing fleets account for 50 per cent of the world's catches. 

Government subsidies of over $15 billion a year play a major role in creating the world's fishing fleets. 

The demand for bluefin tuna in Japan and restaurants elsewhere around the world has led to that species being fished to near extinction.  The rate at which bluefin is being fished far exceeds any hope of sustainability.  Mitsubishi Corporation is stockpiling bluefin in enormous sums, and if the species reaches extinction, the cost for that tuna will skyrocket.  It seems our insatiable appetite for tuna is actually our own worst enemy.  The more we want it, the more corporations like Mitsubishi try to control it.

In Taiji, 26 fishermen are responsible for the slaughter of up to 2,000 dolphins a year.  The popularity and financial success of dolphinariums and swim with dolphin programs is what keeps the slaughter going.  Think if there was no demand, and the dolphins could swim the coastline of Japan in peace and freedom.  Unfortunately, any cetacean that swims anywhere near Japan is in jeopardy.  The rate at which Japan is fishing so many species (all over the world) from top to bottom is alarming.  And the fact that Japan refuses to participate with international agreements on quotas begs the question...What will it take for them to actually notice what they're doing to the oceans?  You would think a nation that relies so heavily on the ocean for its food would want to take better care of it. 

In the United States, factory farms are a major contributor to air and water pollution.  Not to mention the ghastly conditions animals are kept in for production.  It's appalling to see these facilities, and the lack of respect for the animals that provide food for so many.  I decided to become vegan mainly because I wanted no part in the way we exploit and abuse animals for profit.  Since then, I've come to realize how seriously jacked up our genetically engineered food is, and the lack of responsibility agribusiness takes for the food they supply, and its impact on the environment.  Corporations like Monsanto and Nestle take advantage of a system that allows them to control the seeds we plant and the water we drink.  We can't take that shit lightly and think we're in good hands.

I realize there are people who want to see the slaughter in Taiji come to an end, and who also enjoy a turkey sandwich.  Cultures draw distinctions between which animals they consume.  It's an uphill fight for animal advocates.  There are people in the United States who get caught up in thinking their rights are being taken away if there are any animal welfare laws.  God forbid we take away the right of someone to run a puppy mill, or to not provide adequate care for their farm animals.  Those people only see animals as property and profit.  It's more appealing to someone if I tell them I've chosen not to consume any meat or dairy and lost twenty five pounds without exercising, lowered my cholesterol, sleep better, have more energy, and feel good about myself, than if I said I gave up all meat and dairy because I love animals.  Look, you can visit a factory farm and feel sorry for the animals that are jammed on top of one another and don't have room to stand up or turnaround, or you can realize that the chicken with open sores and covered in feces might be your dinner one evening.  Get informed about the food you eat.  Do you really want to put genetically engineered meat that's been covered in feces into your body?  Yeah, I get it, you hate PETA.  You'd like nothing better than to jam all the beef, poultry, and pork into your mouth just to piss them off.  But forget about what PETA tells you, and realize that the good you do for animals and the environment is also good for you!  

We have a responsibility to not support facilities that imprison dolphins.  We have a responsibility to support local farmers who practice sustainable farming, and care for their land and the animals.  We have a responsibility to not support companies who irresponsibly use money and power to influence access to food and water.  We have a responsibility to hold our governments accountable for the legislation they put in place that affects the environment.  The power to make things better is right there.  All we have to do is grab it.

We have to look ourselves in the mirror and decide how we want to live.  We can't claim ignorance.  Three documentaries I highly recommend watching are  The End of the Line, Tapped, and No Impact Man.  Every little bit we do to reduce our footprint is a step in the right direction.  If we're truly serious about passing on a better, cleaner, more vibrant planet for future generations, then we have to live sustainably and responsibly.  





Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

"It is indeed these captures and the traffic in captive dolphins from Taiji, from the Cove, that is the economic underpinning of the dolphin slaughter."--Ric O'Barry (HEPCA Dolphin Awareness Night, October 3, 2010)

The Cove
Three weeks from today I leave for Taiji, Japan.  For those of you reading this who have no idea what that means, let me sum it up in two words...dolphin slaughter.  That's right, in Taiji, killing dolphins is big business.  Nearly 2,000 dolphins will be slaughtered in Taiji between September and March.  Capturing wild dolphins and selling them to dolphinariums and swim with dolphin programs is even bigger business.  While one dead dolphin can bring in $600, a live show dolphin can fetch upwards of $150,000.  It's not hard to figure out how precious these mammals are to the 26 fishermen who cherry pick the Japanese coastline, just waiting for the next pod of innocent dolphins to swim by.  

The dolphins are "driven" into a cove by twelve banger boats.  The banger boats get their name from the technique of placing a long, metal pole into the ocean and banging on it with a hammer.  This banging creates a wall of sound that scares the dolphins, forcing them to change course and that's when the drive begins.  The dolphins are driven towards a cove that, oddly enough, is immediately adjacent to a public beach.  Sometimes the dolphins manage to escape the fishermen, and sometimes they don't.  By the time the dolphins have reached the Cove, they are completely exhausted, confused and scared.  The fishermen then drop nets into the water and seal off any possibility of escape for the dolphins.

Dolphins in the Cove
Enter the trainers.  Yep, dolphin trainers.  Now, one might think these folks love the dolphins.  And if you ask them, they'll tell you that they do.  That they have a dolphin's best interest at heart.  How could they not?  The dolphins they're about to scout could be worth $150,000 each...remember?  These trainers are driven (not like the dolphins, though) by the same fishermen into the Cove, so they can start the selection process.  The trainers will get into the water with the dolphins, and physically handle the dolphins in a way that is similar to wrestling a steer.  In fact, dolphins have drowned at the hands of these trainers.  It's like that because the dolphins don't want to be handled, and they struggle to free themselves from the trainers and fishermen.  They're wild dolphins, used to swimming miles and miles everyday in the open ocean.  Compared to the ocean, the Cove is like a fish tank.  But, the Cove is like an ocean compared to the actual fish tank that awaits the ones that are selected.  Once selected, the dolphins are taken by skiff, sometimes in a sling, sometimes literally in the skiff, to holding pens in Taiji Harbor. They're transferred to holding pens, and there they wait.  They wait to be loaded onto a truck, then maybe an airplane, and they're sent to countries all over the world.  A mammal that is supposed to be swimming free in the ocean, is transported in a truck, or the cargo hold of an airplane.  Think about that.   

Back to the Cove... 

The Cove runs red with innocent blood
The dolphins that have not been chosen for a life of captivity and exploitation, well, theirs' is a different fate.  A reasonable person would think, "Okay, the trainers got their pick.  Now, the unlucky ones can be released back out to sea and run the risk of being caught up in a tuna net or long line.  Gee, those dolphins that got picked are lucky!"  Well, there really are no lucky ones this day, or any day there's a pod in the Cove.  You see, the dolphins that aren't selected by the trainers aren't released back out to sea...they're slaughtered.  They're forced further up into the Cove, and a metal spike is driven and twisted into the spine of the dolphin.  According to the fishermen, this kills the dolphin in a humane way.  Believe me when I tell you, there is nothing that appears humane when you see footage of a slaughter.  This is when the Cove begins to run red.  Males, pregnant females, calves...it doesn't matter.  All are targets of the fishermen, all become victims of the slaughter.  The dolphins are then either tied to the skiffs by their flukes, sometimes still splashing and flailing because they are not yet dead (and they end up drowning), or they're loaded into the skiff and taken to a gutting barge parked just outside the Cove.  There, the fishermen open up the dolphins and remove the guts, dumping the guts overboard into the sea.  Eventually, the dolphins are taken to the butcher house, where they are carved up for their mercury-tainted meat.  
The blue tarps hide the "tradition"

The fishermen and other supporters of the slaughter give different reasons for its continued existence.  Most notably, tradition and pest control.  Yeah, you heard me right, pest control.  The fishermen, and the government, claim that the dolphins are infringing on the fish stocks.  They actually view the dolphins as competition for fish.  In fact, the fishermen in Taiji consider the dolphins as fish.  To them, they're just herding, slaughtering and gutting fish.  No problem with that, right?  

The thing is, dolphins aren't fish...they're mammals.  A dolphin holds its breath underwater, and must come to the surface for air, just like us.  Every breath they take is a conscious breath. Let me say that again...every breath a dolphin takes is a conscious breath.  They are complex, social creatures that are incredibly self-aware, exhibit non-human intelligence, and rely on their pod, their family, for their existence.  Calves rely on their mothers for nourishment, just like a newborn human relies on its mother.  When a pod is herded into the Cove, that family bond is ripped apart.  They are literally forced to watch their family members either taken away or slaughtered in front of their very eyes.  All the while waiting for their turn. 

And now, I wait for my time at the Cove.  To work alongside passionate, caring people from all over the world, all brought together with the same goal...to help save dolphins.  There are many fronts to ending this slaughter, and it won't happen overnight.  Dialogue is key, and their must be viable solutions for the future of Taiji.  Some activists view it as an animal rights issue, some see it as an ecological threat to our oceans and planet, and others point to the incredibly toxic levels of mercury in the dolphin meat that is sold.  Imagine going to the grocery store, and the meat you purchase is knowingly contaminated with the most toxic non-radioactive element in the world!  For me, I particularly don't like the exploitation that is occurring, the cruel acts, the blatant disregard for another life.  I know I mention money quite a bit, that it might seem I view money as the cause of what's happening in Taiji.  But money isn't the cause, it's people.  Greedy people who only see the dollar signs.  And why do they see dollar signs?...because people love dolphins.  In my hometown, dolphin statues adorn many business fronts.  People see dolphins as happy, caring, magnificent creatures swimming and playing in the ocean.  Every summer, when people at Virginia Beach spot a pod of dolphins swimming close to shore, many stop to watch or even attempt to swim or paddle out, hoping for that chance encounter.  Hoping that the dolphins will notice them and approach with the same curiosity and affection.  What if Taiji became a place that people from all over the world visited to not only marvel in the picturesque coastline, but to watch dolphins swim and play in their natural habitat?  A place where people would look upon the Cove as a reminder of what we shouldn't do as a species, and realize that, sometimes, so-called traditions need to change. 

Academy Award Best Feature Length Documentary
It's impossible to tackle this issue in one blog post.  For some of you reading this, it's Taiji Slaughter 101.  For those unfamiliar with this issue, I hope you check back in for the updates, maybe even subscribe to the feed.  I've painted a pretty broad picture, but it's in the details that will guide this discussion.  So, I encourage you to make respectful comments, ask questions, and post information you've collected.  If you have not yet done so, please watch the documentary The Cove.  I've posted an excerpt from The Cove on my Vimeo channel that gives a brief introduction to what I've been talking about.  Also, and I can't stress this enough, DO NOT buy a ticket to any facility or program that advertises captive dolphins.  You have to see dolphins in the wild to understand why captivity doesn't work.  You are not being educated when you watch a dolphin jump through a hoop, drag a "trainer" around a swimming pool by their fin, and then get rewarded with a dead fish.  But many of these places hide behind the veil of research, education and conservation.  When you support these places, you are rewarding bad behavior.  You are rewarding the fishermen in Taiji!

Support the Cove Guardians
My goal in Taiji is to document what happens at the Cove, to educate people in Japan and around the world as to what is taking place, and to let the fishermen know that this is unacceptable.  Believe it or not, a lot of people in Japan (even Taiji!) are unaware this slaughter is happening.  The fishermen, though, have been reading peoples' blogs, following social media, and watching videos of the slaughter posted on YouTube.  They know the world is watching, and waiting...