Making a difference

There is no denying that Egypt is changing. Every day there are new laws enacted, old ones revoked, new reasons for people to complain.

And boy do they complain.

But the extent of vocal outrage seems limited to coffee shop discussions and online debates. Arguing on the Internet as of late has become the new fad in Egypt. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone is passionate about voicing that opinion. I am not immune to this.

But I have to ask, with so many people so riled up about changes going on in their country, why aren't we seeing more people out there actually trying to make a difference?

The answer, it seems, is that people will talk big when sitting behind a computer screen. Petitions will fly, be signed, and shared. People will write miles of text about how they would make a difference, yet they never do. This mentality saddens me; obviously the passion is there and existing, but people lack the drive (or motivation?) to apply this passion in real life.

When you have activists or organizations that do try to apply these practices in real life, dig a little deeper under the surface and you'll realise that much of it is a farce. I won't go into specifics; suffice to say that many organizations in Egypt that appear to be working for a greater good only care about that appearance. In terms of practical applications...well it leaves much to be desired. More on that later.

So here is my suggestion. Hurghada has already seen the huge impact that can be had by an organization such as HEPCA. But HEPCA cannot do it alone. Not only that, the bins that they place are for rubbish only.

We need recycling.

I recently went to visit Asyro recycling down the road from me. I was stunned with the reaction that I was met by.

I met with the owner and GM of the company. I brought in one big rubbish bag full of empty bottles, tins, and cardboard. He actually told me that he would "do me the favour" this time, but that next time it just wouldn't be worth it. I beg your pardon?

Yes. That's right. It wouldn't be worth it. He proceeded to tell me that he has already set up a few deals with some hotels around here. That it costs him x amount of money to recycle these, and he gets y amount in profit. Essentially, I wasn't bringing him enough recycling to make a massive profit. Last I checked buddy, recycling is intended to help save the planet, not pad your pockets! 


I'm sure that my sentiments are reflected by many of the ex-pats living in Hurghada. I don't want to recycle for the profit. I want to recycle to know that I'm helping to reduce my carbon footprint.

The cost of one of HEPCAs bins is 50 LE (less than 10 dollars). I am proposing the following, and I encourage everyone that is genuinely interested in doing this to please use the "contact me" button above.

Together, we pool our resources and invest in a number of these bins, and designate them as bins for recycling. These bins are then taken into the neighbourhoods throughout Hurghada. I know that in my neighbourhood, the many bowabs would be more than willing to chip in and help with this project, meaning if you leave your trash in your building for pick up - designate one bag as "recycling" to ensure it goes into the correct bin.

Once weekly, we can have a round up of the bins. To begin with, this is going to require the assistance of volunteers. Hopefully when the project gains momentum, this will be a step that can be resolved later on down the line.

All proceeds from the recycling can go to two places. 1 - invest in more recycling bins for more areas in Hurghada / provisions needed to collect the bins. AND 2 - all proceeds will go to charities throughout Hurghada, be it orphanages, or NGOs, or community programmes, etc.

In doing so, not only would we be reducing our carbon footprint, we would be helping to make the lives of those around us better too. Does it get better than that?

Please, if you are interested use the "contact me" button above. I want to get a team of committed individuals together who are ready and willing to really try to make a difference. 

4 Dolphins arrive in Hurghada

Seems the promises of CITES to marine connection will never be honored. Despite calls again and again that the government has banned bringing in dolphins to the Red Sea area, pay the right people and you won't have any problems.

These four, are said to be coming back with an ADDITIONAL four dolphins. This makes me so sick to my stomach, I don't even know what to say.

From Al Ahram online

Four dolphins arrive at Hurghada airport

Ekram Ibrahim , Friday 21 Jan 2011


Four purportedly wild Dolphins have arrived at Hurghada airport today, in spite of Red Sea Governor Magdy Qoubeissy’s decision to ban the entrance of wild animals.

"I am sure that at least three out of the four (dolphins) were caught in the wild in 1998," a member of the Hurgada Environment Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA) told Ahram Online, who asked that his name be kept anonymous.

Transporting these species to Egypt is harmful to its original habitat, he said, explaining that "these species control the ecosystem and could destroy the whole ecosystem."


The ecosystem’s cycle is delicate and altering any of its steps, by for example getting rid of sharks or adding species, would disrupt and potentially end it.


The governor's decision to ban the entrance of the wild species came after an HEPCA campaign last October against an Egyptian who had purchased four dolphins which he kept in his swimming pool.


HEPCA has also organized a dolphin awareness event which brought together hundreds of concerned citizens in an attempt to expose and halt a planned dolphinarium. After their campaign, the four dolphins were transferred and the Association has since been monitoring the situation.

The governor's office could not be reached for a comment.

Save the four dolphins!

I felt it would be pertinent to post an update to my blog from earlier today, as really, that was just a repost :p

I've been researching into this whole shenanigans since I first read this story this morning, and the real truth of the matter actually makes me sick to my stomach.

For those of you who know me, you'll know that I've been working with creating a magazine in the Hurghada area. No biggie right? Well...turns out, one of our primary advertisers is most likely the party involved in this dolphin cruelty. What's worse? I just had a conversation with the guy about two weeks ago, where he was so excited that the dolphins were finally here from Japan, that the Dolphin show would open in November as planned. If only I knew what kind of conditions they would be living in. I will leave out specific names for now, until I can in fact verify that they are involved with and aware of the conditions the dolphins are being kept in.

The Red Sea is at our backyard, and if this Dolphin show is planning on keeping the dolphin's in natural environments in their final home, why in the WORLD put them in a backyard swimming pool. Why not invest in the help of HEPCA and construct a temporary marine home for them? Oh that's right, because that would mean more money. And as anyone who has done business in Egypt will tell you, (and sadly this holds true for the rest of the world), whatever shortcuts that can be taken to save a few extra dollars, will be taken. The lives of these dolphins are at risk because of a capitalistic ideology of saving money and exploiting our natural resources, without even thinking twice of the consequences. I'm sure these people won't be laughing if their dolphins die before they can make it to the "show."

And what is it exactly that they are going to be doing? Circus tricks, a'la jumping through hoops. Although originally marketed as a way of people being able to swim with dolphins, after a little poking and prodding you will find that this is not really the case. The dolphins will be a party favour for people who want to watch some of the most majestic animals in the world diving through hoops. Why, when the Red Sea is right there, not go and see them in their natural environment? Or if you must insist on going to these shows, at least support the ones that treat their animals humanely!

Picture this, a 5 metre by 5 metre room. Probably the average size of your bedroom. Now picture 2 male dolphins, and 2 female dolphins, bearing in mind that most adult dolphins range between 2 - 4 metres in length, and anywhere from 150 - 600 kg in weight. Four of these adult dolphins, in one small enclosure, you can only imagine how cramped it must actually feel. To top it off, the "filtration system" on the pool is "broken," meaning, these four dolphins are literally swimming in a bedroom sized shit hole, surrounded by their own excrement and God knows what else.

Worse still, is that I had the conversation with this guy over two weeks ago, and the dolphins aren't expected to be moved for another few weeks. Meaning they have been living in this outrageous environment for over half a month, with no end in sight as of yet. It truly, truly saddens me.


Unfortunately, there is little that we can actually do short of raising our voices and getting the awareness out there. I encourage anyone and everyone to do what they can to get these dolphin's stories out there. Don't let more of God's beautiful creations die at the hands of reckless human abuse and behaviour.

And where is HEPCA in all of this?Urging people to avoid spreading rumours, which I highly advocate. However, short of that, their solution is to just "sit tight," and hope for the best, stating that there is "little that can be done for these animals now." Great. I highly doubt, if these animals' quarantine were handled in the appropriate fashion, that this would have become an issue. Regardless, here is HEPCA's news page that promises to keep updates on the welfare of these dolphins.

Sign the petition here, it's the least we can do, as part of doing out bit to preserve these wonderful animals and the life that they should be living.


For more reading on this story, see below.

Red Sea News
ScubaBoard

My original post and the story taken from The Sun can be found here.

Shameful behaviour. Really.

This is one of those animal rights stories that just makes you sick to your stomach. Dolphins are in my mind one of the most majestic animals in the animal kingdom, and as much as people may say I'd "love to have one as a pet," I'd never actually have the heart to restrain one.

And these residents in Hurghada, keeping the Dolphins in a dirty backyard pool...Waiting for a new dolphinarium to be constructed. All I can say is that I hope it's not the Dolphinarium I know of being opened, belonging to a large cooperate business here. Here's to hoping I can track down where this is...And see exactly what's happening! The below article is taken from The Sun.

Pitiful.

ANIMAL campaigners were last night trying to rescue four dolphins being kept in a filthy swimming pool just 30ft square by 13ft deep.

The bottlenoses, two male and two female, were found by a Brit working in Egypt who was alerted by their distinctive cry.

He found them shielded from view by a tarpaulin in the back yard of the tatty villa in Hurghada on the Red Sea coast.

The water is so filthy the 6ft dolphins disappear from view when they dive. And they swim in their own excrement because the filtration system is unable to cope.

The discovery comes just weeks after The Sun helped free two dolphins living in a pool the size of a tennis court in Turkey.

Concerned Egyptian wildlife campaigners are desperately trying to help the new dolphins, which they fear may die if they are not rescued.

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association have taken up the case.

HEPCA says the villa's owner claims the dolphins were caught in Japanese waters and not illegally in the Red Sea. It is understood they are to be the main attraction of a dolphinarium currently being built.

A pair of dolphins should not be kept in a pool smaller than 45ft across and 20ft deep.

Pete Johnson, 47, from Lancashire, who found them, said: "The water is disgusting. The dolphins are forced to live in their mess and close to one another."