Protecting Our Natural Resources for Future Generations!
The care of our lands, seas, and air is the responsibility of every Chuukese citizen. The government must provide adequate funding, leadership, and programs to educate the public in the proper stewardship of our natural resources. Efforts must be made to empower the NGO’s that are dedicated to environmental issues. The problems predicted by scientists on global warming has already impacted our islands directly. Taro patches and other locally grown food products have been rendered useless due to the rising tide. The government must work directly with municipal leadership and the FEMA office in the national government to initiate long term plans and short term solutions to this impending crisis.
Action Strategies:
- Utilize existing reports and strategies on how best to prepare for the effects of global warming in the outer islands.
- Solicit external funding from governments and NGOs to purchase water catchment systems in the outer islands to preserve drinkable water.
- Partner with engineering schools in the US especially Jesuit institutions to have students design sustainable means of growing taro without the erosion from rising sea level.
- Create a commission of experts from the outer islands as well as international NGOs to review existing reports and create implementation strategies for the Northwest islands.
- Provide grant writing resources and advise to outer island NGOs to apply for funding aimed at conservation efforts in the outer islands.
Vid is an education consultant, web designer, social entrepreneur from Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He earned his BA in communications from University of Guam, MA in school administration from University of San Francisco, and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree from University of Hawaii at Manoa. Vid lives in Northern California and works at the College of Professional & Global Education at San Jose State University. Previously, he worked at UC Santa Cruz, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Santa Clara University, and Xavier High School in Micronesia.