Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
Connie, as requested I emaied each one and mentioned that if the cenotes are ruined my vacation $$ will go elsewhere. Didn't think a "Mother Earth" pitch would sink in as fast as a threat to the pocket book. Glad to help Matt > -----Original Message----- > From: Katherine Irvine [mailto:kirvine@sa*.ne*] > Sent: Sunday, July 04, 1999 11:04 > To: Connie LoRe > Cc: cavers@cavers.com > Subject: Re: [Fwd: This is my Contribution.] > > > A good start would be to remove this guy and his pals from the area. > > > Connie LoRe wrote: > > > > Fellow Cave Divers, > > > > The attached regarding an environmental issue is forwarded for your > > information and in the hope that you will consider corresponding to the > > appropriate parties. > > > > Connie > > http://www.cavediving.com/connie/ Ginnie Springs 904-454-2202 > > Yucatan Cave Trips Home 727-862-2676 voice/fax > > 18237 Oshawa Dr.,Hudson,FL 34667 > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > Subject: This is my Contribution. > > Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 10:13:55 -0400 > > From: Steve Gerrard <104164.1441@co*.co*> > > To: Connie LoRe <connie97@gt*.ne*> > > > > AN ALARMING POTENTIAL DISASTER! > > > > > > By STEVE GERRARD > > > > Jack and Jill had just climbed out of the entrance of > SISTEMA VACA > > HA from a glorious cave > > dive exploring new passageways looking for the mystery connection to the > > SISTEMA CARWASH. They knew they were within 150 feet (45 > meters) from the > > downstream passage known as "THE DRAIN". In their excitement, they > > compared their mental notes and ideas of what could be the "key" to the > > doorway of making another historical connection between two > different cave > > systems. Several connections have been made during 1999 > between separate > > cave systems and they wanted to add their names to this very productive > > year of underwater cave exploration in the Riviera Maya of > Mexico's Yucatan > > peninsula. > > > > Removing their equipment and laying it down in their van, > they begin > > stripping their wetsuits and drying off their wet bodies with > towels. Jill > > quickly noticed her skin on her left arm was blotched with patches of a > > bright red pigmentation. Odd, perhaps it was the insect > repellent she had > > used prior to the dive that caused this. Suddenly, looking > down at her > > ankles she saw her skin had erupted into large boils leaking a > yellow puss. > > The smell that drifted slowly upward knock her head back as > her nostrils > > caught the bitter stench. In the same moment, Jack ran from > back of the > > van screaming in horror holding his crotch area. His entire > stomach area > > was covered with shreds of skin as if boiling pizza hot out of the oven. > > Pulling his hands away, Jack saw in disbelief a grisly and bloody mess > > hanging from his groin. Jill fainted falling to the ground. > What the hell > > was going on? > > > > Now that I have your undivided attention, all the above > could be true > > in the near future. It is possible. What happened to Jack & Jill? > > > > In recent years, an eruption of construction and growth has evolved > > along Mexico's Caribbean coast now known as the Riviera Maya. A clever > > marketing tool to promote and build a giant tourist destination > and money > > machine for the Mexican government and those who claim the > position of the > > elite. Obvious corruption and irresponsibility is largely to > blame. Hey, > > there's nothing wrong with making money, right? But when growth is not > > properly managed and a total disregard for the impact of the fragile > > ecosystems that exists in our beautiful area then something is terribly > > wrong. The fringing reefs in the Caribbean sea, the filtering mangroves > > that allow the perpetuation of life to continue and the > hundreds of cenotes > > that pilfer the jungle which represent the "windows" to most important > > ingredient to this entire story - the aquifer - our precious > water supply. > > These three specific areas all endure in a delicate balance of survival. > > > > > > Mexico has an extensive track record of being insensitive to the > > environment. When 10% of the population represents the ruling class and > > all the other people work hard and long hours just to eat and > survive, the > > importance of protecting the land, the resources and the future does not > > measure very high on the popularity scale. The lack of > education is the #1 > > casualty. But, the good news is its changing. It is slowing > changing but > > will take many years to become better. Recognizing and preventing the > > problem would certainly be the superior approach but > unfortunately learning > > the "hard way" and fixing the problem(s) after it occurs always > seems to be > > the choice that dictates our human behavior. Maybe one day that will > > change too! > > So, let us focus on one problem, our problem as cave > divers. A > > year ago, the village of Tulum moved their local landfill from > the old site > > located at the corner of Highway 307 and the Coba road. That > was a smart > > move. (So you know, Sistema K'Oxul goes right under this > site.) Their > > choice for a new landfill site was stupid. Now, I will not > claim to know > > how the local politics works or the available sites to choose from (are > > there ever any good choices for garbage dumps?). This choice > is simple - > > it sucks. Why? It is located too close to several underwater cave > > systems. These caves represent the pipelines for the water > drainage for > > everything northwest of the Tulum area. With the porous > limestone and the > > extensive amount of rainfall each year, severe contamination to > the aquifer > > will occur. It's just a matter of time when we will see it. > > There are three cave systems in question: > > 1. Sistema Carwash > > 2. Sistema Vaca Ha > > 3. Sistema Touch Ha > > The jungle was cleared by bulldozers and covers an area of > 10 acres or > > ½ hectare. The landfill is located northwest of the Cenote Carwash by > > less than a kilometer. That is 3000 feet (900 meters) away > from the main > > opening to the surface. Let's not forget that there are two > more openings > > further upstream of this cave system. But, my money is > betting on Sistema > > Toucha Ha will see the first traces of corruption from this > garbage dump. > > It has an enormous upstream conduit that goes 7000 feet (2,121 > meters) in a > > northwest direction south of Sistema Casrwash. This dump will > contaminate > > this cave very soon. > > Two weeks ago I took my cave diving class of three > students out to the > > landfill area to show them the problem and to take photos. The Mayan > > caretaker took me around and showed me SEVEN cenote openings > that meander > > down to the aquifer. One was stuffed with dead cow carcasses along with > > the typical trash. All seven openings had material stuffed in them. We > > found it appalling and disgusting. > > We looked for automobile batteries and other toxic and chemical > > contaminants with no success but I'm > > sure those types of materials exist. There was no evidence of > procedures > > to separate bad waste or any > > methods of recycling. This garbage dump is an environmental situation > > waiting to explode into a disaster. > > How do we solve this specific problem as a cave diving community? > > Why should you care about a problem in far away Mexico? I realize that > > North Florida has the same problems with surface contamination entering > > into its own aquifer system. It's happening all over the world. > Luckily, > > many people are doing the necessary actions to create the awareness and > > education to help correct those problems from continuing. And > that's by > > writing your local politicians and government officials expressing your > > concern and anguish about this important and critical issue. > You may live > > far away but if you enjoy cave diving the beautiful cenotes and > cave system > > of the Akumal - Tulum area then please help and get involved. > Yes, it's > > easy to ignore or care less about this little, isolated > problem. All the > > effort and work may not do a damn thing. But, if we don't try you will > > never know if you can make a difference. To many of us just > plow through > > life with blinders on ignoring everything that goes on that is > wrong or bad > > for our environment. > > What about the local population doing something? Well, > good question, > > tough answer. Most people lack the skills or the ability to express > > themselves. Like I said, when you are busting your ass to feed your > > family, things like a dump don't factor in. For those of us > who do have > > the ability and skills, you would think that they are doing their part. > > Fact or fantasy, that is the question. > > This is what we are asking of everyone within the cave diving > > community. Please write a short letter or e-mail to the > following people. > > It's not that difficult and it will only take a few minutes of > your time. > > Do not worry about language. The message will get across. > Please express > > your concern about the garbage dump of Tulum located 8 kilometers > > northwest on the Coba road. With consistent pressure from divers all > > around the world, each you can make a difference in making the political > > community and government agencies recognize that there is a > serious problem > > and their actions must correct this potentially deadly crisis. > Your help > > is asked. > > If enough people respond, these efforts will open the eyes of those > > who have the power and ability to makes changes better for the > future. No > > one wants to have what happened to Jack and Jill. You can make the > > difference. > > > > For more information contact: > > SAVE > > > > Society of > Akumal's Vital > > Ecology > > Email: > Internet:save@ce*.co* > > www.cenote.com/eclogy > > Telephone/Fax: > (011-52) 987-59020 > > > > Please write to: > > > > -C. Lic. Ernesto Zedillo y Ponce de Leon > > Presidente Contitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos > > Residencia Presidencia De La Pinos > > Puerto Central, Primer Piso, Col. San Miquel > > Chapultepec, CP 11850 > > Mexico D.F. > > Fax: (011-52) 55-22-41-17 > > > > -M. en C. Julia Carabias Lillo > > Secretaria del Medio Ambiente Recursoso Naturales y Pesca > > Lateral de Anillo Periferico Sur 4209, Piso 6 > > Fracc. Jardines de la Montana > > Delegacion Tialpan, 14210 > > Mexico. D.F. > > Internet: carabias@se*.dg*.un*.mx* > > Tel. (001-52) 56-28-06-02 y 628 0603 > > > > -Ing. Pedro Alavarez - Icaza Longoria > > Director General de Ordenamiento Eciologico e Impacto Ambiental > > Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE) > > Av. Revolucion 1425-16 > > Col. Tlacpac 01040 > > Mexico D.F. > > Internet: dgoeia@in*.go*.mx* y palvarez@in*.go*.mx* > > Tel. (011-52) 56-24-33-66 y 67 Fax. (011-52) 56-24-35-87 y 624-3368 > > > > -Biol. Magdallena Garcia Rendon. > > Directoria de Ordenamiento Ecologico > > Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (INE) > > Av. Revolucion 1425 nivel 5 > > Col. Tlacopac. San Angel > > Alvaro Obregon 01040 > > Mexico D.F. > > Internet: mrendon@in*.go*.mx* y doe@in*.go*.mx* > > Tel. (011-52) 56-24-33-77 Fax: (011-52) 56-24-33-68 y 624-3587 > > > > -C. Enrique Provencio > > Presidente del Instituto Nacional de Ecologia > > Av. Revolcion 1425 > > Col. Tlacopac San Angel > > Del. Alvaro Obregon > > Mexico D.F. > > Internet: cpdurazo@se*.un*.mx* > > Tel. (011-52) 56-24-34-00 al 03 Fax: (011-52) 56-24-34-98 > > > > Sr. Joaquin Hendricks Diaz > > Gobernador Del Estado De Quintana Roo > > Calle 22 de Enero > > S/n Palacio Governo en Chetumal, Q. Roo 07000 > > Mexico > > Tel. (011-52) 983-20266 ext. 110 Fax: (011-52) 983-24257 > >
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]