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...We live on a moist, tiny spec of dust
floating through the infinite, unforgiving, emptiness of space
so I guess we had better look after it...
Email: Ian Phone: +61 40 7647089 [mbl]
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M.A.T.E.[Man and the Environment]
Sinai Guides
The Bedouin of the Sinai, Egypt, are recent [40 years ago] immigrants to the western world. They are quickly losing their traditional heritage. By encourging their continued participation in the work they know best, the sustainable living in the Sinai, they may retain sufficient of their skills.
Bimblebox Nature Refuge - Petition
This is a Nature Refuge established by 2 signed agreements, one with the Commonwealth Govt [it invested $300,000], the other a 999year lease with the Queensland Govt. Mining interests now want to develop the site as an open cut mine - what is the value of an agreement?
Trees for the Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands
TREAT is an impressive organisation. It has been operating for over 20 years and continues with its strong proactive support for revegetation of areas of rainforest. It is this example of 'return' that is notable.
REVEG Innisfail
MATE supports without equivocation the work of REVEG. It is a group of people, who attend the nursery every Thursday to willing and freely give their time to propagate and plant rainforest species. It is a notable act and a practical example of how we can return something to the sustainability formula. Both REVEG and TREAT, must be complimented on their work.
Alan's Wildlife Tours Alan conducts tours into the heartland of the FNQ World Heritage Site. He is knowledgeable, and inspriting to be with as this testimonial indicates "Taking a tour with Alan changed the way our family enjoys nature. Now it is something we do regularly not just on Discovery Channel".
Johnstone Ecological Society
JES is an active community support society who involves itself with projects that better the habitat in which we all live. Loth Park along the Johstone River, and the Back Yard Blitz project at the Innisfail State High School, are two good examples of their dedication.
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A humbling thought .. by words of an Indian Chief in 1854, Chief Seattle, when confronted with land acquisitions when he spoke to the Governor of the Washington Territory, Isaac Stevens. The speech was translated by Dr Henry A Smith. Part of the speech....
"Teach your children what we have taught our childen, that the Earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of the Earth. If men spit upon the ground they spit upon themselves. This we know, all things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of the Earth. Man did not weave a web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself."
HOW TRUE - from a "primitive" man!!!
MATE is dedicated to searching for ways forward, for the manner in which people can live on Earth sustainably, enjoyably, and productively while adhering to an empathy with the sole life-support system we have - Planet Earth.
Earth is a space ship, but unlike a man-made craft, we live on the outside of it. The only thing between us and deep space, is a thin layer of atmosphere.
The fundamentals are fundamental. Without them, major living things perish. We need food, water and oxygen [a healthy supply of it and other gases] and something they can grow on. Then there is the balance between taking and giving. The scope of man is such that they can imbalance this arrangement to the point of no-return - too much taking, too much of "me" little of "we".
The future concerns are varied but all are related. MATE is active in the environmental movement and its apprehensions, all related to future sustainability. They are for example:
Diminishing biodiversity in non-human living organisms;
Increasing biodiversity in humans;
Increase in human population at the expense of the ever dwindling natural resources;
The struggle for enough water for all;
The lack of trouble free sustainable energy; and
Global Warming - all without conflict
MATE started this work in Egypt, on the Gulf of Aqaba, in the Sinai, at a place called Dahab. It maintains constant contact with the people there, particularly the Bedouin, who have retained much of their past habits, though rapidly losing them through passing generations. Sinai Guides is a project to encourage the on-going use of their cultural heritage. MATE argues that these past societies have the means by which future generations can live together. Their contribution is to be preserved.
In Australia, it concerns itself with local environmental issues, working with NGOs. A list of these NGOs is included. Their work covers:
threats to a nature refuge, Alpha - BBNR - Bimblebox Nature Refuge;
future inter-related habitats, Malanda - MNP - Malanda North Project
visitor information, Malanda - MFVC - Malanda Falls Visitor Centre;
tree planting and nursery, Atherton Tablelands - TREAT - Trees for the Evelyn and Atherton Tablelands;
tree planting and nursery, Innisfail - REVEG - Cassowary Coast Revegetation Unit
tree planting and nursery, Innisfail - VALN - Violets and Lace Nursery
tree kangaroos and other mammals, Malanda - TKMG - The Tree Kangaroo and Mammals Group;
the national park volunteers, Atherton - TNPV - Tabelands National Parks Volunteers;
biodynamic growers, Atherton - BDFNQ - Biodynamics Far North Queensland.
THE SCOPE OF MAN
The scope is grand enough to destroy all major living things on earth – nuclear holocaust.
A related scope is therefore able to change the atmosphere worldwide - pollution/global warming.
We will need the same scope to recover.
WHAT WE CAN DO
Conserve energy
Live more simply, expand other activities eg. music, sport, art, theater
Use practical sustainable energy
Use alternative forms of transport eg. bicycles, horse and cart, camels
Slow down, travel slower, see things, meet and share things
Form group activities
Uphold with absolute determination, environmental procedures and projects
SINAI GUIDES
This facility is available to all who would like to trek with the Bedouin. They will be your guides. The Sinai, Egypt, at first glance, seems a barren desolate wasteland. Once you have entered it, on the back of camel and have the Bedouin explain their world to you, you leave with a greater appreciation. Click
BIMBLEBOX NATURE REFUGE
Here if you become persuaded, you can leave your protest with the State Government, to preserve one of the last remaining intact patches of native vegetation in the Desert Uplands region of central Queensland. It is now surrounded, horizon to horizon, by monocultured buffel grass. Now, to be screwed even further, the coal mining industry wants to dig up this 8,000 hectares of rich biodiveristy, for use as an open cut coal mine, delivering tonnes of thermal coal to the power stations and leaving a great hole in the ground. It has been legally established by agreements with the State and Commonwealth Governments, the latter investing $300,000 into the purchase of the property. It is a persuasive presentation. Click
SEAMORE TRAVEL
SeaMore Travel, is a travel company who organises diving and camel safaris in Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt. They are exceptional in their abilitiy to arrange tours to Egypt and have been strong supporters of environmental awareness. They offer a range of accommodations from 5 to 1 star. And even further, you can camp out in the Sinai mountains with the Bedouins, travelling by camel where the only stars you see are those above at night - a billion star accommodation. Click
THORNTREE
Thorntree represents the symbol of change. It is a tree of the arid outback, found in Australia, Africa and the Midde East. It represents the circumstance of man's migration, having travelled to many places and survived. It is a thorny tree, to get close to it takes care. It is a metaphor for Earth, today, which has to be treated with the same repect. This has become the driving philosophy behind the estabishment of changed lifestyles, operating under different lores. Click
MATE Info {Man and the Environment} supports projects which work towards a sustainable future, econmoically and environmentally. They help organise treks to the Sinai and promote the guiding service, Sinai Guides. They are active in local conservation activities eg. REVEG, JES, Community Gardens at Innisfail FNQ, Biodynamics FNQ, LETS and support other projects which are similarly aligned. Email: Ian +61 40 7647089 [mbl], or read their web site at http://www.mate-info.com/