Cleaning up Bunaken Beaches and Coral Reef

Swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving in Bunaken National Park are a fun marine recreational activity. We can swim over or dive through colorful sea corals and at the same time see various kinds of ornamental fish.

Bunaken is a famous destination for marine tourism. This marine national park is located near Manado city of North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The Bunaken marine park is always full with travellers from around the world. Bunaken sea park is exposed to harmful marine pollutants produced by city dwellers of Manado. Wastes from the city drift to the sea park and cover many of its live corals.

Bunaken National Park

City authority must take serious actions to prevent more destruction of the corals. So far, the bombing practices of the fish have been banned for years but the amount of waste from the city flowing out to the sea has not been reduced. It takes tens of years to restore the condition of coral reefs. Citizens of Manado and scuba divers can cooperate to protect the Bunaken sea park. Citizens should demand the municipality authority to install incinerators for burning the waste and produce electricity from it. In addition, the citizens must regularly do the cleaning up activites along the coastal areas of Manado and Minahasa regions and the nearby islands of Siladen, Bunaken, Mantehage, Nain and Manado Tua.

The National Marine Park of Bunaken near Manado city of North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Scuba divers can also be asked to participate in the cleaning up programs of underwater Bunaken coral reefs for lifting up plastic bags, metals and other waste materials that cover the corals.

Through this kind of cooperations among the government, citizens, and scuba diver tourists, we hope that soon we will be able to create healthier environment both above and under water. Eco-tourism which has become the goal of todays modern tourism industry will effectively be implemented in Minahasa region. - by Charles Roring

Also read: 

• Wildlife Trip in Tangkoko and Minahasa Highland
• Birding in Sonder's Forest and Farmland
• Birding and Butterfly watching from Manado city
• Minahasa Highland Tour: Hiking, Birding and Sightseeing

Super-tanker and the risk of oil spill at sea

Super tankers have been part of oil trading since 1960s. They are responsible for delivering oil and gas from refineries or producing facilities to other ports around the world. The competition among companies and the increasing demand for oil and gas has been the driving force for the increasing size of the oil carriers.

Tanker accident in South Korean Waters

Frequently these supertankers besides having to cross large oceans such as the Pacific and the Atlantic, they have to pass by narrow yet busy straits and ports. The availability of modern navigational equipment does not guarantee that the supertankers will be free from any risk of collision with other smaller ships or boats. It is the ships' crews who have to safely guard their ships to the unloading ports. Several years ago, there was a tanker accident in South Korea. Oil spill from this tanker caused huge environmental damage to the marine life, and the larger ocean environment, the beach as well as the fisherman villages near the area of the accident. Earlier than that, a cargo vessel loaded with Portland cements, and full with fuel oil in its tanks, collided with a tug boat in Jakarta bay of Indonesia. The vessel sank and spill fuel oil into the sea. Some crews lost their lives. While beach clean up can be done immediately, the destruction in the coral reef environment takes tens or even hundreds of years to recover.

Naval architects, when designing, oil tanker are guided with rules from classification societies, marpol and state regulations. They usually design tankers that have several sections or cargo holds. Collision bulkhead is also drawn at the forward end of the ship. In addition, they also provide double bottom to ensure that the tankers are still safe in case of experiencing grounding. Double bottom, collision bulkhead and double hull are not fully safe in protecting the supertankers during incidents of collision or grounding. When a supertanker experiences severe damage on its collision bulkhead, cofferdam, and double bottom, it will definitely spill oil into the sea.

Another way that we can do to reduce the negative impact of oil spill at sea is to limit the size of supertanker. It is not wise to just follow the request of ship owner by designing 500,000 tons supertanker. Size restriction is needed to ensure that the tankers that we design will not cause massive pollution in busy ports or straights. 

by Charles Roring in Manokwari of West Papua - Indonesia
Also read:

• Threats to Coral Reefs in Indonesia
• Marine Life in Sansapor

How to be friendly with your surrounding environment

What is your resolution for the coming months or years? Everyone of course needs a better life. More income. If you haven't find a soulmate, you hope to meet a nice prince or princess for your heart. Listen all your dreams or hopes are closely related to how you interact with other people, God and Nature. The followings are my tips to live a friendly life with nature.

The release of hatchlings (baby turtles) in West Papua

1. Don't litter. A simple example, every time we go to a supermarket, we receive plastic bags where we put our goods in. When arrived at home, we throw these plastic bags into the garbage bin. More often these plastic bags fall on to the front yard and blown away. They then end up on the ditch and block the flow of water. When water cannot flow it will spill over the road. Later these plastic bags gathered at a river and run off to the sea. They cover to coral reef and block the sun light which is needed by the corals to carry out photosynthesis. When this happens the coral reef will die and the fish will leave the area. Your plastic bags have caused the death of corals and the fish. My solution, when you go shopping at a supermarket, bring your own basket so you do not have to bring plastic bags which would later become additional burden to our nature or universe.

2. Don't kill animals even though they are only insects at home. One day, your kitchen floor is covered with a lot of ants. Many of you will kill these ants. It is wrong. You are the ones who has to be blamed. Why you dropped food leftovers on the floor. The leftover attract ants. If you clean your kitchen or isolate your table by putting water in small containers at all four feet of the table, then the ants will not gather or occupy your kitchen. They will live on a tree outside your home or in little holes under ground. When a squad of termite come to eat wooden beams and pillar of your home thus bringing down the entire construction, then the ants will eat them. Ants as insects are natural predators for the termite. This is similar to lizard which is the natural predator for mosquito.

3. Buy products that are environmently friendly. Environmentally friendly products are products that can unite with nature when they are returned or thrown away to the nature. For example: wooden spatula, cotton cloths and wooden chair. When you don't use or want them anymore, you can burry them into the ground and then they will decay and unite with the nature. Don't buy too many plastic things.

4. When you have a picnic, don't litter. This point No 4 is similar to point No. 1. More often when we have an outdoor picnic, we bring food and drinks that are kept in plastic or metal packaging. After drinking softdrink we just throw away the cans, or plastic bottles. Don't do that. Bring the plastic packaging and the metal cans back home. Put them in the garbage bins where they can be recycled. By doing that you have lived in a friendly life with the environment.

5. Don't just cut the trees or bush around your home. If there is a tree in front of or next to your house, consider it as a blessing from the nature. If it blocks sunlight into your house, just prun one or two of its branches. The green leaves emits positive energy into your house. Sometimes in the mornings or in the afternoons, birds stop by at the tree branches for a short brake before flying again to their homes. It is a natural blessing for you.

There are still many ways which you can do to live a friendly life with nature. You can do it. when you have done it, believe me, all your plans, works and efforts in your daily life will totally be supported by the whole universe. by Charles Roring in Manokwari, Indonesia

Flexible photovoltaic panel is suitable for travellers going to remote region

Travelling to remote region such as mountains, isolated islands and tropical forests can be exciting. Natural places offer beautiful sceneries, clean air, and serenity that are effective to relieve stresses and headaches which the travellers got during their hectic workdays in big cities.

When travellers set up camps in remote region, they will need electricity for powering lamps, recharging their GPS handset, mobile phones and even laptops. Portable navigational devices will enable travellers to go to certain destinations. Mobile phone is also important to help them communicate with "civilised word" in case of accident. If those equipments cannot work, travellers will be lost.

Usually travellers burn dry twigs to cook food, and to provide lights and heat at night. But it is not recommended to burn wood, especially during the summer, in natural places as it might cause forest fire.

Travellers buy a lot of batteries which will become additional weights in their rucksacks as energy bank for their electronic devices. We all know that the capacity of batteries is limited. When they are used up, they will be thrown away. High powered batteries contain various toxic materials which can pollute the environment. Most travellers are reluctant to bring them back home for recycling. Such practices have to be stopped. A better solution is now available on the market.

Then, solar panel was invented. Travellers could use this photovoltaic technology to recharge batteries or run their communication equipment. Unfortunately, photovoltaic panel is sold in big size. It is also rigid and cannot be inserted to small bags. If a traveller wants to bring the photovoltaic panel during his journey, he or she cannot really enjoy her trip because she has to handle the panel cautiously. If it is broken, it cannot function anymore.

Photovoltaic manufacturing companies have provided solutions to this problem. In their websites, they offer flexible photovoltaic panels which are rollable and available in the range of 5, 10, and 20 watts. This power supply can easily be rolled-up and inserted to a small bag. There are also portable solar panels whose sizes are small and can be inserted into travel bags.

Bendi, a traditional transport vehicle

Before the invention of internal combustion engine and car, people travelled everywhere by riding horse, donkey, camel and even elephant. Although they do not emit toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, and chlorine, these "transport vehicles" are not interesting in a fast moving world anymore. In some third world countries, people still use horse or donkey drawn cart as transport vehicle. In Europe and the United States, horse-drawn cart are used for tourists travelling around a city or town. They do not function as the main transport vehicles.

We have seen that the soaring fossil fuel price triggers the rapid development of alternative fuel such as bio-diesel and bio-ethanol. Such development needs technology to implement. Most villagers in third world countries do not have the technological capacity to develop bio-fuel. They cannot afford to buy cars or trucks either. So, the easiest way to get a transport vehicle is by utilising their livestock as car or taxi.

If we travel to Minahasa highland in North Sulawesi, we can see bendi roaming around the towns. Bendi is a horse drawn cart. Thousands of bendi could be found in Minahasa region between 1980s and 1990s when most of the town dwellers could not afford to buy motorcycles or cars. Their number was decreasing in the past few years as the public transport vehicles such bus and taxi that consumed low cost fuel offered cheaper fare. The above picture shows how a bendi is used as commercial taxi in Sonder village of Minahasa region, the province of North Sulawesi.

Now, when the soaring price of fossil fuel has become everyday reality, the number of bendi is expected to rise again. Bendi will be more competitive because it only needs grazing for re-fueling.

To attract people to ride this traditional vehicle, bendi owners decorate their cart with glittering ornaments and colorful paintings. The only annoying problem people face when riding bendi is its speed which is far lower than taxi or bus.. This was written by Charles Roring

Facing Extinction - The Paradise Birds and Western Crown Pigeon of West Papua

In Papua (formerly called Irian Jaya), there are many kinds of birds that are facing extinction. Some of them are paradise birds and crown pigeon. These birds have beautiful feather. Paradise birds (paradisaea minor) are dominated by yellow, green and dark brown while Western-crowned Pigeon mostly has blue, gray and white colors.

Lesser Birds of Paradise

Another species of birds of paradise is the magnificent birds of paradise. In Kwau village of Arfak mountains, tourists from all corner of the world come to watch the male birds perform courtship dance on the slopes of the mountains in the morning and in the afternoon. The promotion of Arfak mountains as tourist destination for bird lovers greatly improve the economic condition of the indigenous people there and helps reduce the deforestation. The magnificent birds of paradise is also called Cincinnurus Magnificus in Latin language. The male birds have more beautiful feather than the female ones. 

Magnificent Bird of Paradise

Birds of paradise, together with other birds, are important for the survivability of the tropical rainforest. They disperse the seeds of the fruits that they eat. For the magnificent birds of paradise, the species of plant that they help to expand is red fruit plant also known as pandanus conoideus. Now the extract of red fruit is seen as an important medicine for the treatment of cancer, hiv/aids and many other diseases. 

People call the bird Western-crowned Pigeon because this kind of bird has crown-like head. In West Papua, its name is Mambruk. When you go to the zoo you may probably see these birds. They are originally from the Papuan island.

Hunters and traders of birds of paradise like to shoot them and preserve their skin. Then they will bring these skins to big cities and sell them at high prices. Sometimes, they bring and sell the birds alive to wealthy buyers in big cities.

No wonder, these birds are facing extinction. If we don't do anything to prevent more killings to these species, we will never be able to see them anymore in the near future. 
If you are interested in watching the magnificent birds of paradise dancing in the morning on the slopes of Arfak mountains, please, contact me - Charles Roring - via e-mail: peace4wp@gmail.com. I'll be happy to arrange your accommodation in Manokwari city and your transport to the Kwau village for that purpose.

Also read: 

• Magnificent bird of paradise
• Papuan Birds of Paradise
• Birds of paradise in the rainforest of West Papua
• Oil painting of birds of paradise
• Painting of birds of paradise

Eco-Tourism in Minahasa, North Sulawesi

Minahasa is one of the most important tourist destinations in Indonesia. It is a regency that is located in the province of North Sulawesi. There are various tourists attractions such as world class sea park in Bunaken Manado Tua, furniture and traditional wooden house industry in Woloan, prayer hills in Kanonang and Bukit Kasih. Majority of the people in Minahasa are farmers. They grow vegetables, rice, coconut and vannila. Minahasa has many beautiful sceneries which attrative to tourists.

Farmland in Minahasa highland

Domestic tourists like to visit villages and towns of Minahasa whereas foreign tourists like to dive in Bunaken sea park. When Indonesia was facing economic crisis, the Minahasan local government tried to boost the local economy through the development of eco-tourism. Package tours and exhibitions are promoted in every event that is related to tourism. Eco-tourism is expected to help farmers sell their agricultural produce. Business owners have anticipated the rising number of tourists coming into Minahasa. Resorts and restaurants are being built in the coastal area and highlands.

Seascape view of North Sulawesi

A long the way from coastal region to highland region, we can see many restaurants selling sea food, and other local delicacies. The price of food is very cheap. In Tinoor areas, one can eat as much as he/she can only for Rp. 50,000 (equals to approx. 3.5 US dollars). For the same amount of food in Jakarta, one must pay up to Rp. 150,000 (around 10 US dollars). Everytime a person visits one of the restaurants, he or she has helped local farmers. All the food materials used by the restaurants are bought from local market.
The pre-fabricated wooden houses industry in Wolowan villages are not only sold for local market but also for international market. Sometimes when a tourist is interested in buying a house, he can order it on site or through a special website. The house will be desmantled and shipped in a container. The manufacturer can also help the reconstruction of the wooden house by sending his engineers to the location where a customer want it to be built.
In Sonder sub-regency, one can see farmers work in clove plantation, make palm sugar in Rambunan. Floating restaurants in Sonder offer the best taste of fresh water fish. Sonder also has various kinds of beautiful flowers. Waterfalls and flower market in Tincep have been known nationwide. Domestic tourists like to buy flowers in the region.

Also read:

• Birding Vacation in North Sulawesi
• Birdwatching Tour in Minahasa Highland
• Sahul Sunbird in Minahasa Highland
• Minahasa Beach and Great-billed Kingfisher
• Birds in Minahasa
• Birding in North Sulawesi
• Exploring the Natural Beauty of North Sulawesi
• Yellow-billed Malkoha
• Birding in Minahasa Peninsula
• Nature Tour in North Sulawesi 

World Population and Over Exploitation of Natural Resourses

Rapid Growth of Human Population
Today there are approximately 7.8 billion people (as of December 2019) living on planet earth. This number is growing every day at an alarming rate. We will need more food, clothing, housing, and transport vehicles in order to survive in this planet. As a result, we will exploit natural resources to get water, oil, wood, metals, and other minerals.
A few days ago, I visited a very big mall in Surabaya city of Indonesia. I saw various kinds of products that were offered by vendors in the mall. There are restaurants that sell foods of Chinese, Japanese, Western and Indonesian cuisines.  There are also stores that offer clothes, leather goods, footwear, toys, tools, furniture, jewelry, and smartphones, watches and everything that we use every day.

A Shopping Center