There is no doubt that Belizeans have a love affair with motor vehicles, but every time we choose not to walk or ride a bicycle and instead elect to drive, we are adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
A few years ago, a study was done on Belize’s contribution to climate change. It showed that we are not a net contributor to climate change. However, the time has changed. Our population is larger now. There are more motor vehicles on the road than ever before. It is not known whether the Department of Transport has a cap on the number of vehicles that should be allowed to be on the road on any given year, but the facts are clearer than ever before–climate change is here to stay.
Whenever we drive or press our lawnmower to action we are contributing to global warming. The more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere, the greater the chances are for ultraviolet radiation to be trapped, increasing global temperatures by a few more degrees with catastrophic consequences.
Recently released satellite photos show that the polar ice caps are melting due to increasing temperatures, which is leading to sea-level rise. Resorts in the Stann Creek District have had to take mitigating measures as some of their prime seashores have collapsed.
The simple answer is that we all need to reduce our carbon footprint. Bicycles are now being adopted with increased frequency in the industrialized north. Bicycle paths are now being expanded in Sweden. This simple machination is a triumph of the eighteenth century, where the action of human muscle power is converted to energy with the greatest efficiency.
Every morning over a dozen bicycle riders can be seen traversing the George Price Highway in Santa Elena Town with the Chotos on the lead. This is a good sign as we know that their effect on global warming is a net-zero.
