ocu gazette community: Destruction of Nature in Okinawa

Suzuno Taira, OCU

Okinawa is famous as a place where nature is often judged to be spectacularly beautiful. There are many beaches that feature clear water like shiny jewels in white sand. The beauty can take your breath away. If you go to the northern part of the main island where there are mountains and forests, you can receive lots of negative ions from the trees that are good for health. So, it is easy to feel comfortable living in Okinawa for both humans and animals, at least in some places. But recently, the destruction of nature in Okinawa’s main island has been getting worse.

How did this happen, and what are the effects of this destruction of the environment in Okinawa? In this article, I describe some of the causes and effects that pollution has on our local environment, and offer some solutions for how to deal with this problem.

The destruction of nature creates a bad influence on all creatures. First, someone walking along the beach in Okinawa will see a variety of garbage on the beaches such as plastics, medical waste, sandals, and fishery equipment. Cigarette butts are also found most often. They mostly come from people who throw trash away locally and people visiting from other countries. (Ryukyu Shinpo) Actually, in 2013, when marine litter experts and NGO collected garbage along the beaches, they collected more than 12 million pounds of it. Japan Update says that this is, “the most ever collected in the event’s history.” As a result, animals that live in the sea often eat trash accidentally because they mistakenly think that trash is something that they can eat, and it subsequently causes their death.

According to the article, there was a dolphin that lost its way and looked weak (Umigomi 15). So, the people from the environmental division took it to Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium as soon as possible, but he died soon after he got there. The reason of death was that he probably had trash in his system because he didn't have much energy to catch a fish. So, he had likely found a plastic bag as his food when he was hungry. When researchers dissected him, only plastic bags and some other garbage came out from his stomach. Also, some animals become entangled in fishing nets and died. For example, a sea turtle got fishing net around his body somehow. He couldn't do anything and move anymore because of the net. He passed away at last (Umigomi 15).

Second, environmental problems deriving from American military bases are one of the main sources of recreating an unnatural environment in Okinawa. Most people have recently heard of Henoko base construction efforts that will affect sea cows' lives. Sea cows were designated as a protected animal. But if base construction continues, there will no longer be a habitat for them. Even their ecosystem will be destroyed by that construction (Nature conservation activities of Okinawa). Who can live without an environment?

Other problems are now appearing. One is that various kinds of petroleum products flow out from the bases. This has happened 77 times from 1972 to 2002. Oil spills have created terrible conditions for the rivers. Along with oil spills, another series of secret dumpings of herbicides in 22 corroded metal drums that were discovered after the base was returned in 2013. Those drums had a nasty smell and their contents were used as defoliants. A defoliant's main component is a dioxin that causes horrible disease such as dermatitis, immunity toxicity, and reproduction toxicity. As one example of its damage, there is a story of “Viet and Duc Nguyen”. They were born as conjoined twins by the influence of defoliant. And their abdominal, genital, and part of the anus were connected together. So, people might develop serious health problems, if they come into contact with these chemicals (Weekly women PRIME) (VIET JO). The question is, what else has been dumped and not yet uncovered.

Third, Okinawans have caused some environmental problems themselves. The land development and the urban development have increased. If people construct new buildings or agricultural lands, it causes seawater pollution from red clay. This affects the coral's life (National Institute for Environmental Studies). Also, according to Kinjo Koji, who has started culture and transplant of the coral, the coral has been decreasing a tenth part of the past. The reason is that people often step on the coral, but they don't notice it. Many people don't understand how a valuable it is. (Family mart magazine) But, recently construction companies have used a muddy water treatment equipment to stop red clay outflow when they construct something (Ti-da). So, Okinawans are trying to fix the problems by that and Kinjo Koji's activities.

The solutions of the other nature destruction, some individuals and organizations are trying to save and keep our beautiful environment. For instance, local communities, NGOs and NPOs, some organizations do beach clean regularly (Japan Environmental Action Network). I used to be a member of ECO CLUB for one year. Then I did beach cleaning, every time, we had a meeting, and learned about the food chain, creatures, and the natural environment. I also planted a mangrove. There are a lot of opportunities for kids to learn and think about nature such as Yambaru natural school, Okinawa experience Niraikanai, and Children environment summit (Yanbaru Nature School) (Okinawa Niraikanai）（Yanbaru Discovery Forest).

If kids can carefully consider think about nature right now, they can become people with power who will seriously protect beautiful nature in the future. Also, Okinawa prefecture should make new laws that people will be punished if they throw away the garbage, like in Singapore. It will be an easy way to reduce the garbage. However, the adverse effects on the environment with American bases are quite difficult to solve because this problem is not related to only Okinawa. America and Japan also have a connection with that. It has been limited that people in the local community can do for protection nature, if politics is involved. But, people are trying to let others know how American bases create environmental problems, and how precious nature is in Okinawa.

In conclusion, it takes a long time to figure out how we can reduce the destruction of nature. But we should keep trying harder to make better lives for humans, animals, and creatures. Nature in Okinawa is a part of the history of Okinawa that our ancestor piled up their hope and heart. So, nobody can destroy that, and we should protect this beauty and valuable island as long as we can. The natural environmental in Okinawa will be amazing in the near future as everyone can say, “Okinawa’s nature is amazing,” with confidence.

Sources

海外ごみ問題琉球新報 (Ryukyu Shinpo)　(2007.08.07)　

http://ryukyushimpo.jp/editorial/prentry-26097.html

海ゴミ１５ (Umigomi 15)(2010)

http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/site/kankyo/seibi/ippan/marine_litter/documents/marine_litter_15_kaisetu.pdf

JAPAN UPDATE (2014.05.22)

http://www.japanupdate.com/2014/05/over-12-million-pounds-of-trash-collected-during-international-coastal-cleanup/

沖縄の自然保護活動 (Nature conservation activities of Okinawa)

http://www.okiu.ac.jp/Language/contest/02/09/group7/group7.htm

普天間基移設問題 (Japanandworld.net)(2015.04.03)

http://japanandworld.net/archives/3128

米軍基地跡から猛毒ダイオキシンが！(Weekly women PRIME)(2015.08.09)