Yesterday, a different version of Friday's post, It's all in a name appeared as a letter in the Taipei Times. A copy of the Taipei Times letter appears below. In Friday's post we pointed out how the media can subtly influence the perception of something by their choice of name. The old story of story of what some call hero others call villain.
On Friday we pointed out how the Taipei Times seems to box anyone who speaks out over, or protests over an issue linked to the environment as an "environmentalist" or "activist" or "conservationist" or some other "ism." Create the impression that just greeny-hippie-bunny-hugger-types are up in arms. The lunatic fringe again! When in fact it is Joe Citizen and it's civic groups, concerned residents, teachers, academics, parents, farmers and so the list could go on. They are people we relate to. They are everyday regular folk. They are us. And they've had enough of polluted skies, fields and waterways. They've had enough of greed and corruption and they want it to stop.
Yet again today we see another Taipei Times article (Petrochemical project slammed by protest group) about a protest over the fourth expansion project at Formosa Plastics Corp’s sixth naphtha cracker complex in Mailiao Township, Yunlin County. And once again we learn that was those pesky "local environmental activists" again. There's that subtle boxing to create the impression it's the lunatic fringe again. Yes, they do name some of the groups represented at the protest. And right at the end, almost as a footnote, we learn that there actually were more than 30 civic groups from across the country. But in those all important opening paragraphs we read "protest" "small" "local environmental activists."
We learn nothing really about what they are protesting about beyond the most obvious. Some of the seemingly dirty underhanded ways the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was passed are touched on but no mention of Formosa Plastics horrendous environmental track record even gets a mention. No mention of all the recent fires. No mention of how they have attacked freedom of speech with their recent SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) where two Formosa Plastics affiliates filed a lawsuit against Professor Tsuang Ben-jei (莊秉潔) of National Chung Hsing University’s (NCHU) department of environmental engineering because they claim that he said emissions from FPG's sixth naphtha cracker plant in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township (麥寮) resulted in a higher cancer occurrence rate amongst nearby residents which has injured FPG's reputation. Yeah, the criminal suit brought by two Formosa Plastics affiliates that are also investors in the Mailiao off shore facility has been dismissed – i.e., non indictment. FPG can “appeal.” However, a civil suit is still pending.
None of this makes it into the article. No mention of the threats that the likes of the Mailiao plant pose to local residents both human and non human like the critically endangered Taiwan pink dolphins.
Why? Why is the article so selective in what it reports? It's obvious that the protesters aren't getting a boost from the media for their cause. So who is?
Taipei Times letter- July 30, 2012.
It’s all in the name
What one calls a terrorist another calls a liberator. It is all in the name; how those who hold power or desire power wish the masses to perceive something. The media obviously plays its part in all this.
Take the Taipei Times article “Environmentalists protest over EIA” (July 26, page 3). Environmentalists? Images of long-haired hippie types stuck in a 1960s mindset rambling on about free love and Mother Earth come to mind. And I am pretty sure that is just what some politicians, developers and corporations want you to think. “Yeah, the lunatic fringe up in arms again causing disruptions!”
The first paragraph of the article read as follows:
“Environmentalists yesterday protested against an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for an expansion project at a naphtha cracker complex that failed to include fine particles.”
You would be forgiven for thinking it was just those pesky environmentalists that have a problem with an environmental impact assessment for the fourth phase expansion project at Formosa Plastics Corp’s sixth naphtha cracker complex in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township (麥寮). Some group of crazy green bunny-huggers whining about fine particles not being listed.
Now, let us delete “environmentalists” and give a more accurate description of those that typically are present at these protests against the expansion projects down in Mailao:
“Concerned local residents, civic groups, fishers, farmers, workers, teachers, academics, parents, lawyers, doctors, conservation and environmental groups yesterday protested against an EIA for an expansion project at a naphtha cracker complex that failed to include fine particles.”
OK, it is a bit long, but you get the point. It sounds different, doesn’t it? It changes things. We relate to these people. They are us. They do not sound so loony.
However, the Taipei Times so often boxes these regular folks and organizations as “environmentalists” or “activists” or some other “ism.” I am sure the so-called developers must smile at this subtle eroding of Joe Citizen’s image and credibility.
You see. It is not just environmentalists that are pissed off with Formosa Plastics and its toxic hell down in Mailiao. After all the pollution, fires, greed and lack of ethics, after soaring cancer rates, dirty air and smokey gray skies, people have had enough. They want to know why the Environmental Protection Agency allows this toxic nightmare to continue.
However, others would have you believe it is just some nutty environmentalists who have a problem with it.
T.W. Sousa, Yunlin County
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
It's all in a name
To the Nazis they were terrorists, subversives and a host of other evil sounding names. The Allies called them resistance fighters, partisans, patriots and freedom fighters. And so often through history what one calls a terrorist the other calls liberator. It's all in the name; how those that hold power or desire power wish the masses to perceive something. The media obviously plays its part in all this.
Take this story from today's Taipei Times. The headline reads "Environmentalists protest over EIA." Environmentalists? Images of long-haired-hippy-types stuck in a 60s mindset rambling on about free love and Mother Earth come to mind. And I'm pretty sure that that is just what they want you to think. Yeah, the lunatic fringe up in arms again causing disruptions.
The first three paragraphs of the Taipei Times article read as follows:
"Environmentalists yesterday protested against an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for an expansion project at a naphtha cracker complex that failed to include fine particles.
The EIA for the fourth expansion project at Formosa Plastics Corp’s sixth naphtha cracker complex in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township (麥寮) did not list PM2.5 (fine particles less than 2.5 micrometers) as an item in the evaluation.
Before the impact assessment meeting, environmentalists gathered in front of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) and called on committee members to reject a proposal to once again expand the plant."
You're to be forgiven for thinking it was just those pesky environmentalists that have a problem with an environmental impact assessment for the fourth phase expansion project at Formosa Plastics Corp’s sixth naphtha cracker complex. Some group of crazy bunny-huggers on about fine particles not being listed.
Now, if you would allow me, let's change a few words in just the first paragraph of the article to read:
"Concerned local residents, civic groups, fishers, farmers, teachers, parents, lawyers, doctors and conservation and environmental groups yesterday protested against an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for an expansion project at a naphtha cracker complex that failed to include fine particles."
Sounds different doesn't it. It changes things. We relate to these people. They are us. They don't sound so looney.
You see. It's not environmentalists that are pissed off with Formosa Plastics and its toxic hell at Mailiao in Yunlin County. After all the pollution, fires, greed and lack of ethics. After soaring cancer rates, dirty air and smokey grey skies people have had enough. They want to know why the EPA keeps allowing this toxic nightmare to continue. But others would have you believe it was just some nutty environmentalists who have a problem with it.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Shocking Truth: The fatal reality of entanglement and bycatch for the Taiwan Pink Dolphins
Summer is here and once again researchers are out collecting data on the critically endangered Taiwan pink dolphins. In a few short years we've watched as best estimates have gone well below 99 for the total population with the likelihood of around 70 individuals being where this unique population is now at...or should we be saying, "was" because obviously that data is based on data from previous years.
At the 2007 international workshop on the pink dolphins scientists identified five major threats to the Taiwan pink dolphins:
- by-catch in fishing gear;
- reclamation of estuarine and coastal regions for industrial purposes;
- diversion and extraction of freshwater from major river systems of western Taiwan;
- release of industrial, agricultural and municipal effluent into rivers and coastal waters;
- noise and disturbance associated with construction, shipping and military activities.
We know what the threats and problems are. They are obvious and you really don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that unless something is done about these dolphins now they are going to become extinct very quickly. The extinction of the Baiji in 2007 shows just how fast a dolphin species can become extinct. There is more than enough evidence to show that the situation is critical. If we don't act now it will be too late! But the powers-that-be aren't acting. They demand more evidence and data in what can only be seen as a stalling tactic and the only beneficiary of that are those milking the resources of the west coast; heavy industry and fisheries.
We know that entanglement and by-catch is taking a grim toll on these dolphins. Two dead pink dolphins have washed up on the west coast since September 2009. There are rumors of other instances where dolphins have been killed through by-catch but I hear you say, "Ah, those are rumours! Where's the proof?" But do we need such proof as that of a rotting carcass? We have two. There is overwhelming evidence that by-catch and entanglement is happening. The evidence is there for us to see. Because this occurs at sea there isn't always going to be a rotting carcass washed up on the beach. We can look at the the collected data and see that by-catch is happening and that unless something is done about it these dolphins are going to fall victim to the threat of by-catch so quickly that it would be unlikely they will survive another decade under the current onslaught. And it's happening so quickly that the data isn't going to show the trend until we are well and truly beyond the point of no return.
Here are some photos from this year:
TW-04 (aka "Humpy") was seen on 1st July sporting a new large scar on its tailstock (the deepest cut visible) probably from entanglement with gillnet.
This calf was seen in early June with the entangled line and hasn't been seen since).
TW-88 was seen in early July in the Yunlin/Chiayi area. The lines on the two animals look like monofilament lines (most likely from gillnets).
Given these and all the other photos collected over previous seasons do we really need to use collecting more data on by-catch and entanglement as an excuse for not acting now?
All photos are courtesy and copyright FormosaCetus.
Also see:
Another shocking wounded Pink Dolphin photo!
At the 2007 international workshop on the pink dolphins scientists identified five major threats to the Taiwan pink dolphins:
- by-catch in fishing gear;
- reclamation of estuarine and coastal regions for industrial purposes;
- diversion and extraction of freshwater from major river systems of western Taiwan;
- release of industrial, agricultural and municipal effluent into rivers and coastal waters;
- noise and disturbance associated with construction, shipping and military activities.
We know what the threats and problems are. They are obvious and you really don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that unless something is done about these dolphins now they are going to become extinct very quickly. The extinction of the Baiji in 2007 shows just how fast a dolphin species can become extinct. There is more than enough evidence to show that the situation is critical. If we don't act now it will be too late! But the powers-that-be aren't acting. They demand more evidence and data in what can only be seen as a stalling tactic and the only beneficiary of that are those milking the resources of the west coast; heavy industry and fisheries.
We know that entanglement and by-catch is taking a grim toll on these dolphins. Two dead pink dolphins have washed up on the west coast since September 2009. There are rumors of other instances where dolphins have been killed through by-catch but I hear you say, "Ah, those are rumours! Where's the proof?" But do we need such proof as that of a rotting carcass? We have two. There is overwhelming evidence that by-catch and entanglement is happening. The evidence is there for us to see. Because this occurs at sea there isn't always going to be a rotting carcass washed up on the beach. We can look at the the collected data and see that by-catch is happening and that unless something is done about it these dolphins are going to fall victim to the threat of by-catch so quickly that it would be unlikely they will survive another decade under the current onslaught. And it's happening so quickly that the data isn't going to show the trend until we are well and truly beyond the point of no return.
Here are some photos from this year:
Given these and all the other photos collected over previous seasons do we really need to use collecting more data on by-catch and entanglement as an excuse for not acting now?
All photos are courtesy and copyright FormosaCetus.
Also see:
Another shocking wounded Pink Dolphin photo!
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