Cape Verde’s unique biodiversity: an overview

Cape Verde is an archipelago nation of volcanic origin formed by nine inhabited islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 450 km West of West Africa. Partly due to the archipelago’s isolation, the biodiversity of Cape Verde is globally unique with many endemic species, some of which are endangered. Cape Verde offers several internationally important bird and reptile populations (including five sea-turtle species), many species of large pelagic fish, as well as dolphins and whales. There are also several important coral communities in the country, many of which are under stress.

During the last decade, the Cape Verde Government has shown strong commitment and made encouraging efforts to strengthen the legislative and institutional setup to protect the environment, including nature and biodiversity conservation. In 2004, a second National Environmental Action Plan (PANA II) was adopted. The plan has a comprehensive and ambitious approach, and includes an important component of environmental decentralization to the country’s municipalities. Moreover, Cape Verde has signed and ratified a number of key environmental conventions, e.g. relating to climate change, desertification, biodiversity, trade of endangered species and wetlands.

However, there is still a lack of information, technical expertise and financial resources, especially at the local level and within civil society, regarding environmental management and nature conservation. Therefore, there is a strong need to increase awareness and build capacity for sustainable resource management and environmental protection at all levels, in particular as regards protecting marine and coastal biodiversity.

Cape Verde has a unique and vulnerable global biodiversity, partly due to its isolated location in the Atlantic Ocean, with many rare endemic species of plants, birds, insects, as well as marine species, some of which are endangered. In the 500 years since humans first colonized the islands, the loss of natural habitats has been severe, caused by the conversion of natural habitat to agriculture, a complete loss of indigenous forests, poor farming practices, introduction of alien plants and animals, and drought. The introduction of rats, sheep, goats, monkeys and cattle has had devastating effects on the native flora and fauna, sometimes wiping out entire colonies.

Today, the remaining habitats and their flora and fauna are continuously under pressure from human activities and introduced species, resulting in overgrazing, over-fishing, improper land use, and the destruction of the few remaining woodlands. Environmental degradation is also escalating due to poor land use planning combined with rapid economic development (in particular tourism and urban sprawl), poverty and poor environmental management. Sand mining, sewage, pesticide run off, and over-exploitation of several marine species, birds and reptiles (including their eggs) for consumption and local medicines all threaten the delicate ecology of Cape Verde.

Below follows short status reports for some of the main species groups.

Birds: Cape Verde has several internationally important bird populations, some of which are endemic and/or endangered. Some of the most interesting birds include the Cape Verde Shearwater (Calonectris edwardsii), the Raso Lark (Alauda razae), the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea bournei), the Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens), the Cape Verde Petrel (Pterodroma feae), the Cape Verde swamp-warbler (Acrocephalus brevipennis), the Red-billed Tropicbird, (Phaethon aethereus) and the Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus). Breeding seabirds have been greatly reduced in numbers due to habitat loss and predation from humans or introduced animals such as cats and rats.

Reptiles: Five different species of Sea Turtles can be found in Cape Verde, and the islands are believed to be the second largest breeding site for Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the North Atlantic. Out of 15 different lizards in Cape Verde, 12 are endemic. The Giant Gecko (Tarentola gigas) can, for example, only be found on the Raso and Branco islets close to Sao Vicente. The same was true for the now extinct Giant Skink (Macroscincus coctei).

Mammals: The Cape Verde waters is a key breeding and mating habitat for Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), and various species of dolphins are abundant. The only other native mammals are five small bat species. A species of monkey has been introduced.

Fish and corals: Large pelagic fish, including sharks and tuna, are abundant, and coral communities can be found in almost all Cape Verde islands. According to the magazine Science, it is one of the top ten hotspots for corals in the world. Knowledge about most of the coral communities is limited, however.

Plants: Some 92 species of plants are endemic to these islands, of which at least one is endangered – an understory tree known as Marmulan (Sideroxylon mermulana). The endangered Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena draco) can also be found in the Archipelago. It is estimated that more than 50% of the Capeverdean flora has been introduced.

Sources
The Cape Verde government’s website on environmental information (www.sia.cv)
The World Wide Fund for Nature

Double labor standards?

I am facing something of a dilemma.

When I and my family came back to Cape Verde recently from a long break in our home country Sweden, one of the first thing we did was, naturally, to get acquainted with our new house guards. While I find it a bit disappointing that we need guards at all, it is something I have learned to live with. Crime is on the rise, especially in and around Praia and in the tourist areas, and we have little choice but to adapt. It is sad, but the days when Cape Verde was know as a country virtually without crime seem to be gone.

For various reasons, we decided to change guard company while we were away, and I thought it be a good idea to talk to the crew in order to get to know each other a little and to gain mutual respect. I was both surprised and disappointed of what I learned during our conversations.

First of all, there is no “crew” as such. Actually, there are only two guys, covering a 24 hour guard duty. My first reaction was that this would not be possible, that I must have misunderstood something. That would mean that the have no day off at all; they would have to work 7 days a week, 12 hours per day. But it was no misunderstanding.

Secondly, they told me that they were not entitled to any vacation.

Third, I was told that the company dos not provide any “seguros” – the national health insurance in Cape Verde. This means that they would have to pay the full costs for treatment and medication in case of illness.

For this job, they receive a salary of only 18000 Cape Verde escudos a month (about 240 USD).

To me, this could almost be called paid slavery – something I thought was banned or at least regulated by law in Cape Verde.

As a matter of fact, it is. At least in principle. I have learned that there is indeed a law on labor standards, which covers issues such as minimum wage, maximum number of hours per week and month, vacation and health care. According to this law, I am informed, the guards should normally be entitled to at least one day off per week, and they should have the right to vacation and Seguros.

It appears, however, that the law on labor standards covers only those with Cape Verdean nationality. As the two guards that work for the company that we hire are (legal) immigrants from Guinea Bissau, it seems that they are exempt from this law.

(The situation reminds me remotely of another case from Sweden: A few years ago a Swedish company contracted Lithuanian builders for a construction site in Sweden, and refused to accept the Swedish workers union’s so called collective agreement, stipulating work hours, wages etc for Swedish workers. As a result, the Swedish union, in order to protect the rights that they had gained in Sweden throughout the years, accused the company for “social dumping” and blocked the whole construction site. The construction project was eventually abandoned, even if, in this case, the company actually followed agreed EU rules. Recently, the EU Court of Justice reviewed the case and ruled that the action taken by the Swedish union was against EU regulation.)

If what I have learned is correct, it is hard for me to understand why the Cape Verdean Government would exempt foreign workers from their labor standards. It appears to be both unethical and economically unwise. Is it really a good idea to attract emigrants to jobs in this way, when Cape Verde is struggling with a 24% unemployment rate? I should think not, but maybe I am not aware of the full picture.

So what is my dilemma anyway? I have 24 hour guard duty, so why am I not happy?

Well, on the one hand I don’t think that the guard company’s employment policy is acceptable. It is inhumane to force workers to 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, without any vacation and without supporting any form of heath care, and I believe that it is highly inappropriate that the company does not to meet Cape Verdean labor standards (even if they, as it appears, are not obliged to by law). I don’t want to be part of that!

My gut feeling is therefore to terminate the contract with the current guard company and hire another one which – as a minimum – follows Cape Verdean labor standards.

On the other hand, I don’t want to put the two guards on the street, making their life even more difficult than it currently is. Like many other migrant workers round the world, they have been forced to leave their home country and their family and friends to try to make a better living in another country. It is quite possible that they will loose their job if we discontinue our contract with the guard company. Maybe they prefer to accept the harsh terms offered by the company, knowing that the option – to be unemployed and/or having to go back to Guinea Bissau – is much worse.

I also have to acknowledge that I am myself a culprit in this whole story, even if I was unaware of the guard’s poor working conditions until recently. One of the reasons that we chose to opt for another guard company in the first place was, naturally, that it was cheaper. Obviously it was cheaper for a reason – and the guards are paying, through inadequate labor rights.

After reflecting further, I realize that it cannot be justified to take advantage of this situation, and (provided that the information I have is correct; I hope not) consequently the contract should be discontinued. Even if it means that it might create difficulties for the two guards in case they will not be relocated to different guard duty within the company. Also – and this is important – I need to let everybody involved know why the guard service is terminated. Hopefully we could thereby contribute to improving immigrant worker’s rights in Cape Verde.

The issue at hand is in some ways similar to the debate on child labor. Most people would agree, I think, that we need to boycott child labor products and services, even if it would mean that some children are put on the street under even worse conditions. The long term negative effects of encouraging an unjust system are worse than short term consequences.

Issues like labor rights and child labor are not easy to deal with. In both cases, however, I believe that the best thing to do is to stop supporting an unfair system, and let as many as possible know about the injustice. Regarding our guard service, I will take action to that end.

The name game of life

Recently, I had the great privilege of becoming a father for the second time, and one of the first important decisions to be made for the little one is to pick a first name. It is hard to imagine a situation were the choice of names is very limited, and where the name you pick will be scrutinised and possibly rejected by the authorities just because it is not considered to be an appropriate Christian name. But this was reality in Cape Verde during the time of the Portuguese colonial oppression. In many cases, the authorities apparently designated “proper” Portuguese names to newborns, which the parents were more or less forced to accept.

Some might argue that your name doesn’t make that much of a difference. Personally, I would not agree. On the contrary, I think that a person’s first name is very significant, and that as a parent, you are placed with a heavy responsibility to get it right, or at least not to screw it up. Not withstanding that there are many other factors (including many which are more important) that influence a person’s identity, there are few other decisions which are as quick and simple with such potentially large consequences, as naming a newborn.

To a greater or lesser extent, your name will influence who you become in the world. I think that what you are called affects your options in life, the ability to make friends, the possibility to be chosen for a job interview. For instance, would it be easier or more difficult for a person named, say, “Grobjart” or “Barbie”, to become a successful politician, to date someone they like, or to become an artist? I think that the answer is obvious.

No wonder many celebrities use stage names or nicknames - Madonna, Pelé, Marilyn Monroe, Buffalo Bill… Even the US President apparently tries to make his name seem a little more interesting and unusual, by the addition of “Dabya”.

Moreover, the name is the key instrument to distinguish people from one another in everyday life. It is normally the first information we give – and get – when meeting someone for the first time. The first phrase you learn when studying a new language is “What is your name? My name is…” Not to remember a name when being introduced to someone (I have trouble with this myself) can be considered something of a social handicap.

As I see it, there are three main categories of names. The first one could be called neutral names. Here, you will find all the most of the rather common names, such as John, Thomas, Christina, Maria or George. Bearing these names will probably have limited impact on the life success of its bearers. A majority of all names belongs to this category.

The next category could be labelled beneficial names. These names will actively contribute to improving the conditions for a happy and rewarding life, all other factors equal. As an example, I watched the Swedish version of the TV-show “Idol” the other day. Surprisingly many of the female contestants in the runner-up to the finals – all of them self-confident, talented and determined – turned out to have rather unique names, such as Gathania, Särla, Evelina, Anastasia and Tamela. Was this pure coincidence? I doubt it. I believe that their names, at least to some degree, have contributed to getting them where they were. Whether they are more talented and self-confident because they have unusual names (e.g. by feeling special or chosen) – or, if they have been treated differently (more favourably) by the surrounding world because of what they are called, thereby making them more self-confident and brave, is hard to say.

Finally, there is a third category: the unhelpful names. What they have in common is that they could be a direct disadvantage in life. For instance, I know a little three year old boy in Praia called “Kurtrussel”, named by his father after the famous American actor. Now, what would be a likely impact of this choice of name? Is there reason to believe that his class mates will tease him for his name? That his name will work against him when trying to find a date later in life? That a future potential employer will reject his application purely on the grounds of his name? I might be wrong, but my gut feeling is that “Kurtrussel” will not be a very helpful name for the guy. And I think that there are quite a few similar unhelpful names out there.

The tricky thing is that the boundaries between the different categories are obviously not clear cut, especially as the impact of names tends to differ over time. A neutral or beneficial name in the 50’s, say Elvis, could prove unhelpful in the 90’s. Likewise, the name Adolf is probably OK until WWII; after that it is a good example of an unhelpful name.

Moreover, names can have different impact in different countries. Looking at my own name, Ulf, it would probably be classified as rather neutral in Sweden, while somewhat unhelpful abroad (few English- or French-speaking persons can even remotely pronounce it correctly, and most foreigners will consider it a rather odd and funny name). Given that I have spent a lot of time living and working abroad, I hardly think that my name has been an asset.

To find a suitable name for my own kids, I have identified a number of principles together with my wife, which I have tried to apply for the choice of name. These were, e.g.:
- to look for a name that goes well with surname and initials (in terms of phonetics and rhythm)
- to look for a name which is internationally workable (both in terms of pronunciation and meaning)
- to avoid names that are too common or too uncommon in his generation, as well as all names that might appear weird or strange and could lead to teasing
- to avoid names that are too “symbolic” (in particular, I don’t want the name to be closely linked to a specific religion or society class)
- to avoid names which are likely to generate unhelpful nick-names.

I am fortunate to live in a country and a time where I and my wife can choose the names of our children freely. I am not sure how much time and energy parents in general devote to finding a “perfect” name for their little one, or how aware they are about the significance of this decision. But I can tell you that I certainly gave it a lot of thought. And I am pretty convinced that it is time well spent.

Ah - you want to know what my kids are called? Elias and Jonathan.

Whether the names are beneficial or not? I guess time will tell.

Opposites attract?

Being temporarily back in Sweden for holidays since end of June, some striking differences between my native country and my new temporary permanent home country Cape Verde immediately became apparent. I will dwell on two of them.

First: the weather. After eight months without rain in CV, we were greeted in Sweden by the wettest and coldest summer in decades. It started already on the train from Kastrup to Falkenberg, when the rain suddenly started pouring down. And then it continued. And continued. Heavy rainfalls, light rains, showers, drizzles, mists, downpours, sprinkles and thunderstorms – water came down in all forms and shapes. The first new word my two year old toddler learnt in Sweden after the arrival was “blöt” (wet). The word turned out to be more useful he probably could imagine.

Initially, I kind of appreciated the new climate. I guess that most people value some degree of variation in their lives, also when it comes to weather. However, as the rain continued to come down, day by day and week by week, I started to miss the ever shining Cape Verdean sun. In particular, I missed the outdoor living I had became so used to in Praia – to play tennis whenever you want, to go for bike rides or hikes at any time, to take a nice swim at will, to invite friends for brunch under a blue sky without any rain checks… This is a real advantage in Cape Verde, and a constant source of discontent in my native country.

It might be hard for a foreigner to understand, but summertime for a Swede is really serious stuff. It is the only time of the year when there is an actual chance of some descent long-lasting sun and in Sweden, so many Swedes tend to spend most of the rest of the year building up a lot hope for a nice and warm summer. The anticipation is so high, that the disappointment deriving from a cold and wet summer – like this one – is a serious problem and a real cause for depression, leading to desperate ticket purchases for flights to the south for those who can afford it.

Someone said that without its wet, dark and cold climate, Sweden would be heaven on earth. One could possibly say the same about CV, without its droughts. But then, no place is perfect.

The second difference that I imminently noticed when coming back to Sweden is of a quite different kind: It has to do with the level of service that you get when approaching various institutions and functions in society. There are no doubt many exceptions in both countries on this point, but the general impression is still very salient to me.

Let me explain further. In Sweden, the general shopkeeper, civil servant or waitress that you meet in everyday life will most likely be helpful, well trained, kind and service-minded. Wherever you go – to Ikea, a pharmacy, a local grocery store, a specialist bike shop or, say, a ticket booth, you will generally be happy with the service and feel well informed and content when you leave. If you call and leave a message on an answering machine, someone will call you back, mostly within a day or two. If you send an email, be it to a company or to a government institution, you will get a response.

There is a mutual advantage here; happy customers will undoubtedly be inclined to buy more, which in turn will make the shopkeeper happier.

Unfortunately, my experience is that good, or even descent, service is very rare in Cape Verde. When going shopping in Praia, the staff that you meet will normally not only be uniformed about the products they offer, but often act uninterested, or even bothered, when you approach them with a specific question or a request. I almost get the impression that they would prefer not selling anything to you rather than having to talk to you.

Just before leaving for holidays, I went to buy a gas stove in Praia. One small but very crucial part was missing in the package, namely the piece to connect the stove to a gas hose. I made it clear to the employee that I would buy the whole package if only he could help me find this little thingy – probably easily and cheaply found in one of the nearby hardware stores. But he made no effort what so ever to help me out. Rather, he tried to convince me to buy the stove without this crucial part. So I left, frustrated, and went to look for a stove somewhere else.

On a different occasion I wanted to buy a parasol (a very useful item in CV). Contrary to what you could expect, it proved hard to find one, and when I finally did, the shop wanted to sell only the umbrella thing, without the stand. Naturally, I explained to them that a parasol without a stand would not be of much use to me. No sign of sympathy. No help. No deal.

Another day I was looking for a washing machine. The shopkeeper seemed strangely unfamiliar with his products and gave us very poor advice. When we nevertheless decided to buy the product he recommended it turned out he actually didn’t have it, nor could he have it ordered. I haven’t returned to that shop since.

The story is the same on many restaurants – some waiters seem almost disturbed when you give your order, ask for the check or wonder why the food doesn’t arrive. On many occasions, I have literally been forced to wait for hours for my food or the check, becoming more and more frustrated as the time passes. The result: I rarely go out to eat in Praia anymore, especially if I have any kind of time constraints.

Moreover, companies don’t usually call back when you leave messages and they don’t respond to email messages. And if there is some kind of disagreement between the buyer and the seller, things might turn quite sour. The term “the customer is always right” seems to be unheard of in Cape Verde. The major CV airline is notorious in rescheduling or cancelling flights without even informing the customers. My previous blog “My relationship with Toyota” is another case in point (even if that little adventure actually finally turned out to have a happy ending).

OK. At this point I realize that I might sound like a spoiled foreigner, or perhaps like an ignorant neo-colonialist. So don’t get me wrong. I really like Cape Verde and its people. And in fact, I can’t be totally of the mark, since the CV government itself has identified this issue as one of the main obstacles to tourism development. The main culprit seems to be a general lack of schooled and skilled labour, limited language skills, and possibly lack of serious competition due to the country’s limited size. Maybe there are other explanations as well (anyone?).

In any case, I am not requesting all Cape Verdean shopkeepers to have a master’s degree in customer relations, only that they treat their customers with a little more respect, decency and effectiveness. Just common sense, really. Customers don’t want to feel uniformed, neglected or even insulted when they go to a shop or a restaurant. If so, they will leave empty-handed, or choose not to come back, to the disadvantage of all involved. Customers want to feel welcome and special. If not, they will choose another shop – or, in the case of a tourist, another country.

Sweden and Cape Verde are, in many ways, quite different, with their respective pros and cons. Maybe that‘s why I can appreciate – and sometimes be frustrated – with them both. Maybe there is some truth to the old saying that opposites attract.

Of course, there are many other differences between the two countries. And also similarities, perhaps. But that will have to be a theme for another blog.

(Portuguese) Football fever in Mindelo

Last week I spent some time in Mindelo on the island of São Vicente, an appealing little city distinguished by its quaint local charm, colonial history, live music and vibrant Cape Verdean culture. On Sunday, the talk of the town (at least for the male half of the population) was the last round of the Portuguese Premier League, with three teams (FC Porto, Benfica, and Sporting) all having the chance to become Portuguese champions.

I already knew that there is a significant football interest in Cape Verde, but I must admit that I was a bit surprised to see the proportions it all took.

For many, the build-up apparently started long before the actual game, and already at lunchtime I had spotted quite a number of more or less intoxicated young men walking the streets, waving distinctly colored flags and garments, chanting away at something that remotely reminded of some kind of football hymns.

Sitting on my hotel balcony enjoying some afternoon sun, I overtly overheard the roars of joy and despair from nearby local bars and apartments, as the games commenced. Apparently, all three football clubs enjoy a fair amount of support among the locals, although I could not tell for sure which team was the more popular.

But when FC Porto eventually emerged as the triumphant team, winning the championship trophy, the party was ON. Honking cars all around the city in never-ending circuits, blue-and-white supporters dancing and jumping in the streets, samba-groups with heavy drumming equipment touring the main square, and lots and lots of ecstatic faces everywhere (the gloomy faces appeared to stay inside). It was as if Cape Verde had won the African Championships.

Personally, although being somewhat of a moderate football fan, I couldn’t care less about who wins the Portuguese Premier League. I remotely follow the Swedish league, and more closely the Swedish national team, but football leagues other countries have never really caught much of my attention.

I therefore can’t help being a little curious about where the enormous interest the locals took in this Portuguese event came from. Especially since I have learned that most, if not all, of the Cape Verdeans are immensely proud of their own country, and generally keen to obliterate, rather than generate, any relations with the old colonial power. So why this huge exception when it comes to the game of football? Why is Portuguese football more important than, say French, Italian or Swedish football (OK you don’t have to answer that latter part of the question). How can it be that one of the most common hotel names in the country is “Hotel Benfica”?

The fact is, I don’t know. Perhaps the national football league in Cape Verde is not yet fully developed (although the national team almost made it to the world championships last time around). Or maybe cheering for a Portuguese football team is one of the few still accepted ways of openly showing a close relationship with the former colonial power, without politics becoming involved.

But this seems to me to be rather bleak explanations. Anyone out there, who might read this and have a better idea, let me know.

From Agent Orange to a 4WD: being an environmentalist in Cape Verde

It is quite possible that my environmentalism started when I was around 10, somewhere in a clear-cut forest in the north of Värmland, Sweden. I and the rest of my family were taking part in a demonstration against airplane pesticide spraying. However unlikely it would seem today, it was customary throughout the 60s and 70s to spray aggressive chemical pesticides (”Hormoslyr”, similar to the chemical “Agent Orange”, used by the USA in the Vietnam War) on forest clearings in Sweden to kill off all deciduous (foliage) trees. To stop this malicious practice, some courageous people positioned themselves in the middle of the clearing, and dressed up in colorful garments so that they were plainly seen from the sky. The pilot was not allowed to spray if people were present, since the pesticide was a direct health threat to humans, and would thus have to turn back.

I vividly remember the mounting tension while having hot chocolate and sandwiches sitting on a big tree-trunk, waiting for the plane to show up. Eventually we would hear a roar from afar and spot the wings in the horizon, getting increasingly nervous that the pilot wouldn’t see us or simply break the rules and spray us anyway (we had brought umbrellas, just in case – not that it would help that much). Luckily enough, the pilots always spotted us and we were never sprayed.

These protest were successful; not only did they stop the spraying temporarily in situ, but they also created a lot of media attention which stirred a ferocious debate leading to the banning of the chemical by the Swedish Government by the end of the 70s. This was a crucial win for the growing Swedish environmental movement, and it no doubt contributed to the formation of the strong environmental awareness and policy which is now mainstream in Sweden. (Ironically, today everybody, including the forestry industry, agrees that killing deciduous trees is a very bad idea, also economically).

Since then, my interest in protecting the environment has only grown. I soon became a member of Youth and Environment Sweden, I chose biology and environmental management as my main subjects at the University, I advocated environmental solutions as board member of a tenant-owner’s society, I worked non-profit for an environmental NGO, and I applied for a position at the Ministry of Environment, eventually working for the Foreign Office as an environmental negotiator to the UN in New York and to the EU in Brussels. Throughout the years, I have remained convinced that, however difficult it might be in some cases, it is possible to change the world and to save the environment.

Moreover, as far as it is possible for someone grown up in the materialized Western world, I try to live as I preach. What I mean by this is that I seek to minimize my own resource and energy use as well as transportation, eat more vegetarian, and recycle and reuse as much as possible. While by no means being an ascetic, I have resolved to live a less resource-intense and materialistic lifestyle than the average Westerner. Not as a “sacrifice” or out of guilt, but as a way to feel more at ease with myself and the surrounding world.

Then we moved to Cape Verde. And as it were, I suddenly felt more ore less forced to give up many of my previous ideals. Here are some key examples:

Transportation: Before moving, we considered that we needed a car, and in retrospect I have to admit that it has been quite indispensable (especially considering that we have a toddler). It is my first car ever, and what is worse, it is a 4WD (albeit one of the markets most energy-efficient models, the new Toyota RAV4). Obviously, this considerably worsens my environmental performance – regardless efforts to minimize driving and to drive efficiently. What is more, our air travel has increased considerably. Given the geography of Cape Verde, unless you choose to stay on the same island, you need to fly to get anywhere in or outside the country. Consequently, the number of kilometers traveled by air has soared during the past year.

Resource and energy use: The perhaps most valuable – and scarce – resource in Cape Verde is water. Being aware of this, I make an effort to minimize water use in the household, for example through decreasing the water pressure, avoiding flushing toilets at night-time, refraining from taking baths, shutting off the water in the shower when shampooing, asking the cleaning lady to use less water, etc. Nevertheless, I am sure that I use much more water per day than the average Cape verdean. My old habits from Sweden, where water is abundant, are hard to give up completely. Regarding energy, we try to limit our consumption, and with the exception of the computer and the refrigerator (I am frustrating my wife by insisting that we need only a small one) we don’t have many electric appliances running. However, during the hot and humid season we are relying on air conditioning to be able to sleep at night, and during this period our electricity use (and cost) skyrockets.

Food habits: Generally, meat-production requires about 10 times as much energy input as vegetable- and grain production, and to eat less meat is therefore increasingly considered as key to reduce overall environmental impact. In addition, vegetarianism is healthier and ethically appealing. I now realize that being a vegetarian is relatively easy provided that you have access to good vegetarian restaurants and good sources of fresh vegetables. This is not the case in Cape Verde, unfortunately, and as a consequence, my meat-eating has increased considerably. On the positive side, Cape Verde can offer a lot of locally captured fish (most of the meat seems to be imported from Brazil).

Waste generation and recycling: So far, I have seen no system for either reuse or recycling in Cape Verde, and consequently there it would be rather pointless to separate our waste (in fact, I have become so accustomed to recycling that I now, being unable to do so, feel quite frustrated). Also, littering is a huge problem. Where I live there is a fairly well-functioning waste collection, but in other parts of the city, as well as in the countryside, waste scattering and dumping is commonplace. Not only does it create a dangerous and un-healthy environment, it also creates a unaesthetic living environment, deterring tourism and promoting depression and perhaps even crime.

Chemicals use: Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find environmentally friendly chemicals in Cape Verde. See my previous blog, “Out of Reach”.

All in all, despite good ambition and real effort, my environmental performance in Cape Verde is bound to be pretty poor. And, without trying to blame this on someone else, I have become ever so convinced that it is absolutely imperative to have strong environmental policies, regulations and incentives in place for any environmental ambition to be fulfilled. Without eco-labelling, it’s almost impossible to choose an environmentally friendly product. Without well functioning, safe and reliable public communications you are left with the car. Without as system for waste prevention, reuse, recycling there is no way to avoid creating lots of garbage. And without strong environmental education there will be no environmental awareness.

I just hope that also the Cape Verdean Government realizes this. I have had a look at their 10 year environmental plan, “PANA II”, and it is without doubt a well elaborated and ambitious document. But it needs to be fully implemented and developed further, as a very high priority. If not, sustainable development for Cape Verde will prove elusive, with a high cost for both the environment and for people’s health and livelihood.

Island charms

A few weeks ago, I got in touch with a Swedish traveler who wanted some advice on what to do and see in Cape Verde. It appeared that his main hobby was to visit all kinds of different islands around the world.

Afterwards, I found myself slightly intrigued by this idea of only traveling to islands – although initially I thought it was a bit odd. Why only islands? I started to search my memory for travels that I have made throughout my life, identifying my favorite spots. Well, there turned out to be a very clear pattern: A great majority of these places was in fact islands. Whether on Bali, Manhattan, Corsica, Corfu or in the Stockholm archipelago, most islands that I have visited have made a special impression, and often a very positive one.

This made me wonder: What is it that makes islands so interesting places to visit? As I am now living in Cape Verde, one of the world’s most unique island countries, it seems natural to give this question some more thought, both in a general context and in a Cape Verdean perspective. These were some of my conclusions.

A sense of overview: Most islands have a limited and clearly defined land area, which I think is generally appealing to many people. Some islands can be circled by foot, others by vehicle; yet others will require days to cross. It creates a certain sense of comfort, of control, of never having to worry about finding your way. This sense of overview is valid for individual islands of Cape Verde, but hardly for the whole country. The islands vary widely in almost every aspect (culture, dialect, size, geology, development, nature etc) and in order to get a good understanding of the whole of Cape Verde Verde you need to visit all of them – which for practical reasons is something of a challenge.

Exotic and unique. I believe all travelers are seeking something different, something out of the ordinary. Many islands are truly exotic, embodying such aspirations. In fact, when you to picture something exotic, you probably think of something like a Caribbean island. I find Cape Verde very exotic in many senses (although for sure very different from the Caribbean).

Less traffic. In most places in the world, traffic is both dangerous and annoying, being a main cause of accidents, stress, noise and pollution. Since on most islands road infrastructure is limited and vehicles can only be imported by boat, the traffic intensity is lower than in the mainland. This means fewer accidents and less noise and pollution, which will create a sense of safety and tranquility.

Island nature and wildlife. Islands often have a very interesting biology, with unique (or as biologists say, endemic) wildlife and plants which cannot be found anywhere else. Many of them also offer great diving. In Ecology, there is even a special theory called the “Island Theory”, which holds that the number of species found on an island is determined by two factors; the distance from the mainland and the island size. The wildlife in Cape Verde can hardly be described as rich, but there are some completely unique plants, birds and reptiles.

Isolation: There is something challenging, something tempting, about being alone in the middle of the sea. It gives a sense of exclusiveness, of uniqueness, which, I believe, many people find themselves attracted to. When being geographically separated from the mainland, it might be easier to disconnect also mentally from all the duties and problems that you confront back home. Of course, in certain situations the feeling of isolation can become too strong. For me, this is almost the case in Cape Verde. When I think about how far it actually is to the mainland, and how extremely dependant I am on a boat or a plane to leave this island, I actually become a little anxious.

Quaint languages or dialects. Somewhat depending on the distance to the mainland, dialects, or in the case of some islands such as those of Cape Verde, separate languages, easily develop. This adds to the flavor and exoticness that make islands special. The Cape Verdean Kriulo certainly makes this country much more interesting.

Island culture. Many island populations also form more distinct cultures than on the mainland. There are some common denominators which will contribute to this: the sea, fishing, isolation, limited infrastructure, absent friends and family who have left for the mainland, etc. Cape Verde has developed a very distinct culture and music style, captured by the word “sodade”, which means something like “loneliness” or “longing”.

Boat trips. Islands all have a special relationship to boats, as the main means of transportation. Most will agree that traveling by boat is usually a pleasant experience. There is something fresh and exciting about boat trips; it makes you think of the smell of sea-salt, strong wind in the hair, sun-drenched decks and adventure. I have never been much of a sailor, and I can’t stand the thought of spending more than a few days at sea – but I do like short journeys by boat, to or in between islands. In Cape Verde, the distance between many of the islands is, unfortunately, too big to easily travel by boat, except between some of the closest ones (e.g. Santiago to Maio or Fogo).

Island food. Just as culture and language on islands tends to diverge and become distinct from those of the mainland, most islands will also develop a specific cuisine. Cape Verde’s national dish is Cachupa, a bean and corn-based casserole with or without meat and fish. I must confess: I am not particularly fond of Cachupa (although at times I can appreciate the “refugada” version, which to some extent reminds me of the Swedish dish “pytt i panna”). But it is certainly different to anything I have tried before.

In summary, it is easy to see that there are many great advantages of islands as compared to the mainland. And for those of you who visit Cape Verde, you will encounter many of them.