Giant Reeds, Eucalyptus Trees and Rubbish Destroy a River in Portugal

Ribeira do Marchante is a vanishing river

There is a river in Quinta do Conde in Portugal known as the Ribeira do Marchante or the Ribeira de Coina. It was once a navigable river that had a lot of water and even supported rice fields back in the 1800s. Today it can be difficult to see, and difficult to find any stretches of water that are not choked with Giant Reeds (Arundo donax) and other vegetation.

In the droughts that are now a new normal in Portugal due to Climate Change, the bed of this river is often dry for much of its course, and for much of the year. Rubbish and fly-tipping litter its banks and surrounding areas.

Some of this trash is in the river itself. This river is disappearing. The land next to it has many Eucalyptus trees. They are known to take a lot of groundwater from any land they are growing in. This non-endemic tree is adding to the threats to the river’s health. I have lived in Quinta do Conde for eight years and have seen the Ribeira do Marchante in much better condition in the first years I was here. In the past I have seen ducks swimming on it, Iberian Water Frogs (Pelophylax perezi)

in many parts, and I have even seen a rare European Pond Tortoise (Emys orbicularis) dive into the water. On World Rivers Day (24 September), with the EcoGrupo Trevo, local environmental conservation group, I went walking the route of the Ribeira do Marchante, including a part that I was not familiar with. I was horrified to see how much Giant Reed is now growing in and along the river. If it continues like this there will be no water flowing. The Giant Reed is an invasive species and creates problems in many parts of the world. It is resistant to fires because it can regenerate, it uses up a lot of water, its roots go deep into the soil making it hard to remove, it spreads rapidly, it grows very quickly, and it displaces native vegetation while destroying wildlife habitat. As for the Eucalyptus trees, several years ago a team of men cut down some of the trees near the Sports Stadium, which is close to the river. However, they left the stumps and soon after the trees sprouted again. 

The Eucalyptus recovers quickly when felled, and also regenerates after being burned in wildfires. This tree is causing a big problem in many parts of Portugal. In addition to all this, paths through the woodland on the banks of the river are being churned up by trail bike riders, people on 4-wheelers, and we even encountered a car actually driving along the riverbed in one part. All of this causes sand to wash down into the river in storms. My conclusion is that the Ribeira do Marchante needs help, and needs help urgently or it will continue to decline fast and will eventually be no more than a memory. I am a member of ESRAG (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group) and this group is very concerned with restoration of rivers and wetland. There is an Adopt a River group. I am also an active member in SAVE THE FROGS! a charitable organisation that, as its name suggests, is dedicated to saving frogs and other amphibians worldwide. There are grants available from Rotary and from SAVE THE FROGS to fund the sort of work that would be needed to save the Ribeira do Marchante. I am hoping that the money can be found to fund a restoration project. I think something should be done to halt the destruction of this river before it is too late.

Portuguese:

A Ribeira do Marchante é um rio em extinção

Existe um rio na Quinta do Conde em Portugal conhecido como Ribeira do Marchante ou Ribeira de Coina. Já foi um rio navegável que tinha muita água e até sustentava campos de arroz no século XIX. Hoje pode ser difícil ver e encontrar trechos de água que não estejam obstruídos por Canas/Juncos gigantes (Arundo donax) e outras vegetações. Nas secas que são agora uma nova normalidade em Portugal devido às Alterações Climáticas, o leito deste rio fica frequentemente seco durante grande parte do seu curso e durante grande parte do ano. Lixo e despejos espalhados pelas margens e áreas adjacentes. Parte desse lixo está no próprio rio. Este rio está desaparecendo. O terreno ao lado possui muitos eucaliptos. Sabe-se que retiram muita água subterrânea de qualquer terreno onde crescem. Esta árvore não endémica está a aumentar as ameaças à saúde do rio. Moro na Quinta do Conde há oito anos e vi a Ribeira do Marchante em muito melhores condições nos primeiros anos que aqui estive. No passado, vi patos nadando nele, rãs d'água ibéricas (Pelophylax perezi) em muitas partes, e até vi uma rara tartaruga europeia (Emys orbicularis) mergulhar na água.

No Dia Mundial dos Rios (24 de Setembro), com o EcoGrupo Trevo, grupo local de conservação ambiental, fui percorrer o percurso da Ribeira do Marchante, incluindo uma parte que não conhecia. Fiquei horrorizado ao ver quanto Cana está crescendo agora dentro e ao longo do rio. Se continuar assim não haverá água fluindo. A Cana é uma espécie invasora e cria problemas em muitas partes do mundo. É resistente ao fogo porque pode se regenerar, consome muita água, suas raízes penetram profundamente no solo dificultando sua remoção, se espalha rapidamente, cresce muito rapidamente e desloca a vegetação nativa ao mesmo tempo que destrói o habitat da vida selvagem. Quanto aos eucaliptos, há vários anos uma equipa de homens derrubou algumas árvores perto do Estádio Desportivo, que fica perto do rio. Porém, eles abandonaram os tocos e logo depois as árvores voltaram a brotar. O eucalipto se recupera rapidamente quando derrubado, e também se regenera após ser queimado em incêndios florestais. Esta árvore está a causar um grande problema em muitas zonas de Portugal.Além de tudo isso, os caminhos pela mata às margens do rio estão sendo agitados por ciclistas de trilha, pessoas em veículos de quatro rodas, e até encontramos um carro passando pelo leito do rio em um trecho. Tudo isso faz com que a areia desça para o rio durante as tempestades. A minha conclusão é que a Ribeira do Marchante precisa de ajuda, e precisa de ajuda urgentemente ou continuará a diminuir rapidamente e acabará por não passar de uma memória.Sou membro do ESRAG (Grupo de Ação Rotary para Sustentabilidade Ambiental) e este grupo está muito preocupado com a restauração de rios e zonas húmidas. Existe um grupo Adote um Rio.

Também sou um membro ativo do SAVE THE FROGS! uma organização de caridade que, como o próprio nome sugere, se dedica a salvar sapos e outros anfíbios em todo o mundo. Existem subsídios disponíveis do Rotary e da SAVE THE FROGS para financiar o tipo de trabalho que seria necessário para salvar a Ribeira do Marchante. Espero que o dinheiro possa ser encontrado para financiar um projeto de restauração. Penso que algo deveria ser feito para impedir a destruição deste rio antes que seja tarde demais.

The Magic of Butterflies and Moths is a new Moon Books title

The Magic of Butterflies and Moths is my new book

The Magic of Butterflies and Moths is my latest book published by Moon Books. It will be available on 24 February 2023, but it can be preordered now. As the title suggests I take a look at what can be considered as magical about these amazing insects. Everyone is familiar with the incredible transformation from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis and then to adult butterfly but there are many more astounding facts about butterflies and moths. 

Swallowtail caterpillars

I first became fascinated by these insects when I was a little boy. I used to keep caterpillars in jam jars and other containers. I learned then that you had to feed the larvae with the right types of plants. I also learned that some chrysalises and pupae have a short time before they emerge as adults, while others must wait many months and go right through the winter and the spring months before eclosing in early summer. Many species of butterfly and moth embark on lengthy migrations at specific times of the year. They can fly incredibly long distances and cross seas. The Monarch is probably most famous of all for its annual migration from the lower part of Canada and the most northerly American states right down to Florida, California and Mexico. It overwinters in the south and in the spring it begins the migration northwards. 

Monarch butterfly

I take a look at butterflies that live in the most inhospitable areas where you would probably think these insects cannot be found. But there are butterflies that live within the Arctic circle, in Lapland and Siberia. Some butterflies have extraordinary life cycles. There are species of Blue butterfly that depend on specific species of ants finding their caterpillars. The ants take the caterpillars into their nests where when fully grown the butterfly larvae become chrysalises. The very rare Large Blue is a species that is like this. 

Many species of butterfly and moth employ elaborate camouflage as adults and as caterpillars to help protect them from predators. When their wings are folded some species look like dead leaves as adults, some caterpillars look like twigs. Other types have displays and warning colours of bold contrasting hues that are a signal that says “do not eat me because I will poison you!” There are moth species that cannot feed as adults, there are many others in which the females are not only unable to eat but they cannot fly either. Yet the caterpillars of these species are some of the most gaudy and exotic looking of all. Some moths, such as the weird looking Death’s-head Hawk-moth have become the subject of superstitions. Because it has an odd skull-like marking on its thorax and because it has weird behaviour such as the ability to squeak, this moth was regarded as a bad omen. 

Death's-head Hawkmoth

As well as the appearances and behaviour of many species of butterfly and moth I take a look at what we can do to help them. There is a chapter devoted to butterfly gardening, as well as a list of some organisations where you can find out more about butterfly (and moth) conservation. 

The Magic of Butterflies and Moths has some wonderful endorsements from people such as Rebecca of Rebecca’s Butterfly Farm who said: “Lovely stories and lots of amazing facts.” Paul Hetherington, Buglife Director of Fundraising and Communications described my book like this: “The Magic of Butterflies and Moths is just what is needed to help people understand and have friendlier relationships with these incredible insects, a major goal of our No Insectinction campaign.” 

My book will be available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk as well as many other book suppliers around the world. Just Google “Steve Andrews The Magic of Butterflies and Moths” and pick up your copy. 

Aquaman star Jason Momoa in UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon

 Aquaman star Jason Momoa at UN Ocean Conference in Portugal

By an amazing coincidence, it almost seemed like a full page story in The Portugal News last year, had predicted that Aquaman Star, Jason Momoa, would attend the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon. On 26 June, 2002, the actor had joined Secretary-General António Guterres, the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and many youth activists, on Carcavelos Beach, to kick off the Ocean Conference that would take place for the following week in nearby Lisbon. On 4 September, 2021, an article by Jake Cleaver in the Portugal News was entitled Poseidon, Neptune and Aquaman “Stand by me”. The story was about my song “Where Does All the Plastic Go?”, my book, Saving Mother Ocean, and my idea for “Ocean Aid” concerts.

I had mentioned Aquaman in a chapter in my book, Cleaver had picked up on this for the title of his piece about me, and now, the following year, the star of the movie about this superhero was really in Portugal to take part in an event to save the oceans. It seemed like magic! As it happened, I went along to the conference too, though sadly didn’t get a chance to meet Momoa because I was there on the wrong days. Nevertheless I think it is amazing how all this came about, and am delighted to know that someone as high profile as he is, attended the event and is speaking out about the importance of saving the seas. The American actor and activist is now the UNEP Ambassador for Life Underwater, and it turns out that he had wanted to be a marine biologist before becoming the movie-star he is today. It is also an incredible coincidence that I live near Lisbon, and my passion and focus has been to do what I can to raise awareness about saving the seas. Portugal is such a great place for events like this conference because there are so many people in this country, who are taking action to look after the ocean and to spread the word about dangers to the marine environment. Last year I took part in the COOL 21 event organised by Oceano Azul, and held outside the Lisbon Oceanarium. I gave a brief talk, sold some of my books, and performed my song “Where Does All The Plastic Go?”

There were very many people, who are concerned about the oceans, at this event too. One of them was Andreas Noe, aka “The Trash Traveller.” He has been doing all he can to save the marine environment, and cycled around the coast of Portugal on “the Butt Hike,” collecting over 1,000,000 cigarette butts, a terrible source of plastic pollution. I took a selfie in front of a display of thousands of these discarded butts.

Taking action comes in so many different ways but the more of us that become active the better. We really do need to save the ocean because life on this planet depends on it, and that life includes us! That is why I use the term “Mother Ocean.” She is the source of life on Earth! Let’s take care of our Mother!

SAVE THE FROGS DAY 2022 Report from Portugal

 Special report from Quinta do Conde for SAVE THE FROGS Day! 

With my friend, fellow singer-songwriter Ana Lisa Meier, for this year's SAVE THE FROGS Day, we decided to create a report about frogs and wetlands in the Quinta do Conde area of Portugal where we are. Ana is very lucky because she has a colony of Iberian Water Frogs in her garden. They live in, and around, the two garden ponds, which shows how valuable ponds like this are when it comes to amphibian conservation.  Here I am enjoying listening to the frogs and the birds singing.

We went to explore the wetland areas near where we live, took some photos and captured some video footage there. There is an area of wetland behind a sports stadium that depends on a lot of winter and spring rainfall to be of any use to amphibians. This year the rains came very late, after a winter drought, presumably due to the Climate Crisis. The water sadly drains away fast and feeds a river nearby, as well as being absorbed by the sandy ground. I feel this area could be greatly improved as a wetland habitat if some restoration work was done there so that the water was retained longer. 

We went to look at the river, which some years gets nearly dried up, although there are usually some pools left standing. Frogs can be found here and at this time of year you can hear Iberian Water Frogs singing, though they are very difficult to spot. 

 

I once saw a European Pond Tortoise here too. I wasn't able to get a photo because it dived in the water. This species is endangered, so I was pleased to see that at least one was surviving in a wildlife habitat near where I live.  Further along this river there is a bridge and the frogs can be heard loudly there, although we were unable to actually see any. They stop calling when you approach. 

Sadly right by this bridge we encountered some highly polluted water from a drain entering the river. This is really bad because this river feeds an Ecology Park further along its course.  Water pollution is a serious threat to amphibians, fish and other wildlife. 

Back by the stadium and right by a main road are a lot of temporary pools that fill up in winter and spring and are always used by local amphibians. Tadpoles can be seen in the cloudy water but it is always a race against time for them because the pools always dry up, leaving just cracked mud until next rainy season. making the situation worse, people enjoy driving through these pools. I once saw a vehicle stuck in one of them with the mud flying up. I must admit I thought it was funny and had no sympathy for the driver. It was as if this was "Instant karma."

 

Ana and I next went to take a look around the Ecology Park of Quinta do Conde, a place I have written about before in this blog. There is a small lake there and when I last visited, it was full of water and there were plenty of frogs about. Sadly this was not the case this time, though Ana spotted one tadpole. The water was very low and we discovered yet another source of pollution because there was oil floating on the surface at one end of the lake and a trickle of oily water entering it there. Someone had thrown a shopping trolley into the water and a landing stage for visitors to stand on to get a better look over the water had been demolished for some reason. 

 

The Ecology Park was showing neglect and was disappointing, although there are extensive reed beds there, and many other smaller pools and dykes in an area used for allotments that local people grow fruit and vegetables in. Because the water was so low in the lake I thought that Herons and Storks had probably caught a lot of the frogs and any fish that live there. Storks congregate in the fields next to the park, and Herons are also seen here. Storks and Herons, of course, have to find food, and are just as important as frogs. Although our visit to this park was somewhat disappointing, it fitted in with what we were trying to do, which was to conduct an exploration of our neighbourhood, to keep things local. I think it is important for anyone who wants to help with conservation of amphibians and other species of wildlife, to do what you can in the area you live in. This applies wherever you are in the world. If you have found this report interesting and would like to find out more about what you can do to help SAVE THE FROGS, please visit the SAVE THE FROGS website! Now I'm off to help SAVE THE FROGS! 

Ocean Aid Concerts - the first is taking place

I am leading the way with songs about plastic pollution with my song Where Does All The Plastic Go? But I also came up with an idea for Ocean Aid Concerts to raise awareness about threats to the oceans and to raise funds for charities that are working on saving the seas and the marine life in them. 

Time was ticking by and although many people said what a great idea this is, nothing actual in the way of events was happening. I had had the dream of a massive concert in a stadium somewhere, a concert following in the worthy footsteps of Live Aid with many internationally famous singers, bands and musicians on the bill. It was a very big dream but there’s nothing wrong with that. I was hoping to start with something smaller to help get word out there and eventually this would lead to an Ocean Aid Concert with very big names on the bill.  But then came the Covid-19 pandemic and put a stop to so many things. With lockdowns and restrictions the world of music was hit very badly indeed, and as it stands currently even big festivals like Glastonbury have had to be cancelled again. But musicians soon realised that even if they could no longer play on actual stages at offline events they could still play online at live streamed virtual concerts. I started doing this myself and soon befriended a lot of talented singer-songwriters and musicians who are regular performers on Rew Starr’s ReW & WhO? Show from NYC. This year I decided that action needed to be taken to actually get Ocean Aid Concerts really happening. No more talk about it but action! I concluded too that word would soon spread and because plastic pollution is a threat to the oceans and environment worldwide, the more of these concerts the better and the more countries that get involved the better too. In all media coverage this year I am getting, I am talking about Ocean Aid Concerts. I have one planned and many performers from the ReW & WhO? Show are joining me for this. Acts on the bill are myself, Rew Starr, Brute Force, Carol Lester, Donald Black Cat, Joel Landy, Mimsey MacCormack, Dennis Doyle, Tucky Parkis, Yvonne Sotomayor, Rock’n’Roll Johnny Bod, Kenn Rowell, and Marilynn Larkin, Ondine PM.

The concert is taking place on 10 February at 8pm - 10pm UTC (3pm - 5pm EST).  I  am supporting Sea Shepherd because this organisation is already out there saving the oceans and the marine life in them. It will be livestreamed on several Internet platforms but the best place to find it is here: http://www.hotindiemedia.com/

I had intended using the JustGiving fundraiser website to collect donations for Sea Shepherd but the site is confusing. At one place it claims that users can donate from all around the world and in several currencies, which is why I thought it would work fine, but elsewhere it explains that donations cannot be accepted for charities outside the EU: “You may notice that you’re not able to donate to certain charities outside of the European Union. This is because they adhere to different local laws and may use different payment products which at this time, don’t allow you to make choices about whether or not the charity receiving your donation can see your information.” I had discovered that people in the UK and The Netherlands were unable to donate and this would explain it. I sent a message to JustGiving Support four days ago but they still have not replied. I suppose they don’t know how to when their site contradicts itself!

A friend suggested I tried using GoFundMeCharity, and after some initial problems there, with the help of someone in the site's support department, I now have a campaign site working there. The JustGiving link for donations appears to work for Americans and it can stay, so please use it if you are in the US (Canada may work too and other non-EU countries), but if you are in the UK or EU please donate via this new GoFundMe link.

Many people talk about Mother Earth but I think we should also talk about Mother Ocean, after all, the oceans are where all life began long, long ago, according to science. Today the dangers to marine life are many. Besides plastic pollution, overfishing, agricultural run-off causing dead zones, seabed mining, military testing, acidification, coral bleaching, nuclear waste dumping and climate change are all taking a very heavy toll too. So please support Ocean Aid with your donation and by spreading the word!

Ocean Aid Concert

Ocean Aid Concert 2020

An Ocean Aid Concert is an idea I have had for several years and been trying to get off the ground. It would be a follow-on from Band Aid and Live Aid but this time would be focused on raising awareness about the threats to the oceans of the world, such as, plastic pollution, overfishing and acidification, all of which are taking a very heavy toll on marine life.

Of course, I would love to think that the day will arrive when many world famous acts would take part in a massive concert that would get televised and receive international publicity and coverage, but right now with the lockdown restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most concerts this year and big festivals too, have all been cancelled. But not the online ones, where there is no risk of spreading or becoming infected with the disease. So, with the help of my good friend Paul Richmond aka Zest Radio Show, I have come up with an idea to get Ocean Aid Concert 2020 actually happening. If singer-songwriters, singers and bands have songs about the environment they would like to contribute, what I would need is a video of their song. Ideally the songs should have something to do with the oceans but songs about nature and the environment fit with this too. The idea is for me to create a Youtube playlist entitled Ocean Aid Concert and the videos would be included in it, giving everyone some publicity and raising the profile of the Ocean Aid campaign. 

At this stage it is all about getting this happening and raising awareness. Fund-raising would be part of a much bigger Ocean Aid Concert, and I have thought money could be raised for organisations that help the oceans and marine life, organisations, such as, Sea Shepherd, and Greenpeace, but all of this would be decided on a later date. 

Besides singers and musicians, the Ocean Aid Concert could also include videos of poets with their poems on the subject, readings of prose by writers who want to get involved, and videos of suitable artwork. The Ocean Aid Concert is not just music and song but all creative arts.

SPAM by Filippo Solibello, a Book about Plastic Pollution

Last year a book entitled SPAM - Stop Plastica a Mare was published in Italy. The author is Filippo Solibello, and he is a well-known radio host in his country. I am very proud to say there is a four-page chapter in this book with the title Where Does All The Plastic Go?, which is also the title of a protest song of mine.

The chapter is about me, my song and my ideas about the worldwide problem of plastic pollution. When Filippo interviewed me back in 2018 I told him about my idea for an Ocean Aid Concert and he asked if I minded if he spread the word in Italy. I said, no, not at all, because I just want to see this event happen and it doesn’t matter where! Well, since the publication of SPAM, the author had been touring Italy promoting his book and telling people about my idea. He was also showing videos of my song.

He managed to get a copy of his book to Pope Francis and received media coverage because of that. I was invited to go over to Italy at some point but then the Covid-19 pandemic struck and all plans had to be put on hold. This is why I am thinking we can get this Ocean Aid Concert going online. So please get in touch if you want to be included or can help in any way! Please also share this blog and let’s get Ocean Aid Concert happening! To make a start with this happening I have created an Ocean Aid Concert playlist at Youtube featuring any songs I thought fitted the bill. It includes a few big names, such as, Neil Young, Kate Nash, Jack Johnson and Ed Sheeran.

Habitat Destruction and the European Rabbit

The European Rabbit is in Danger!

European Rabbit (Photo: Steve Andrews)

There’s a strip of woodland and scrub five minutes from where I live, and nearly every day I connect with nature by walking through it. Although it has busy roads separating it from larger sections of the Portuguese countryside, and is near to houses, this parcel of land has a wonderful selection of wildflowers and of wildlife, including butterflies, birds, reptiles, and a colony of European Rabbits. At least, there was a rabbit warren there until recently. I have been watching an example of habitat destruction on my doorstep! A team of workmen, bulldozers and JCBs have ruined where the rabbits live, transforming it into something neat and tidy, a place that shows the human view of how things should be. It is no longer a world and a home for European Rabbits, at least I have not seen any since the men were there. Of course, I never could get close to any of the rabbits I would see on happier days, but just knowing they were there gave me a good feeling. A sense of contentment that all was well in a parcel of countryside, right by where I live. The sandy soil in this location is ideal for a rabbit to burrow in and trees and bushes, brambles and other vegetation, provide a place to hide away from walkers with dogs. The European Rabbit has many threats to its life to watch out for: natural predators and humans who hunt. Rabbit hunting is a tradition in many places. Men with guns and dogs get pleasure from this. These hunters would argue that it is a traditional way of providing food for their families and meat for the market. It is a serious threat to rabbit populations though, especially coupled with the devastating effects of the deadly Myxomatosis plague that was unleashed many years ago. The Rabbit Calcivirus has also contributed to the decline of this once very common mammal, which the International Union For Conservation Of Nature (IUCN) in 2018 classified as Endangered for the animal’s current Conservation Status. In Portugal, the Iberian Lynx, a species that is struggling for survival as well, depends on rabbit populations, because these once common mammals are its main prey. Efforts to help the Lynx return are doomed to failure unless rabbit numbers can be increased a lot as well. One form of life depends on another, as links in a food chain, and parts of the web of life.

After the work was done! (Photo: Steve Andrews)

But getting back to what has happened in the woodland near my home: over a period of about 10 days, the workmen levelled a large area of mixed grassland and scrub, they chopped down some pine and willow trees, cut down bushes, drastically thinned out and pruned back any clumps of saplings, and then bulldozed right through where the rabbits had their burrows, which was in a wooded area at the bottom of a slope. The men have constructed a wide channel here that runs in the direction of one of the bordering roads. I thought maybe they were going to lay a large pipeline of some description but this didn’t happen and they have ceased work. Perhaps the channel is intended as somewhere water can run because it does follow on from a stream higher up in the woodland.

They cleaned this part up too! (Photo: Steve Andrews)

Perhaps it is intended as a flood defence? As for the destruction of trees and bushes, that was probably land clearance as a defence against wildfires, which are now a serious threat in Portugal. Now the men have all gone and I am left wondering, is this because they completed their work or have they been laid off due to the ongoing CoronaVirus lockdown at time of writing? Whatever the answer is, it appears the rabbits have gone too. Did they manage to escape? Did they run away in time? If so, where have they gone? What does a European Rabbit do when evicted from its home? If they did escape they have been subjected to a terrifying experience for the whole colony. My daily pleasure of seeing rabbits has gone. Now when I walk in this bit of countryside I am on the lookout for signs the rabbits have survived. I am looking for new burrows, I am looking for piles of rabbit poo on paths, but so far I have seen none. It leaves me feeling sad and is yet one more example of habitat destruction I have witnessed. There have been many throughout my life, from ponds that are drained to become flowerbeds or levelled ground, to meadows that become housing developments.  Now here in Portugal, I feel like I have been watching a real-life chapter from Watership Down!

Where Does All The Plastic Go? Gets Media Coverage

My protest song about plastic pollution entitled Where Does All The Plastic Go? has had some great media coverage, but it needs a lot more. The song has been featured in a national newspaper in Portugal and in a recent book from Italy. It would be wonderful if the British mainstream media would report on it too.

The Portugal News

Last September, The Portugal News included an article about my song after I was interviewed by Kim Schiffmann, who is one of the newspaper’s writers. There was a photo of me on the front page too and a caption which said: “Singing Against Pollution p11.” The Portugal News is a national newspaper in the English language and read by many an expat.

My song also received airplay in Portugal on Roque Duarte’s Sonic Fine Cut show on esradio.pt (Eclectic Sounds Radio) and Nação Sónica. The video for Where Does All The Plastic Go? had been made in Portugal by Filipe Rafael, and the song is included in my album Songs of The Now and Then, which is available as an environmentally packaged CD with a recycled egg box CD tray, or as a digital release on bandcamp. On Facebook, the video has had over 19,000 views. 

Where Does All The Plastic Go? is also available for streaming and downloads at Reverb Nation. 

SPAM: Stop Plastica A Mare and Ocean Aid

Meanwhile in Italy, Where Does All The Plastic Go? Has received some wonderful publicity thanks to Filippo Solibello, who is a top radio presenter and author there. He has included an entire chapter about me and my song in his book SPAM Stop Plastic A Mare, which he has been touring extensively to promote. He even got a copy of his book to Pope Francis.

Filippo has been showing the video of my song to audiences in Italy and also spreading word about my idea for an Ocean Aid concert to raise awareness on an international level, and as a fund-raiser for charitable organisations that are working to save the oceans and marine life in them. I think some very famous names would want to be involved if a massive concert could be organised, like Band Aid and Live Aid but this time it would be Ocean Aid. Many stars from the world of music, such as Ed Sheeran, Mick Jagger, Kanye West, Cerys Matthews, Chrissie Hynde and Brian May, have spoken out about plastic pollution but I think I am leading the way when it comes to songs on the subject. 

Music Interview Magazine

I am very grateful to Music Interview Magazine for publishing an in depth interview with me in which I explain about how I became alarmed about the ongoing threat from plastic. I mention David de Rothschild and how he sailed The Plastiki across the Pacific Ocean back in 2010. This was when I started following his work as an environmentalist and learned how bad the plastic pollution problem really is. Sadly, in the years that have gone by since then the size of the problem has multiplied on a mind-boggling scale, and we really do need to find ways of stopping it getting any worse and of getting as much of the plastic that is out there in the oceans out of them. Plastic is now everywhere. As micro-plastics it is in the air, soil and water. The environment worldwide has been contaminated by plastic pollution and plastic has entered the food chain which goes right up to us. This is why I sing: “Plastic kills the turtles and is eaten by the fish, plastic’s in the food chain and the dinner on your dish!” Please help me spread the word about my song and idea for an Ocean Aid concert. Plastic pollution affects everybody!

My Protest Songs and Songs About the Environment

With the ongoing Climate Crisis and serious threat of extinction for so many species I have been writing and performing protests songs and songs that draw attention to the environment and to dangers to the wildlife of the world. I have four songs like this on my recent album Songs of the Now and Then, which is released in CD format and as a digital release on bandcamp, and was produced by Jayce Lewis. The CD is environmentally friendly because the tray and packaging is made from recycled eggbox. But now let’s take a look at the songs!

Where Does All The Plastic Go?

Where Does All The Plastic Go? Started life as a poem but I decided to make a song out of it because no one else in the world of music was singing about this problem that affects us all. There is a video made by Filipe Rafael and filmed in Portugal, and this video has had over 19,200 views on Facebook.

My song has been featured in The Portugal News and I was featured on the front page with a caption: “Singing Against Pollution P11.” It has also been featured in a book by Italian radio host and author Filippo Solibello.

In SPAM Stop Plastic A Mare, the author has given a 4-page chapter to it entitled Where Does All The Plastic Go? Filippo has been promoting his book and my song all over Italy and managed to get a copy to Pope Francis. He is also spreading the word about my idea for an Ocean Aid concert, like Band Aid and Live Aid but this time to raise awareness of the crisis at sea caused by plastic pollution , as well as overfishing and other threats to life in the oceans.

I am hoping that this concert will happen and will attract not only big sponsors but very big name bands and singers, who will be willing to take part. Money raised can be distributed to charities helping the oceans. Which ones is yet to be decided on but there are many. Streaming and free downloads of Where Does All The Plastic Go? are available at Reverb Nation.

The Nightingale

The Nightingale, is a song that not only talks about the threat of habitat destruction that is causing a serious decline in this iconic songbird , but talks about the problems caused by development schemes all over the UK and elsewhere. Land-grabs of green belt and forested areas are causing an incredible amount of destruction of the homes of a vast number of species of wildlife. It makes reference too, to the ongoing felling of trees in cities and towns. The song starts with the lyrics: “You’ll never hear a nightingale if their homes are no longer there, destroyed by a developer who doesn’t really care, despite their claims otherwise about biodiversity, ripped up hedges and bulldozed land’s the reality I see.” The Nightingale features vocals from well-known Welsh poet Mab Jones on the choruses. This song is very topical due to all the protests that continue in the UK, where people are trying their best to stop the destruction of the forests and countryside. As I write, there are ongoing demonstrations to Stop HS2, but many more protests are taking place to save the wild places of Britain.

Citizen of Earth

Citizen Of Earth is actually an old song of mine that has been brought up to date with a new recording. I have been aware of the problems the world faces for a long time but everything has got so much worse. This is why I am making protest songs my focus. Citizen of Earth makes reference to the cult TV series The Prisoner, which starred Patrick McGoohan as Number Six. It talks about social unrest and about how people are trapped in a system that is similar in many ways to the Roman Empire. “The Roman Empire was much like today, Patricians and Plebeians and social decay, until the fires burned it all away, the ghost of Nero’s still fiddling. Citizen of Earth has been played on Roque Duarte’s show on the radio in Portugal and has inspired two very different videos. One was made by Ludgero Corvo and the other is an animation by Simon C. Watch them both and see which one you like best!

 

Butterfly In My Beard

Butterfly In My Beard is the most lighthearted of these songs, though it still raises awareness about wildlife, in this case it is talking about butterflies. I rear these insects and the verses of my song refer to real-life incidents. I have had Monarch butterflies on my beard. The second verse goes: “They called me the Bugman on the news one time…. they called me the Bugman on the news, a Hissing Cockroach on my head got plenty of views…” These lyrics are about the time I was in the South Wales Echo in an article about how I kept exotic insects. 

When I perform the song live I get the audience to join in by “making butterflies” with their linked outstretched hands and by giving me a “yeah” at the right places. I am hoping to audition this song in front of the judges of Britain’s Got Talent.

Butterfly In My Beard at CamonesCinebar in Lisbon