Environmentalists had their hands full this year as they urged Bermuda to stop behaving like a ?throwaway society? and help to protect a fragile environment straining from the weight of economic growth.

The airport dump was a focal point for the press as an example of how the Island disposes of its industrial waste, with everything from rusty metal containers to fully intact cars submerged in the water at Castle Harbour, and a scientific study revealed high levels of heavy metals in the waters surrounding the Airport.

Politicians also brought up the importance of protecting the farming industry and encouraging small scale back-yard farming to enhance local levels of food productivity.

Experts warned of the stress of having one power plant produce all of the Island?s energy needs and suggested Government look at alternative methods of delivering electricity.

Premier Alex Scott announced Government?s plans to begin the first phase of a national sustainable development plan in January which aims to balance the need for housing and economic growth while protecting open spaces.

Mr. Scott said it was timely in light of the intense pressure on Bermuda?s housing market, schools and roads. Mr. Scott said the plan would encompass all aspects of development and ? not just the environment.

Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield said this year that she intended to take action with the tabling of a white paper on the fishing industry and marine resources.

She intended the paper to include a ban on two anti-fouling paints for boats proven to be harmful to the marine environment.

Amendments would be brought forward to the Clean Air Act to deal more effectively with harmful emissions.

Repairing the damage from Hurricane Fabian continued as the Parks Department invested their time in caring for ravaged areas along the South Shore.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering staff to come up with a new design for Church Bay which is closed until repair work begins.

The beach signified the importance of implementing protections in fragile coastal areas, particularly the South Shore where Fabian shifted the land mass and had left structural engineers with the responsibility of adapting their designs to the landscape.

Save the caves

The Wilkinson Quarry cave battle hit the headlines again this year when four critically endangered subterranean shrimp species as one of the environmental treasures of the cave.

Despite the startling discoveries, which have resulted in scientists calling it one of the most ?premier submerged caves that exists anywhere? and one of the most remarkable caves on a global scale, it is likely that lawyers will be fighting over the fate of the cave in a lengthy Supreme Court battle. Dr. Tom Iliffe, Professor of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University said the cave was threatened by blasting in the area and construction work going on in the quarry.

Residents in St. George?s also joined forces to put a stop to environmental terrorists who proceed with their work without proper planning permission.

Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons called for stiffer financial penalties after reports of illegal excavation work which took place at Ferry Reach, which threatened an extensive cave system in the area. Angry residents tried to block the clearing of the land by excavators acting on behalf of Tiqyah Holdings.

Before residents won their battle, excavators cleared the land, covering a cave entrance and destroying endemic Bermuda cedar and palmetto trees in the process. Government officials later discovered the developer?s building permit was two years out of date and applied to a different project.

Dolphin Oasis

Led by local activist Lisa Vickers, who runs the website envirotalk.org, members of the public successfully protested plans to build the Island?s second dolphin concession at Sinky Bay on the site of the former Sonesta Beach hotel. Prominent marine organisations in Bermuda and overseas wrote to Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield in protest, claiming there was no need for a second dolphin swim park.