Why I Love to Live on This Quiet Island

Memories of week 3 (January 15-21, 2024): science, nature, environment, and climate change

Monday, January 15, 2024: The U.S. celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with nationwide events promoting racial equality and social justice. Coincidentally, on the same day, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who promoted quite a different agenda, won the Iowa Republican caucuses.

I found this photo in my collection, which I took this day. I remember how I enjoyed the remarkable light in the early evening. You can still see a little orange from the sun above the horizon. It's past sunset, but its rays still illuminate the clouds above the western horizon. When a car lit up the pavement, I quickly took this photo and caught the pallet of colors and impressions I had hoped for.

Tuesday, January 16, 2024: The European Parliament approved landmark legislation to restore nature across the EU. This day also brought positive news from the U.S., where a California condor was spotted in the wild for the first time in decades. It was a significant milestone for conservation efforts aimed at this critically endangered species. This sighting is part of ongoing recovery initiatives that have seen the population of California condors gradually increase from a mere 22 individuals in the 1980s to over 560 globally as of late 2024.

That day, I wrote for a few hours in De Zeeuwse Hemel, one of my favorite cafes in Zierikzee. Cafes can tell you a lot about the local culture, and this lovely cafe's cozy, traditional style fits well with its location on this island.

Wednesday, January 17, 2024: Scientists announce the discovery of a new species of giant tortoise in the Galápagos Islands.

I was on my island, where the days are short. I cycled back home with groceries after sunset when I passed this windmill. I stopped and framed it with the trees, giving it a similar effect to the photo I shared yesterday.

Thursday, January 18, 2024: In 2023, the U.S. experienced its costliest year on record for climate disasters, totaling $165 billion in damages. It's not much of a relief that on the same day, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope detected potential signs of life on a distant exoplanet.

Closer to home, I walked to this lake and enjoyed spending time in nature.

Friday, January 19, 2024: A major breakthrough in fusion energy is achieved at a U.S. laboratory, bringing clean, limitless power closer to reality. It was also the day that the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan bill to address the growing plastic pollution crisis in oceans.

I hardly ever see plastic waste on the island's beaches, but I know the problem of microplastics is everywhere, even in the air we breathe. This beach I photographed this Friday used to be directly connected to the sea, but behind me is a dike from the 1960s to protect the islands against floods. Its construction ended that connection and changed this water into a freshwater lake.

Saturday, January 20, 2024: A record-breaking heatwave hit South America, with temperatures soaring above 45°C in several countries.

It was much colder on the island, but even in mid-January, some flowers were blooming, like this gorse, close to the island's northern shore, where the conditions for growing plants are harsh. But gorse can take on a tough challenge. It survives temperatures below -20 Celsius (-4F) and can live for about 30 years.

Sunday, January 21, 2024: Protesters in several European cities demanded stronger action on climate change.

I was far away from other people and focused on capturing memories of this island's quietest period of the year. This photo is one of the many I took that day. I remember feeling far away from an ever-more-challenging world.

What are your memories of the third week of 2024? Share it in the chat: