Najib Saab, issue 206-207, May-June 2015

The worst thing that may afflict the environment is when it becomes a subject for personal conflicts and a scene for scrambling for prestige. If scrambling for achievements is understandable and acceptable, scrambling for titles and posts is a dangerous game where the core of the issue is lost under superficial polemics.

Some time ago, an online portal launched a campaign against the Green Party of Lebanon, justifying its attack by saying that the party "does not represent all those interested in the environment and has not taken their prior consent about its programs." The campaign failed to tackle the party's statutes and programs, which may deserve much criticism. The complaint was restricted to the Green Party's failure to represent the writer and his friends, who classify themselves as ‘environmentalists'. However, they overlooked that the Green Party is licensed in Lebanon as a political party with bylaws and doctrine like any other party. Members have joined it according to these principles and elected party officials to represent them. These officials aren't supposed to represent the views of all friends of the environment, who embrace, like other human beings, various viewpoints and ideals.

Can we ask the Socialist Party, for example, to represent all advocates of social justice and equality, and ask for their permission of everybody before it says or does anything? Anyone who doesn't like the Green Party's principles and programs can voice criticism, while nothing stops him or her from establishing another party, calling it, for example, the New Green Party.

Soon after the "who represents whom" battle ended, the so-called ‘Green Mind Association' issued a statement claiming "exclusive ownership" of the Bikeathon brand in Lebanon, holding "anyone who exploited its activity under the same name legally responsible." Green Mind said it used the name of Bikeathon and registered it as an exclusive trademark at the Ministry of Trade.

After probing the matter, we found that Baldati (My Town), an association involved in local development, started organizing trips for exploring Lebanese towns and villages on bikes, under the name of ‘Bikeathon Baldati'. On Google's search engine, we found thousands of similar bike programs around the world by the name of "bikeathon." We've never heard of anybody claiming the exclusive right to use the name of "marathon," for example, so where is the exclusivity in a world-common term such as "bikeathon"?

Ironically, the Green Mind Association, which claims an exclusive right to the name of "bikeathon," operates under the umbrella of the Green Party itself, which was earlier the target of the "exclusivity" attack that we said was unfair.

In the midst of the conflict about who's "first," "biggest" and "tallest," an association offered in press releases its services to help the government promote environmental awareness through a website it runs; it said the website was "the first and most widespread environmental portal at local, Arab and world levels." A look at the website shows that it's packed with astrological forecasts and celebrity news, occasionally intercepted by some environmental news and anecdotes. The contents are followed by one or two people every day. While any individual or group can publish their views, even if they were not read by anyone else other than the writer, claiming false accomplishments can't slip scrutiny in an electronic age, where anyone can find out the truth with one click of a mouse.

Someone, who caught up with the green trend in Lebanon, thought he had become an expert in afforestation when he planted few seedlings in his garden. Seeking to popularize his expertise, he offered in statements, released during lavish lunches and dinners, to help Jordan in its afforestation efforts. It turned out that he didn't know that Jordan is home to the largest association in the region - in fact, not in words - for developing and managing forests and reserves, namely the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). The society carries out programs in reserves and forests with a budget reaching 10 million dollars per year, which is larger than the budgets of most Arab environment ministries.

Instead of wasting time boasting about the first and the biggest, it's better to do something serious that is self-expressing, without statements, extravagant dinner parties and protocol visits. When everyone works hard and serious, the field, which is today overcrowded with pretenders, will have a place for all.