Isn't it quite disheartening how citizens treat the environment with such disdain and impunity? The environment is handled as if we have another planet to relocate to after we have destroyed this one.
Adults will eat in their homes and cars, gather the resultant refuse, and throw the thrash on the road and the public places. You will see people drink beverages from cans and PET bottles and throw them in the public drains. Why do we hate the environment so much?
Trees are cut down with reckless abandon, leaving the earth barefaced to the effect of soil and water erosion. We don't care as long as we make immediate financial gains from the immature timber felling or the production of charcoal for immediate use.
Businessmen and women prepare their cow skin by burning tires thereby polluting both the ambient air and the food meant for people's consumption. The black soot released to the atmosphere does not in any way pickle our heart to stop and reflect. Oh, I almost forgot that even till now, gas is still being flared indiscriminately in the Niger Delta region of our country despite serious hues and cries by few people who are concerned by the environment.
Why Hates the Environment so much?
Everywhere you turn to, you see wastes littered every space from Abeokuta to Aba, Lagos to Abuja, Portharcout to Potiskum. Heaps and heaps of refuse, doting every corner ocassioned by unconcerned citizens who will turn around to blame the government when the devastating effects of our actions begin to yield fruits.
Powerful governments of the world contribute heavily to the carbon footprint in the world today without remorse and care for the next generation. It is all about what we can make and grab for ourselves. They have conventions without corresponding action to back it up. Such a shame!
Corruption and negligence on the part of the world governments and many public officials are equally contributing to the many environmental problems today. The blast in Beirut, Lebanon recently as well as the oil spill in Mauritius tells these stories better. Our ever present spills in the oil-rich Niger Delta equally attests
Many flora and fauna species have been destroyed through poaching and pollution. We catch rare animals for species for game and gain while rejoicing in our ignorance. All in the name of food and poverty. We cannot continue like this.
Why Do we hate this our environment so much that we have drab upon ourselves the I-don't-care attitude as if we have an alternate planet.
Remember, we do not have a Planet B, this is our only earth for now. If we destroy it for selfish reasons, our children and children's children will live to curse us because we have destroyed their earth for them. If we destroy it, what becomes of us?
Our generation is the last that can save this planet.y taking proactive actions against environmental degradation starring us in the face. We are the only one who can make this sacrifice to put our mother earth in other.
At the moment the Amazon is burning seriously and we seem to be helpless. If you notice quite well, climate change is affecting us badly. The crops planted in the last one or two months, on the premise of getting a great Return on investment has suffered greatly due to climate change. Rains have been withheld. Where they fell, it has been in excess and flood have ravaged homes and farms. Unless there is divine intervention, we are likely to experience serious food shortage in the coming months.
Also, with this dysfunctional weather situation, diseases are bound to extrapolate and lead to more poverty due to low production and high morbidity.
Government at all levels must equally show more commitment to securing the environment. Enough of the talks without action. I see no reason why the problem of defforestation is taken with kid gloves. Even to employ Environmental Health Practitioners is like Herculean task. Yet we complain of dirty environment and suffer the consequences.
If you love yourself, it's high time you give a closer attention to the care of the environment. Because an environment filled with filth will only promote diseases, destruction and death. Take responsibility for your life and for your environment. Be the police to take adequate care of the environment. Stop destroying the environment for your own selfish purpose.
Take action! Take responsibility!
Maybe we can still salvage something from this dying earth.
You Sha know that I love you.
Your Ranting Friend,
Femi
N.B
My book *Sanitary Rants: Musings of a Wolewole* was presented to H.E Otunba Gbenga Daniel yesterday and I appreciate his kind words of encouragement. Copies are still available for you to grab at #2,000 only.
Femi Abolade is an Environmental Health Practitioner, Writer, Author and Public Speaker.
femibolade12@gmail.com
WhatsApp +234 807 4275 257
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