WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER.
Part A
Could we possibly sustain the environment?
The environment has not been conducive for human health and has caused a lot of damage to individuals.
Waste disposal is of high concern in this part of the country. The environment suffers from improper disposal and this causes pollution.
Pollution — harmful material that is added to the environment (air, water, noise, or land).
Several people dispose of wastes products to the wrong place like the gutter, dams, on the street etc., and this singular act has caused havoc for people, with an increased rate of malaria, cholera and other diseases.
What then is the ENVIRONMENT? The environment is the total surrounding of an organism in a given area including the physical surrounding, climatic factors, and other factors that determine its form and survival.
How to sustain the environment, let’s have a look at the meaning of some important words. REDUCE, CONSERVE, and RECYCLE.
- REDUCE — To make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size, or using less of a resource.
Hence, a part of saving the earth means reducing the way we burn waste materials, reducing gas pollution during the processing and manufacturing of products and shifting to more biodegradable products.
Do you remember the adage: “Prevention is better than cure”,
If you do, then that leads us to the next word.
2. CONSERVE- It is the prevention of wasteful use of a resource. It is very much like saving resources by using them wisely. Conservation is not an easy task. To have cleaner air or less rubbish, people need to make some changes to their lifestyles. These changes can be difficult when people have become used to a certain way of living. Everyone can contribute to conservation in one way or another.
- Industries can watch how much pollution they are creating.
- Farmers can practice better farming methods so that soil is not damaged.
- People can take the train, take a walk instead of the bus or use a bicycle to work to help limit the number of cars on the road. (Cars make travel easy, but a lot of gas exhaust causes the air being polluted).
3. RECYCLE- The process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. Did you know you can recycle cans, papers, bottles and a whole lot of things?
Some of our trash can be recycled into new products. These waste materials that are recycled can benefit our community and the environment.
Have you heard of the word Earthships?
“Earthships are ultra-sustainable homes built from recycled trash such as bottles, tires, aluminium cans, and other litter.” The cans and bottles are filled with soil and then plastered over with natural mud.
Amazing! Right?