To an extent, the campaign for us to maintain the earth because it's all we have is gaining good ground. The only issue I see is that a lot of people are not putting those words into practice, and it sucks!
One day, in my workshop, a girl around 7-9 years old, who usually asks me for novels, came around. While we were chatting about the maize she had agreed to plant and exchange with me for novels when it matured, she surprised me by saying she was no longer planting maize. Instead, she had decided to plant trees to help save the earth. I was amazed hearing that from her, and when I asked where she got the idea, she said they taught her that in school.
You see, little children are being taught the lifestyle of saving and maintaining the earth. Interestingly, she said she planned to plant the tree in the compound where they live, which made me laugh because I knew the landlord would never allow such a thing. So, while many people know the positive impact of planting trees, they find it hard to put the idea into practice because the location of the tree could obstruct housing or farming space.
Yes, the biggest challenge so far is people not adhering to the principles and instructions of maintaining our dear earth. But even with that, should we stop preaching the need and ways to maintain our environment? Absolutely not! Here are some ways we can help maintain our environment and ensure it continues to serve us:
Avoid Deforestation: Although this can be overlooked in rural areas where farming is the primary source of livelihood, in developed areas, deforestation should not be practiced. Trees are the main source of oxygen for the environment. However, convincing someone with trees on their land to stop cutting them down for construction is difficult. Even if deforestation occurs, reforestation—planting trees to replace those that are cut down—should be adopted.
Maintain Water Bodies: I come from a community with a river flowing behind the street, and I must say the people there have done well. We haven't heard of anyone using chemicals to fish in the rivers. The rivers are still full of fish, which are caught by traps or hooks. I visited earlier this year, and the rivers are as vibrant as ever. However, in other places, people pollute water bodies with chemicals in an attempt to catch more fish. Some companies also discharge waste into water bodies, making them unsafe for both humans and aquatic animals.
In my community, the river water is clean and drinkable because it flows freely and remains unpolluted. If such water bodies become polluted, they can harm the environment and human health without us realizing it.
- Stop Companies from Emitting Harmful Substances: In a neighboring community to mine, there is a petroleum station, and they emit smoke with flames into the air. This not only damages the ozone layer but also makes the environment unlivable. It is so bad that the company has refused to convert these flames into electricity as other companies do. They know the harm they're causing, but they don’t care. It's truly unfortunate.
Thanks for reading.
This is my entry to Indiaunited prompt
Photos are mine