Environment -- Protection and Preservation of it.

 In Africa, when questions are put across to us, religious connotations are unavoidably present. Even when you speak in scientific terms, we cannot avoid making reference to The Creator of Heaven and the Universe. He intended for this world to be Forever Perfect for His children, but we chose the wrong path instead of Good and have become saddled with an Imperfect world / environment. In order for us to understand how bad the state of our environment has become, it’s imperative to understand the meaning of environment, protection / preservation as well as conservation which is a broader term for preservation.

The 3rd Edition of The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines Environment as:

1) The air, water and land in or on which people, animals and plants live (in terms of Nature).
2) The conditions that you live or work in and the way that they influence how you feel or how effectively you can work (in relation to Surroundings).

On the other hand, protection and preservation are similar and involve keeping and maintaining what you have. That is, the activity of protecting something from loss or danger, maintaining its quality or the condition while conservation is the protection, preservation and careful management of the environment and of natural resources such as forests, wild life, sea creatures, soil (against erosion or deterioration), and water for the future.

In Nigeria and beyond her shores, governments have recognized the fundamental right to live in a healthy environment, therefore laws has been enacted placing restraints on activities contributing to the environmental crises plaguing the world; however such disturbing issues are on the increase and as such complete environmental protection seems impossible at this current global level.

1) Let’s take for example, positioning of polluting production companies in densely populated areas is unfair both to nature and the people;
2) Gas flaring ( not only oil spillage) aids in pollution and climate change which leads to decline in human health and increased air/weather-related disasters;
3) Migration from the villages to the cities lead to decreased habitats, in other words Survival of the Fittest;
4) The by-products from companies tend to make multinationals become owners of natural resources, hence causing shortages – for humans and non-humans – thus contributing to poverty.
5) Extensive clear-cutting of forests and so on has taken away our environment’s natural beauty; limited or no fishing in many waters because of contamination. It’s mostly filth all around us.

All these problems of environmental degradation are serious threats which cannot and should not be ignored because they often lead to economic, political, human rights and animal protection issues. The animals in the wilds have as much right to nature as you and I do.

Environmental protection and conservation helps in bringing to the forefront issues arising from the interrelations between humans and the environment; issues of biodiversity, land degradation or environmental policy in addition to the methods and policies of managing resources, assessing risk and pursuing environmentally sustainable practices. Simply put, Environmental protection involves preserving the environment from environmental degradation due to growth in population and technological advancement for the good of the nature and humans. Though issues of environmental protection involve a broad spectrum of stakeholders like the various arms of government (agents with the priority of establishing and maintaining basic standards protecting both the environment and people), it is everyone’s responsibility. Like Gerald R. Ford in his remarks at dedication of National Environmental Research Centre, July 3, 1975 said,

"We have too long treated the natural world as an adversary rather than as a life-sustaining gift from the Almighty. If man has the genius to build, which he has, he must also have the ability and the responsibility to preserve."

 Environmental protection is influenced by ethics, education and environmental legislation and for it to become a reality; a change in the mind-set of current environmental values and behaviours is required as well as grassroots involvement. It requires all hands being on deck especially our youth who are the leaders of tomorrow. Giving them the personal responsibility of protecting their environment through projects lead these inspired youth volunteers to become the next generation of conservation leaders worldwide. They can

• On their own identify and solve minor environmental problems.
• Organize garbage clean-ups, native tree plantings to forestall deforestation/desert encroachment, non-native plant removal, community recycling programs with the assistance of community leaders and businesses etc.
• Develop leadership skills and confidence, which helps them become responsible citizens as a result of being empowered to make a difference.
• Stewardship of the environment, for the benefit of wildlife and communities, requires long-term commitment from concerned citizens in order to sanitize it, restore its natural beauty thereby help maintain its integrity. They help the animals and plants thrive in their natural habitat.

John Muir states:

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

In trying to preserve the earth, we are also conserving declining species of fauna, flora, habitats and the environment in general. In such cases, authoritative and objective independent expert advice is needed to show leaders that the specie or habitat is worthy of conservation. Everyone is born into this world with a talent from God. It could be the gift of writing, activism, preaching and so on but each to a different extent. Some are born gifted while others have to work hard to cultivate God’s gift to us. You can institute a Volunteer Program contributing a couple of hours each day or weekend would help you and the environment that sustains us. A person can make a difference, how much more a team of volunteers to restore the great wilds for humans, wild plants and animals that call it home.

1) All you need is a small bag and probably a stick to place refuse you can help pick up as you walk along the way; Plant native trees and flowers in your yard and community.
2) Join an NGO for volunteer opportunities in your area where you can help with an environmental rehabilitation projects (remove debris from stream, habitat restoration, garbage/graffiti removal etc.) You can get involved not only locally but nationally and so on. Just get online to see how you can help

Volunteering is one of the best things in life and these great minds have these to say,

Henry David Thoreau: "One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something..."

John F. Kennedy: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: "Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't even have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve... You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love..."

Another approach to tackling environmental protection is

1) With industrialized countries signing voluntary environmental agreements which support the development of best environmental practice; while in developing countries, these agreements are utilized to build environmental management capacity and to remedy significant levels of non-compliance with mandatory regulation. The existing challenges in effective evaluation lie in establishing baseline data, targets, monitoring and reporting.
2) Due to the vulnerability of the earth’s resources, multiple governments are going into agreement to minimize the humanity’s impact on Nature. Such agreements include the Kyoto Protocol, Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer and Rio Declaration on Development and Environment.
3) An ecosystem approach involves a broad array of stakeholders requiring collaboration in planning and decision making. Thus supporting better exchange of information, development of conflict-resolution strategies and improved regional conservation.