INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MOTHER EARTH

THEME: PLANET VS. PLASTICS
Date: 22nd April, 2024
Written by: Nkemjika Ugonna Lucy

In ages past, the geographical argument of the earth was whether the earth was round, flat or rectangular but presently the focus becomes how well we care and live on the earth. The International Day of Mother Earth is usually celebrated annually to raise awareness of the challenges to the wellbeing of the planet and all life it supports. According to the EARTHDAY.ORG, the primary goal of the International Day of Mother Earth for the sake of human and planetary health is to ensure a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040. The primary goal also aims to achieve:

•  Promoting widespread awareness of the damage done to human, animal and all biodiversity’s health, demanding for more research to be conducted on its health implication and effects to the public.
• Rapidly phasing out all single use plastics by 2030 and achieving the phase out commitment in the UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution.
• Demanding policies ending the scourge of fast fashion and vast amount of plastics it produces and uses.
  Investing in innovative technologies and materials to build a plastic free world.

Plastic pollution poses serious threats to the environmental health and wellbeing of all humans and animals on earth. According to United Nations, 23 million tonnes of plastic waste escape into the aquatic ecosystems polluting lakes, rivers and seas. Micro-plastics which are smaller units of plastics have been found in drinking water, air, aquatic animals including the human blood.

In Nigeria over 32 million of wastes are generated annually with plastic accounting for 2.5 million tonnes and is most likely to worsen as Nigeria’s population grows. Over 88% of these plastic generated are unrecycled, thus our waters, uncultivated land and agricultural land are polluted.

Now the big issue is what do we do? How do we save our earth? Are we going to allow plastics make our environment extinct? How long do we say it’s the governments’ problem and not ours?

Collaborative efforts between humans, entities and government are essential to tackling plastic pollution. We should avoid waste disposal in water bodies and landfills, avoid the use of micro beads and micro plastics, engage in ocean and land cleanups, awareness transforming behavioral change should be done in schools and public sectors, the Government should also place bans and restrictions on single use plastics, strict plastic policies on plastic producing companies and innovative ideas promoting a circular economy should be embraced to promote recycling.

As an NGO, we know the value of our earth, we strongly emphasize on Natural Resource Management to promoting our ecosystem and productivity.

“Reduce the Plastics not the Planet! Mother Earth is our birth and breath.”