By Mugonero Ivan
As seasons cross the sky, I see my mother’s eyes burn with rage every time she finds her love for me not reciprocated in a manner so deserving. I can feel her tears roll down her rugged cheeks at full force in a boast of an abundance of supply. Her tears in heavy drops hit the ground, one after the other forming a water volume lakes cannot contain. The lakes are now flooded and river banks bursting.
The December 2022 floods in Rakai as a result of an overflow from Rwizi River and the occasional Bududa landslides show a relentless rage of anger from Mother Nature towards humanity. Well, it’s no longer a proper business to romanticize the need for environmental conservation.
Poets and Nobel laureates alike may pick device after device from their figurative language arsenal but soon will realize the need for simple tools and steps like those taken by Wangari Mathai for environmental conservation. The plain truth here, stated “matter-of-factly”, is that Mother Nature has had her tears roll to the detriment of humanity.
However, the irony is that we have enveloped ourselves in narrow masks of comfort hoping to comfort her in policy papers written by a class of necktie wearers seated in air-conditioned auditoriums. Where pragmatism is required as a necessary condition, we have instead resorted to building abstract concepts and theories for a problem that requires urgent attention for the necessary survival of humanity.
Let’s come to think of it though; the environment is losing its dignity because of what I would rather call a sluggish and senseless lack of recourse to sustainable environmental practices in the name of economic development. Mother Nature is weeping because of unsustainable practices like deforestation in search of “Black Gold” (Charcoal).
Deforestation continues to be a major environmental issue. Forests are losing countless acres of valuable trees, and because these trees are destroyed, the greenhouse gases they were storing go back into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming! Animals and people lose their food supply and homes, and the economic status of a region can also change because fewer forests often lead to fewer employment opportunities in the area.
In alluding to Rinkesh, the founder of Conserve Energy Future, it is important to note that “We only have one planet and we should all do our part to ensure that it’s protected by combining our modern ways of living with a deeper respect and understanding of what nature provides.” Environmental conservationists understand that the way we live is a reflection of how we feel about the natural world, and our everyday habits show how much we truly value all the things that the Earth gives us.
There is much to do when it comes to rebuilding and protecting what’s left of natural resources and the biodiversity within our ecosystems. Environmental conservation is an umbrella term that defines anything we do to protect our planet and conserve its natural resources so that every living thing can have an improved quality of life.
Conservation often works twofold: It is meant to protect nature by protecting vital resources, and it is also a way of living that works against the irresponsible practices of businesses and large corporations. Environmental conservation comes in many forms and reminds us to be mindful of daily choices.
In the face of depleting environmental biodiversity, here are some sure-fire ways in which we can have the glory of Mother Nature shine again. The simple advice is that: “No matter how busy your life may be, it remains fairly easy to make small, yet necessary, changes for the good of the Earth.” If we all took little steps, we would make our way towards major progress. This can be achieved by paying more attention to what we buy and not using resources unnecessarily.
Planting trees is a way to give back because it aids in the restoration of homes for wildlife, food sources, and medicinal properties that only the trees provide. As trees grow, they protect soil from harsh weather conditions and protect us from excess carbon dioxide, enabling us to live longer and more comfortably.
We can as well help to protect the quality of soil through composting. When we feed the soil, especially by using leftover parts of food that would otherwise be thrown away, we give the soil nutrients that it craves. Enriching the soil this way sets off a positive chain of events that allows for other plants to grow naturally, leading to improved air quality and adding to the beauty of the land.
With environmental conservation for sustainability, we can rest assured that Global warming would slow down, and wildlife would flourish more abundantly without the disturbance of human activities. It is worth noting that alternatives are needed in the form of personal efforts. Though the government and many large corporations play a big part in how we make use of the Earth’s resources, they aren’t the only ones who determine the impact we have on the planet. With so many of us on this Earth, we can make all the difference in the world.
Mugonero Ivan Mutebe is a Human Rights Advocate and M&E Consultant
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