Celebrating Africa Environment (Wangari Maathai) Day

challenges facing the continent.
Some of the biggest environmental changes facing Africa today include a loss of biological diversity, climate change and desertification among others.
Renaming Wangari Maathai Day
At the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, last month, it was agreed that there is a need to recognise the great contribution to environmental awareness in Africa made by the late environmentalist Wangari Maathai from Kenya.
One of the ways the African Union has chosen is through renaming Africa Environment Day, the Wangari Maathai Day.
This year Africa Environment Day (Wangari Maathai Day) will be commemorated under the theme “Greening the Economy — Play Your Part”. The national commemorations will be held on Friday, in the form of an environmental symposium (seminar).
What is a Green Economy?
A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities (UNEP 2010).
It is an economy or economic development model based on sustainable development.
It refers to using various everyday methods to help save the world and its environment.
A green economy has developments which meet the three pillars of sustainable development, namely economic, social and environmental.
Companies Going Green — How Can Your Company Go Green?
As a way of giving back to their community and of demonstrating industry’s concern about the environment and the health of the planet, many companies are going green by implementing various techniques and strategies for improving the environment and helping to reduce their impact on the environment.
A company can, for example, adopt a stretch of road to keep it free from litter, or enforce policies in the workplace about not wasting paper. Many companies going green implement strict policies about recycling within their facilities, and encourage their employees to practice green habits.
Companies should reduce their carbon footprints, the total set of greenhouse gas emissions by an organisation, event, product or person. It is often expressed as the amount of carbon dioxide or equivalent of other greenhouse gases emitted. The “Greening the Economy” initiative has come in Zimbabwe against a background of the global trend of high levels of industrialisation, which increases emissions of greenhouse gases.
Environmental issues cut across all societal as well as business divide adding that greening the economy is key to the country as we move towards a global trend of high levels of consumption. The Environmental Management Agency is there to give advice and guidelines towards going green so that various development entities are sensitive to the environment.
All developmental projects or ventures should be environmentally sustainable. The earth is a closed system with finite resources and limited capacity for self-regulation and self-renewal. Everyone depends on the earth’s natural resources, and therefore an economic system that respects the integrity of ecosystems and ensures the resilience of life supporting systems must be created.
Socially just, the culture and human dignity are precious resources in the same way as our natural resources and therefore require responsible stewardship to avoid their depletion.
A vibrant economic system that ensures all people have access to a decent standard of living and full opportunities for personal and social development must therefore be created.
Economically viable, a green economy is a global aggregate of individual communities meeting the needs of its citizens through responsible, local production and exchange of goods and services.
What are the main sectors of a green economy?
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). The mainstream forms of renewable energy include wind power, hydropower, solar, energy, biomass, biofuel and geothermal energy.
Initially renewable energy is expensive but generally gets cheaper with time, while fossil fuels generally get more expensive.
Renewable energy projects in many developing countries have demonstrated that renewable energy can directly contribute to poverty alleviation by providing the energy needed for creating businesses and employment. Renewable energy technologies can also make indirect contributions to alleviating poverty by providing energy for cooking, space heating and lighting. It can also contribute to education, by providing electricity to schools.
Clean Transportation
Sustainable transport (or green transport) refers to any means of transport with low impact on the environment, and includes walking and cycling, transit-oriented development, green vehicles, car sharing and building or protecting urban transport systems that are fuel-efficient, space-saving and promote healthy lifestyles.
Water Management
Much effort in water management should be directed at optimising re-use of water and in minimising the environmental impact of water use on the natural environment. The green technology initiative calls for such innovations like water harvesting in tackling water scarcity.
Sustainable Agriculture
Possible practices of sustainable agriculture are crop rotation and soil amendment, both designed to ensure that crops being cultivated can obtain the necessary nutrients for healthy growth.
Quote of the week: Modern technology owes earth an apology.