“The power we discover inside ourselves as we survive a life-threatening experience can be utilized equally well outside of crisis, too. I am, in every moment, capable of mustering the strength to survive again–or of tapping that strength in other good, productive, healthy ways.” – Michele Rosenthal
As we stay locked down at home, there are a few things we can do with our time aside work, self-development and play. As much as possible, we need to learn how to take care of our environment in order to avoid flood, especially now that the rains are back.
Where would you go if your house were to be flooded? There’s little the government can do but it’s also our civic responsibility as citizens to take care of our environment not just for us but the for the good of the earth.
UNFCC wrote that Africans as a collective contributes 2–3 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy and industrial sources. This seem like a considerable amount but we will suffer most from the effects of green gas emission. How unfair! This means we have to work twice as hard to prevent this from happening no?
Here’s how we can be part of revolutionary change:
- When building a house, it’s wise to install leaf guards in your gutters (if you didn’t do that, you can contribute to cleaning it). These Leaf guards stop leaves and other debris from accumulating in your gutters. However, they also need to be cleaned as often as you can.
- Clean out your gutters regularly. This basically emphasizing point one. When you don’t clean out your gutters, leaves, plastic, sand, twigs, outdoor debris can get trapped in there and reduce and/or hinder the free flow of water. This leads the water to flow out and contributes greatly to flood and flood related disasters.
- Do not dispose your trash into the gutters. This is another unhealthy way to clog your drainage and cause flooding. The government has provided waste disposal trucks that come at stipulated times to collect your trash so I see no reason why anyone should dispose theirs into the gutters. Except you like living in water or prefer canoes to ride on roads
- When you clean your gutters do not leave the dirt or debris on the roadside by the gutters. When rain falls, it’s sends it back into the gutter and the purpose is defeated. Pour the debris into disposal sacks and then hand them over to the refuse collecting trucks or keep them in the bin outside your house, so when they come through, they can pick it up.
- Do not dispose of plastics and nylons and other trash from your vehicle window onto the road. The accumulation of all these disposals is why there’s so much flood on major roads. These seemingly insignificant things and actions are what are destroying our environment. Be responsible and keep your trash with you. When you get to your destination, you dispose properly.
- Teach those around you these safe practices. Scream if you have to pass on the lesson but make sure your message is appropriately passed a crossed. The world is trying to heal, its up to you and I to play our part and help as much as we can.
I hope you have learnt one or two things from this, tell us how you preventing climate change and being a part of the world. We’d love to hear from you!