November 2, 2024
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Earthday

Earth Day is here with us again! At the time when climate change discussions took centre stage, every one had his theory on how good or bad the situation was. Some people never believed it was happening and clung to the thought that the Earth could sort itself out. Then came the plastic menace, compounded by the problem of E-waste. It is normal for people to get a bottle of water or soda and then throw the bottle out of the car window without blinking their eyes. Every year, on the 22nd of April, we celebrate Earth Day, and to some of us, this day brings back fond memories. We celebrate the day to demonstrate support for the protection of the Environment. The theme of this year is planet vs plastic. So here is my little story about what changed what I do with plastics.

The Environmentalist

My wife is an Environmentalist, and she is very passionate about it. Naturally, she is a very talkative with, a personality that sharply contrasts with mine. therefore, when he sees something wrong, she will point it out on your face. An incident took place in 2016 en route to the house from Kisumu town after a family’s day out. That morning, we passed by the Tusky’s supermarket at the United Mall and bought some apple juice to sip as we enjoyed the breeze at the Impala sanctuary. 

The Plastics Calls For Many Earth Days

It is not a surprise to see loads of plastic bottles along the streets or on the road. People find it easy to throw them onto the Earth. So this day, after our beautiful day, I had a bottle of apple juice that I was drinking as we were in the Matatu. For a moment, my wife kept looking at me, waiting for my action after am done taking the juice. Innocently, I threw the bottle out of the car window, and I saw a different person, haha. She became angry and asked me a question that most of us have come across. “What is the value of your education?” “Why?” I asked.

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Who is a Fool?

And she said, “With all your education, you throw away a plastic bottle, for it to be collected by someone who did not have the privilege of studying up to the university. Who is a fool?” I never answered because I felt like she disrespected me. She never bothered to rephrase it in a “softer” way and we went home. But midway through the journey, I asked her what difference it brought because even when I took it to the house, it would still be disposed of as I did.

She responded that we should do our part, and let the responsible people play their part. It is said that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but that event inculcated a value in me that I uphold up to now. I never throw away plastic bottles or polythene bags carelessly. I usually take it to the house and dispose of it in the bin.

Why Do We Need To Celebrate Earth Day

As we celebrate Earth Day, let us remember that though there is self-cleansing, the waste that we introduce to this beautiful planet is choking it. Let us join hands with other like-minded individuals and choose the planet, as we strive to end the pervasive use of plastics. The target is to have a 60% reduction in production by 2040 to safeguard both human and planetary health.

Read more on Earthdayorg and here.

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