EDITOR – I ask all home owners, tenants, body corporates of apartment buildings and complexes, school principals, business owners and the management of shopping malls to make an effort to pick-up any litter outside their properties and close surroundings on a daily basis.
This meaning early mornings and late afternoons, seven days a week.
We humans are responsible for a cleaner environment for all. We cannot expect our municipal workers to clean-up after us 24 hours a day.
When going out for a walk, pick-up any litter and dispose of it at any dirt bin close by. Much of the litter lining our streets and beaches daily is also made up of recyclable material. These can be used again, so recycle while you’re at it. In return, we will be rewarded with a litter free healthier environment for all, which will give true value to your properties and surroundings.
Did you know that litter clogs our storm-water drains and causes unnecessary flooding? Believe it or not, food scraps and other organic items which are disposed of improperly can increase algal blooms in water, which reduces the amount of oxygen for aquatic life such as fish.
The biggest source of litter is cigarette butts. Though small, they can be very dangerous. The butts contain harmful chemicals including arsenic which can contaminate our water and soil.
Just as much as our oceans, streets, landscapes, beaches and rivers are polluted, so is the air we inhale daily. This results from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gases, and petrol/diesel for electricity and to power our vehicles. We need to plant more indigenous trees as trees create an ecosystem to provide a habitat and food for birds and other animals. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and potentially harmful gases such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide from the air and release oxygen, which provides breathable oxygen for all living species on earth.
We also need to put more pressure on our government to invest in and promote renewable energy. Renewable energy is energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power. Durban has enough natural wind blowing daily to introduce wind turbines, where a large vane wheel is rotated by the wind to generate electricity. Durban has also sufficient sunlight to be absorbed for the purpose of solar power energy, to generate electricity.
We are so blessed with a beautiful planet called Earth, and unfortunately, we only have one. If we do not all unite and take responsibility now, future generations will suffer.
KEITH THURLEY
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