This phenomenon is largely true for every aspect of our development. One major area the Federal Government in Nigeria seem to be paying lip service is in the area of our environment.
The promise to clean up the Niger Delta region which was made amidst so much fanfare early in the year is still not fulfilled.
We are a party to so many protocols and treaties on climate change & the environment but these treaties are largely on paper, with a lot of rhetoric.
We need to transit from rhetorics to action particularly in the areas of our environment. Every civilised community takes the physical planning of its environment very seriously. Global warming is not a hoax as some people are want to believe. There should be a harmonious balance in our ecosystem.
The social, economic and environmental factors must be considered in order to have a sustainable development. Where the consideration is purely economic, then such development can never be sustainable. It is so apparent that most communities being developed within our nation states are premised firstly on economic considerations. Little wonder then that a lot of social and environmental challenges are being thrown up.
It has been proven scientifically that the physical environment can have a significant influence on not only our physical and emotional states, but also on our cognitive processes. No wonder our value judgment is warped and our ability to process information logically is weak.
Our environment is everything in the world around us that surrounds and affects all life on earth, including the air, food chains, water cycle, plants, animals and other humans. The five basic needs of human beings from the environment are oxygen from the air, water from the rain, food from plants and animals, shelter from trees, clay and sand/cement, as well as warmth from sun, fire and electricity.
The best and most liveable cities in the world are cities that have respect for nature, and maintain a balance between the ecosystem, and rapid urbanisation. They emphasise more greens than greys because of the healthy effects of the greens on human beings.
Source: TransferWise
Let us be conscious of our environment and do things properly. Let the walkways be free and uncluttered so that pedestrians do not begin to compete with the motorists and motorcyclists. Since we are a largely pedestrian community, let a lot of emphasis be placed on proper side walks that our babies can be taken on strollers and our seniors can take a stroll easily. Let our drains flow and be covered if we can afford it. Let us plant trees. Let us cultivate community gardens in our homes and plant our vegetables, fruits and pepper. Let us start using our kitchen waste for composting. Let us maintain our cars regularly to reduce the carbon emissions. Most importantly, let us reduce , reuse and recycle our waste.