By Pamela Okutoyi
Let’s think into the future first...
Most of us live a comfortable life because we have almost everything we want. But that is not always going to be true. Not being a pessimist, it’s just how I see it you will agree with me in a few. In future, we might not be able to have the same things, let’s say that KFC, that designer jacket, your favorite shoe type, that drink we cannot go without, maybe a cocacola’ maybe tea, or just water…. Not to forget, that little thing you carry around every time- I will ask about it when we meet.
The reason is very simple; we just refuse to see it. Everything we use comes from somewhere. My teacher called them ‘resources’. I know that may ring a bell, but don’t go there, it’s not that kind of bell. These are the blessings from nature. Let’s call them ‘natural resources’. One thing about them, some stay forever, some do not stay forever, they could run out. The latter is what we use most of the time. Do you see what I see?
For those like me hoping to have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, they might not be so lucky like we are right now. Happy are those whose generations have witnessed an elephant at KWS, an indigenous tree at Karura Forest, snow on Mt Kenya, Flamingos on Lake Nakuru, boiled an egg on the hot geysers of Lake Bogoria and had a boat ride across the mighty Lake Victoria before it was rudely infested by the water hyacinth…if u are an artist, I guess u can picture that.
If you are still figuring out what the ‘S’ word is…you are not so far from the answer. Assuming it’s an exam and you are supposed to extract the answer from the context above, what would you have answered? Trust me, am not as strict as that Chemistry or Math teacher, I give even quarter a mark.
To make sure that the future generations enjoy everything that we enjoy today, there is only one thing we need to do. Be Sustainable. Stop thinking so hard. The ‘S’ word is Sustainability.
Sustainability is one puzzle that scientists, governments and individuals are working together to solve today for everybody’s future. Often it is so focused on technical solutions and scientific innovations that we lose sight of the heart of the matter. What is your thought?
For me I think it is important to communicate why we need to get to a more sustainable future and how we need to get there. Your friends in the Literature department will attest to the importance of answering the Why and How questions first.
The future of our planet hangs in the balance and it is important that we all as humans understand this before we act.
Imagine owning a moneybox for your allowance that is always full. No matter how much of your allowance you take out, it keeps refilling. As much as we would like it to do so, the world does not work like that. Money does run out if we keep spending. Many of the things we use every day have a limit on the amount we can use or take out, but these ‘resources’ will disappear completely in the future.
Some are running out now or causing problems because there is not enough for everyone or they are getting harder to find.
Sustainability looks at ways of making sure that these resources last a very long time even forever – such as the money box that will keep refilling. Don’t we want that? Of course we all do.
How about using the resources with a conscious mind? What have you left for your children? Every parents’ happiness is to give their children the best they can. It is not so different here.
We need to understand that the resources we use today are important to many areas of our lives including work, transport, schools, government, technology and many more. These will also be important to people living 10, 50 or 100 years in the future. The problem is, they might run out by then. How are they going to survive?
We need new sustainable sources and techniques to live happily and not run out of resources. We need to embrace ‘renewable resources’, as my learned colleagues call them – sources that will keep refilling no matter how much we use, how much we take out and how many more people are going to want to use them. That sounds good. Who would even say no to such an offer? If it was a shop, let’s say Shoprite, people would be flooded at their outlets, who doesn’t love great offers?
Sustainability is important for a very simple, very straightforward reason: we cannot maintain our quality of life as human beings, the diversity of life on Earth’s ecosystems unless we embrace it. We will damage the atmosphere beyond repair…If we do not change.
The root of that change lies in understanding and striving for sustainability – in our own homes, in our ecosystems, and around the world.
Despite the madness of human consumption and the harm we are causing the environment, it is not too late for us to save the world. It is more effective if we understand the Why. Understanding sustainability changes the mindset and achieves more response in implementation.
As we move from business as usual to “green” and sustainable practices, we should celebrate ourselves for voluntarily doing less damage than we legally allowed to get away with.
My Two Cents…
I will not overwhelm you with all kinds of practices or ask you to stop using that plastic bottle because that is yours for the doing. I believe Knowledge has power. And if we learn the importance of our resources, we will ease the campaign towards sustainability.
You and I will voluntarily take up the responsibility of using resources efficiently because we know its value. We will understand why it is important to use an energy saver bulb, and the importance to reuse water in our households. Let us first understand why the ‘S’ word matters before implementing it. By so doing, we pledge to preserve our planet for the future generation.
Thanks for reading.