Site of a sheet erosion,about 500 metres from my village.
Whenever I think of sustainability, it's my village that first comes to my mind. This is because the rate at which the environment there is changing for the worse gives me concern.
For one, the vegetation around us is now transforming fast from becoming a tropical rain forest to grassland. This is as a result of bush burning which of recent has become a reoccurring event during the dry season.
The people that set these fires do it clandestinely because there is a traditional law against it. The reason why they do that is not very clear to me. Some people say they do it for fun, others suspect the cattle rearers who they say put fire to burn vegetation so that fresh grass will grow up for their cattle to feed upon. Some even accuse cigar and hemp smokers who they say carelessly throw the burning butt of cigar into the bush.
Whatever the case may be, the damage bush burning is causing is alarming. For instance, bush animals that supplement the domestic animals as a source of protein are scare these days. This is unlike in the past when hunters get them easily due to available habitats that made their population to be high.
When we were kids in the 70's and 80's it was a common thing for hunters to bring back home bush animals like porcupines, cane cutters, and antelopes, including giant snails and even nutritious mushrooms. These items are presently so scare that available ones are very costly.
The fact is that our forests are disappearing, making way for simply grasses that easily burn when the next fire comes. And many herders are worsening the matter by wantonly taking their cows into our forests, bushes and even farms, making it hard, if not impossible for natural reforestation process to be meaningful.
Apart from direct deforestation, bush burning causes erosion because it exposes the soil to the forces of agents of denudation. If this continues without control, both our farmlands and residential areas are in danger of being destroyed.
Another area that disturbs the mind is the issue of using chemicals to kill fish in our rivers and streams. Some ignorant and wicked people have formed the habit of using chemicals to catch fish.
This has a long-lasting devastating effect that does the community no good. In the first place, these chemicals are so drastic and indiscriminate in their actions that they kill both desirable and undesirable aquatic organisms.
In those good old days, when people go fishing, they come back with big fishes like catfish, mudfish and giant tilapia, in addition to other aquatic animals like shrimps, crabs and bivalves. The story is different today. Those that go fishing these days hardly make any significant catch that will make people to shout for surprise, and call others to come and see.
I wish we all would understand the evil of indiscriminate bush burning, overgrazing and the use of chemicals in the rivers, and stop these practices. If we do, it would lead to the betterment of our environment, and be good for us all.
Another crucial area that is of national importance is electricity. Nigeria generates electricity from hydropower. It's not that we don't have rivers to do that; we even use natural gas in addition but, these are not enough at the rate we are operating.
There is urgent need to exploit the use of solar, not only to support the available power for urban areas but, to reach the rural dwellers.
The strength of the sun is just too much in the tropics where Nigeria belongs. I have always wondered why this renewable source of electricity is not fully utilized for the benefit of the people.
I spoke with a friend in London last week. He said the weather was too cold for comfort. I replied jokingly saying, I wish we could exchange the weather because the level of solar heat in Nigeria was too high for comfort.
He laughed and said they celebrate the appearance of the sun in their sky. I laughed too, telling him we over here celebrate the going away of the sun from our sky.
The point is that electric power in our country is grossly inadequate, and the cost is astronomical. So, why can't we harness this excess sunlight to generate electricity on a large scale? This is more so when we know that the solar has almost a zero pollution level, and is cheaper by far.
If our government could take a holistic approach on the issue of electricity, and seriously consider solar source, our electricity supply would be a thing of joy to everyone because all these power outrages and high cost will be a thing of the past.
Two sites of gully erosions, few metres from the first house in my village.
Holistic living and sustainability is really important in our lives which we need to try and take caution in maintaining them because of the important role they play in our lives that is helpful and useful.
Thanks @emeka4 for taking time to read my post.
Of a truth, sustainability and holistic living are very important. To me, should I say it is ignorance that makes people do what they do? For example, in the case of people using chemical to catch fish. The chemical is really destroying the river and could cause a major problem even to the inhabitants of the village.
I wish the government could address the issue of electricity by using solar source which could be lesser compared to the huge bill we pay all the time.
Thanks for sharing. I enjoy reading it.
Thanks a lot for your time. We hope things will change for good in no time.
Nice post
Thanks for your appreciation