YOUTH AND WOMEN ROLES AS WE CELEBRATE THE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
Let schools be involved since children are the main users of these plastics, and churches since they always have a large congregation.
By Guest Writer
OPINION: On June 5th every year, the world celebrates Environment Day. This is the biggest day for the environment, and it has been celebrated since 1973 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
It now marks 50 years of celebration, with this year’s celebrations focusing on solutions to plastic pollution. The environment is our second mother, where we spend the best and the worst of our days, and we must in all ways protect it from disastrous activities.
However, the government has a big role to play in creating awareness about this day. Most Ugandans, especially the youth and women, don’t know about this day. Local governments have to be funded to carry out activities that will spread awareness of this great day.
Our population tends to be ignorant of the value of the environment and keep doing activities that harm Mother Nature. As the theme of this year’s celebration is Beat Plastic Pollution, the government needs to engage the communities and various stakeholders to win this battle.
The youth and women need to be engaged since they form a large part of the population. Youth and women leaders need to be called and sensitized so they can pass on this message to their fellows. If mothers decide to join this Beat Plastic Pollution campaign, we will score big on this campaign. In most homes, these mothers are the best managers, and their children understand them better than anyone else.
The government can put laws in place, but everyone is needed in this campaign. Let schools be involved since children are the main users of these plastics, and churches since they always have a large congregation.
According to UNEP, plastics are predominantly produced from oil and gas, both of which are fossil fuels. The more plastics we make, the more fossil fuel is required, and the more we intensify the climate crisis, yet the world is embracing the renewable energy transition. Putting a stop to the use of fossil fuels and embracing renewables will also make us realize the reduction of these plastics.
Let the government task these concerned companies with coming up with alternatives to packaging so as to reduce the use of plastic. The companies that generate these products need to come together and build more recycling plants. Communities need to be sensitized to sorting these plastics away from their homes and not littering them everywhere.
Everyone has a role to play in this campaign, and no matter how small it is, it matters. Let’s be part of the campaign.
The author is Joan Atuha, Executive Chairperson of the Guild Presidents Forum on Governance (GPFOG).
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