Caring for our planet

Everyone has by now heard about climate change and we’ve seen its devastating effects on our planet in the form of severe floods and wildfires. Climate change is the result of global warming, which is caused by high greenhouse gas emissions. According to a recent study, the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions is so high that the average global temperature will increase by more than 1,5 degrees Celsius within the next 11 years unless we reduce these emissions now. This goal was set in the Paris Agreement which was adopted by a number of countries in 2015.

What the world would look like if we don’t take action now
Environmental problems such as air pollution and poor water quality have become so widespread in recent years that it is now more urgent than ever to find a solution to climate change. If we don’t take drastic steps to take care of our planet, we can expect to see the world’s coral reefs harbouring abundant sea creatures die, storms become more severe, and droughts persisting for longer. This will have devastating consequences for life on Earth, including endangering the natural habitats of several species of wild fauna and flora as well as threatening humans’ food security.

The good news
It’s not all doom and gloom, though, as there is still time to take action and protect our planet’s future.

For International Mother Earth Day 2022, the message is clear: We must be “all in”. Individuals, businesses and governments must be held accountable for change and must contribute to creating a greener future.

Five things you can do to help invest in our planet’s recovery

Plant a tree. Planting a tree is a great way to celebrate International Mother Earth Day, as trees provide food and oxygen and filter out pollutants to clean the air.

Conserve water. By doing simple things such as taking shorter showers and replacing leaky taps, you can save water and help to ensure that this precious resource lasts long into the future.

Reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce the amount of waste you generate, reuse items before disposing of them, and recycle items such as cardboard, aluminium, plastic and glass.

Unplug unused electrical devices. Appliances that are switched off but remain plugged into a socket continue to use electricity. As most of the energy powering our homes is generated from burning fossil fuels, unplugging these devices will reduce energy demand and carbon emissions.

Make smart seafood choices. Commercial fishing can be detrimental to marine conservation if not properly regulated. One example is overfishing, where fisheries harvest all the fish species where they are fishing instead of focussing on a particular species (this is known as “indiscriminate fisheries”). Support responsible fisheries by always choosing certified sustainable seafood.

Let's all work together and save our planet for future generations!

Sources:

https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2022/
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/04/1052267118/climate-change-carbon-dioxide-emissions-global-carbon-budget
https://www.npr.org/2021/11/08/1052198840/1-5-degrees-warming-climate-change
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement
https://www.space.com/earth-day-facts-history-activities
https://www.msc.org/en-au/media-centre-anz/news-views/news/2019/05/30/six-practical-solutions-to-tackle-overfishing