Environmental care paramount

Sir
Conserving the environment requires individuals to make changes starting in our home. If done universally, this may have a huge positive impact on the preservation of the natural environment.
Recently South Africa has begun facing climate change and as a result people are experiencing a severe shortage of water.
The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molelwa, emphasizes the importance of conserving our environment. She re-launched the Botle ke Botho (BkB) campaign on January 29 2016. The aim is to address littering and waste management.
The department has continued to create an awareness with effective ways to protect the natural environment. The main aim is to create a prosperous and equitable society living in harmony with our natural resources.
It begins with us to act and make positive changes in the environments. These are three things we can do to save natural resources:
* Reduce: by reducing our use of non-renewable oil and coal to give us energy and electricity; instead, we can get energy from the sun;
* Reuse: do not throw something away but use it over and over instead. For instance, take a carrier bag to the supermarket instead of buying a plastic bag; and
* Recycle: turn something old into something new. We can recycle all plastic bottles, metal cans, newspapers, magazines, and cereal boxes. Creating a compost heap in our gardens also helps in recycling food waste.
Recycling plays a significant role in conserving the environment and even the smallest step can have huge results. We are more likely to take some initiative in protecting our natural resources. Recycling helps in reducing landfill use, energy consumption, cost and pollution.
The responsibility also lies with the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to ensure multiple dustbins are available, that conservation awareness is high, and that re-usable bags are provided to people to keep areas clean and protect environments.
Law enforcement
Operation Phakisa was designed to fast track the implementation of solution on critical development issues. However, one of the major problems is that of ocean acidification, a growing environmental concern linked to climate change. According to CSIR’s report, future impacts from ocean acidifications and global warming will have negative impacts on the good and services provided by marine ecosystems. These negative impacts will affect food security, coastal defenses, natural resources, tourism and recreational activities.
The government cannot conserve the environment in isolation. We can also protect our environment by doing the following: Clean Air: using a latex paint for painting our home to avoid hydrocarbon fumes; avoiding topping up our gas tanks to avoid overfilling which releases hydrocarbons and other toxic chemicals into the air and conserving energy by lowering our utility bills and not burning our yard waste to avoid respiratory problems. We can plant more trees to absorb more carbon dioxide.
To assure clean water, never pour waste oil into a drain, do not trash our streams, do not water gardens more than once a week, always use a bucket when washing our cars instead of a hose pipe, sweep our driveway and sidewalk instead of using the hose pipe, do dishes and laundry in a machine only when we have a full load, take a shorter shower and always repair leaky faucets and toilets.
In order to have a clean land, we should recycle to avoid land pollution and not put hazardous materials in the trash. Buy only what we need to avoid leftovers to dispose of and use rechargeable batteries to ensure that they are kept out of landfills.
We have partners to assist us. Minister Molelwa received equipment to combat illegal wildlife trafficking from the United States of America, and to fight against the illegal wildlife trade to sustain our animals. The National Department of Environmental Affairs and KFW German Development Bank launched the Non-Motorised Transport Programme to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and advocate behavioral change towards a cleaner healthier lifestyle.
Human beings are the most polluting species. Soil, water and air pollution not only affects us, it also has negative impacts on our natural resources. According to Savewater, the population of the planet is expected to increase by 45 percent in the next 30 years.
A water shortage is estimated to become a worldwide problem as soon as 2020, due to water pollution and over consumption.
Lack of water causes diseases, malnourishment and crop failure. Saving water helps to protect animals that depend on it. By using less water, we save on the energy that it takes to treat water and move the water from treatment plant to the faucet, as well as the energy it takes to heat water. Conserving water also saves our money. Installing low-flow shower heads and low-flush toilets can save water in our home. We can save water, electricity and gas by car-pooling to save fuel, turn off the tap when brushing teeth and shaving, and invest in renewable energy based technology.
I am of opinion that South Africa’s structures also affect the natural environments. Mining affects the environment by exposing radioactive elements, removing of topsoil, increases the risk of contamination of nearby ground and depletion of freshwater sources and disruption of existing of ecosystem. Therefore government still needs to deal with causes of pollution for environmental preservation.
Makhosi Sikhakhane, Wits Postgraduate student