With the theme ‘Invest In Our Future’, the commemorations and celebrations for Earth Day began at the Blesbokspruit Wetland Reserve on Friday.
The event was in coalition with local livelihood projects, NPOs and the Department of Environmental Resource and Waste Management.
Olefile Masangane from Heartlines was the programme director and spoke about the future of the land.
“We, as a generation, should be working toward bequeathing bountiful nature to our future generations,” said Masangane.
He said that even though we should reinvest and give back to nature, that was not the case.
“We, as a society, have become selfish. That is why we see our resources depleting,” he said.
Ward 75 Clr Charmaine Kock delivered a speech and how far the world and the country had come regarding nature preservation.
“It is hard to imagine that we came from an era where it was legal to dump toxic waste into nearby streams,” she remarked.
She said there were many ways we could honour and celebrate Earth Day.
“This day can be celebrated with planting trees, cleaning our neighbourhoods, refusing to illegally dump waste, improving habitats and preventing harm to wildlife and humans.
“If we continue to join hands and fight, we can only achieve success,” emphasised Kock.
Researcher and pastor Moalthodi Pitse was the keynote speaker. He presented his thesis findings about the relationship between nature and man concerning the Blesbokspruit Wetland Reserve.
He reminded the attendants that wetlands are the lungs of the planet.
“Blesbokspruit’s Ramsar status is threatened due to the pollution,” he cautioned.
He emphasised that the world had adopted a culture of putting humans at the top, and their selfish behaviour has compromised the rest of the natural world.
“We don’t respect Earth. We need to regard it as a living being,” says Pitse.
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He highlighted how the African perspective has no long-term consideration for nature.
“From killing animals and plants to polluting waters and environmental desecration due to rituals.
“Indigenous knowledge should emphasise the harmonious existence with and the protection of nature,” he advised.
Pitse says conscious living and environmental care should be spoken about in religious spaces.
“Nature is always aware of God’s presence – mankind is blinded by his own,” he added.
Pastor Lucky Nkabinde from the organisation I Am That Man says we must take personal initiatives to teach our children.
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“This will prevent exploitative behaviour due to a lack of understanding and knowing our power,” he said.
Mirriam Haze from the City of Johannesburg said we needed to serve as an example for future generations.
“Everything can be used for the goodness or detriment of nature and we have been conditioned to use that knowledge for all the wrong reasons,” she said.
She said we need to be held accountable for our actions and stop passing on the blame.
“We need to stop blaming the government. We are the government and the change is with us,” she added.
