ISSUES THAT THREATEN EARTH

As we celebrate World Earth Day, here is a reminder of issues that we as humans should address to ensure a better tomorrow for us and our mother nature.

Habitat destruction.

Habitat loss and reduction are the greatest threats to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Globally, a third of all forest cover has now been cleared as a result of large-scale agriculture, mining, industrialization and urbanization whereas 75% of reefs are threatened as a result of threats driven by humankind, including unsustainable fishing, pollution, anchor damage and climate change. As a result, several species of flora and fauna have been declining in numbers and others extinct, leaving no assurance for a healthy biodiversity of tomorrow.

Pollution
From adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels for vehicles and machines, to killing aquatic life through oil spills and drainage of chemical wastes, it is no lie that each of us is responsible for endangered life of our planet be it directly or in directly.

Population increase
7.9 billion people in a world of 129,949,283 sq. Km is too much. Worse enough the population is expected to increase in the coming years. This increases demand for settlements and social needs each of which depend on land, same land that has to be shared with plants’ kingdom and other domains of animal kingdom.

Overexploitation
Increasing population increases exploitation of resources; more wood for houses and furniture, more land for settlement and economic activities, more animals and fish for food. With increasing demand of needs and products exploitation becomes unlimited leading to loss of forests, reefs and many species of flora and fauna.

Climate change.
Unreliable rainfall, global warming and melting of ice are all results of climate change, which we humans have contributed to through burning fossil fuels such as oil and gas. As if it’s not enough we are destroying the only heroes (trees/forests) that could save the situation.

It should be known that as the earth is round so is life on it. As other residents of planet earth are endangered so are we (humans). Nature has trusted us to be intelligent and responsible to ensure life is sustained for all creatures living in it regardless of their kind.

Earth is our home, let us take care of it together.