CHAPTER 5: ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE TO PROTECT ENDANGERED ANIMALS

 “What you can do in response to the ocean of suffering may seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

Here are some of the simple ways in which we can all contribute towards the protection of animals: 

1. Discard the use of plastics

Plastic is poison for our animals and marine life. They do not understand and consume plastic along with the food. If we stop using plastic, we will not just save the environment, but also, animals.

2. Feeding local animals

Giving food to cats, dogs, birds and other such animals in your vicinity is also one to protect animals and take care of them. Due to COVID, many such strays died in hunger. During the summer most animals die of thirst and heat waves, lets make a point to put out water for these animals. 

3. Wildlife habitat conservation

Governments around the world have set up national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. In these places, the animals have a completely natural habitat to live in but they are also protected from the threats in a normal jungle. Threats like hunting and poaching are rampant today and we cannot let animals fall prey to that. We have to respect these boundaries. When we go to visit these places, we should not leave garbage there. We should try to make as less of an impact as we can in these areas.

4. Create awareness

One of the best ways you can protect endangered animals is to know about them. Find out which are such animals in your area or country. So, if you spot one somewhere, you can help alert the authorities and protect them.

Another way to protect endangered animals is to create awareness about them. You can create local community groups that work for this cause. Having seminars is another way of creating awareness. Also, inculcating lessons in student’s academics on how to protect animals will go a long way.

5. Donating to Non-profits supporting this cause

Non-profits working to protect animals are short on funds often. They are trying to do a noble thing by working on how to protect animals. Therefore, donating resources to them can be very helpful. Resources can be of various types. You can donate money or even help them set up their infrastructure services.

6. Keeping water sources such as rivers clean

Animals depend on natural sources of water to quench their thirst. Nowadays, we have polluted our rivers so much that animals are getting sick drinking from there. Many even die because of it. Therefore, having river cleaning drives will help in solving this problem.

7. Plant more trees

Let us save trees and plant more of them. We also need to focus on planting native species. Native plants help maintain the ecosystem just the way it should be. When the ecosystem is functioning properly, endangered animals are also taken care of.

8. Stop using products that endanger animals 

Including herbicides, plastics, strong chemicals, products made from animal skin or fur or any other part of an animal's body such as horns, tusks. 

9. Avoid using herbicides

Although herbicides and pesticides keep your plants and yard looking nice, they can be dangerous to native plants and animals. They can get washed away, entering streams where animals drink or getting in the soil where endangered plants grow. 

Instead, use natural herbicides or begin composting with natural materials.

10. Keep your neighborhood safe for wildlife

To protect endangered species in your neighborhood, specifically animals, do your part by making your home and neighborhood wildlife-friendly. Often, animals are attracted to homes because of open garbage cans or pet food left outside. Make sure your garbage cans are secure and feed pets inside. 

You can also clean bird baths to prevent the spreading of disease, and you can add stickers or decals to windows so birds don’t fly into them. Tell your neighbors about these simple steps they can take as well. 

11. Be cautious while driving

This is a rule you should follow all the time, but if you’re in a wooded area, slow down. Animals live in developed regions as well, so be on the lookout when you’re driving for wildlife near the roads.

Roads present a hazard to wildlife, and so many animals are killed due to vehicle collisions. You never know when an endangered species could be crossing the road.

Here are other suggestions from our social media family: 

( Facebook ) 

AQ Omotola Rashidah -

There’s a need to create lots of awareness and educate people on the need to protect endangered species. Replicate these messages in local languages for proper understanding.

Depending on the type of specie, if there are alternatives to them, there should be sensitization as regards that as well.

Sometimes, using the people who are likely to threaten the existence of these endangered species should be made their gate keepers and protectors.

And lastly, there’s a need for compliance and enforcement on the policies, laws and punishments to those who do not abide by the rules."

Cecilie Mjelde -

" 1. Stop contributing to deforestation and drought.

2. Extend that compassion to all living creatures. "

( Instagram) 

@koech_jerotich -

" Protect their home." 

@rewireyourmindsetstrategy -

" Education, education and education. But not only book education but rather awareness education, hands on education and education to connect back to nature. Cause without nature and animal species, human species are doomed." 

@aisha_bagha -

" Avoid deforestation and protect their habitat "

@zainab_akadir -

" Recycle... Reduce, Reuse "

HOW CAN CHILDREN HELP PREVENT GLOBAL WARMING

We have looked at simple steps we can take at home to combat climate change. So how can children help? There is an increasing importance of teaching our future generations on how to take care of our delicate planet after all they are going to be living in it! So why not start now. 

So here are a few ways in which children can actively take part in fighting climate change: 

1. Conserve energy 

• Turn off the lights.
• Close doors immediately so heat does not escape.
• Take short showers.
• Walk or bike if you can (instead of having your parents drive you).
• Turn off your computer when not in use.

2. Convince people around you to save energy 

Ignorance has been one of the main roots of global warming . So share what you have learnt through words and actions. 

• Replace incandescent with fluorescent lights. (This saves a lot of money!)
• Ask your parents or adults around you not to leave the car running needlessly. 
• Recycle  (this saves energy in manufacturing).
• Run the dishwasher and other appliances on energy saver mode.
• Keep the house at 68°F or less. And make sure the heat goes off at night and when everyone is away.
• Start a conservation club at school to raise awareness. Get your fellow students and teachers on board to have the school reduce energy consumption.

3. Keep learning 

As much as we try to conserve and use sustainable methods and products in our day to day, finding and implementing sources of energy is also crucial. 

Kids are the future of our planet and they are the ones who will be finding better ways to conserve and save it, therefore education is the key to becoming a responsible Earth citizen and continue making good decisions for our planet in helping to find scientific, technological, economic and/or political solutions. 

Let us as parents, educators, siblings and guardians help us guide our young ones to a sustainable and greener future! 

Thank you to members of our social media family for your contributions: 

@real_rizwana (Instgram) -

"Teaching children of nature is extremely crucial for tomorrows world" 

@_sustainable_solutions (Instagram) -

"Not litter and taught to love the world, after all it's our home."

@counselor.hijabi (Instagram) - 

"Use public transport or carpool" 

@Linus Paul (Facebook) -

"Planting trees" 

CONSERVATION OF FORESTS

In our last blog series we focused of deforestation and its dangerous impact outlining the urgency to conserve forests. Here is a list of what an average person can do to prevent deforestation and conserve grand forests. It all starts with you as an individual.

1. Avoid printing; The less you print the less paper you use.
2.Go digital with your bills.
3. Use FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood products.
4. Switch to bamboo paper.
5. Switch to digital books/magazines.
6. Use the library instead of printing or buying books.
7. Switch to e-cards.
8. Reuse bags.
9. Plant trees.
10. Use reusable containers.
11. Instead of paper cups, plates and cutlery shift to reusable ones.
12. Avoid the use of paper towels or napkins. Instead use reusable ones.
13. Use cloth diapers.
14. Most important of all is to educate others.

There are many other ways in which individuals can help conserve forests but each one of us needs to put an effort for the results to be achieved. Below we will focus on some regulation put in place to protect forests.

1. Regular and planned cutting.

• If there are large areas that have the same type of trees available on it, trees of the same age group can be cut down in a selected area. This area will then be marked for re-plantation in order to sustain the forest.
• When selective cutting is implemented it means that only fully mature trees will be allowed to be cut down.
• Shelter wood cutting method entails that the least useful trees are cut down first, while the highest quality trees are cut down last.

2. Reforestation projects.

3. Monitor agriculture.

• Many forested areas are cleared in order to make room for agricultural lands. This should be limited.

4.Protect forests from parasitic fungi, rusts, mistletoe, viruses and nematodes. These all destroy the trees. An effort should be made to administer a chemical spray or some other treatment in order to destroy the parasites.

5. Produce less waste.

6. Raise awareness.  

There also are many proposed things that the government can do, such as:

• Passing acts that require the conservation of forests,
• Surveying the forest resources to prevent overusing the resources,
• Categorizing forest areas and proper delimitation of reserved forest areas to prevent anyone from damaging the reserved area,
• Find out which areas require reforestation,
• Regulating and improving upon the commercial use of forest products,
• Protecting forests from fire, mining and other threats, and
• Developing national parks.

Forest management can also play a huge role in the conservation of forests by undertaking these steps:

• Survey of forest,
• Categorization of forest.
• Economic use of forest,
• Administrative setting for forest management,
• Training programs for persons engaged in forest conservation activities,
• Use of forest land as tourist centers,
• Social and agro-forestry,
• Development of new techniques for the conservation of forests,
• Research for efficient use and conservation of forest, and
• Policy decisions and their proper implementation.

According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States) deforestation and forest degradation continue to take place at alarming rates, which contributes significantly to the ongoing loss of biodiversity.

Since 1990, it is estimated that 420 million hectares of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses, although the rate of deforestation has decreased over the past three decades.

Between 2015 and 2020, the rate of deforestation was estimated at 10 million hectares per year, down from 16 million hectares per year in the 1990s. The area of primary forest worldwide has decreased by over 80 million hectares since 1990. All these facts indicate that there is an urgency to conserve forests to combat climate crisis.

Action has to be taken TODAY and has to start from YOU.

Sources : http://www.fao.org/state-of-forests/en/

Thank you to our Facebook family for their take on how to conserve forests:

Healthy Yards - 

 Create 'tree' rules in your town and engage your local government, gardening clubs , schools etc. in tree planting programs. 

Luke Makuluni -

1. Conducting awareness campaigns and analyzing the root causes of deforestation by engaging people who are destroying the trees directly

2. Providing alternative solutions e.g briquette production and bio-gas

3. Raising tree seedlings, planting and managing them

4. Empowering communities to engage in ecologically sustainable businesses e.g. bee keeping, conservation agriculture, tourism

5. Reviewing policies and laws at govt level

6. Law enforcement e.g by-laws, forestry laws

7. Taking part in forest patrols to reduce incidences of charcoal burning, forest fires, encroachment, mice hunting etc

Mutuku Mutielega - 

Training my neighbor community about forest conservation and plant more trees

Mafix Reigns -

 Provide alternative sources of fuel like HEP, solar so as to reduce on demand for wood fuel

Ana Findlay - 

 Become a Treekeeper an Open lands project Chicago!

Plant more trees in your landscape and educate people.

part 11 : CONCLUSION

Through our 9 chapters we have taken a close look at deforestation and how it does more damage to our lives and the environment ,than good. We would like to conclude by talking about the major link between deforestation and climate change, and why there is an urgency to fight deforestation.

Deforestation adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and removes the ability to absorb existing carbon dioxide.

Forests store large amounts of carbon. Trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow. This is converted into carbon and stored in the plant's branches, leaves, trunks, roots and in the soil. When forests are cleared or burnt, stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, mainly as carbon dioxide. The build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is driving global warming, as it traps heat in the lower atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide levels are now at their highest levels in human history. Droughts, tropical storms, heatwaves and wild fires are increasing in severity and frequency because of climate change. This will continue to result in increases in forest losses, contributing to more and more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. Risks are significantly reduced but not avoided by keeping the rise in global temperatures well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Protecting natural ecosystems and sustainably managing and reestablishing forests are important ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow down temperature rise in the short term by drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. At the same times, we must deeply and rapidly reduce global greenhouse gas emissions levels from fossils fuels - coal, oil and gas. If we do only the former and not the latter, we risk transforming more and more of our carbon sink into carbon sources as climate change progresses.

Throughout the articles we have explained what deforestation is and the pros and cons. So does deforestation still needs to be addressed urgently? Make a decision today and help our coming generations received a better greener and healthier world.

"What you do makes a difference, but you have to decide what difference you want to make." - Jane Goodall.

Part 10:NORWAY BANS DEFORESTATION

Norway became the first country in the world to ban deforestation. By committing to zero deforestation, Norwegian lawmakers will not award any government contracts to companies that take part in clear-cutting of trees or forests. 

The pledge was made in the Recommendation of Norwegian parliament's Standing Committee in Energy and the Environment in 2014 regarding Norway's national biodiversity action plan, which has been put in motion. 

According to Climate Action, production of soy, beef, palm oil, and wood products in seven countries with high deforestation rates (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea) contributed to 40% of total tropical deforestation and 44% of associated carbon emissions between 2000-2011. To counteract this Norway has invested large sums of money to stop deforestation in Brazil, Liberia and Indonesia. 

In 2008 Norway gave Brazil $1 Billion to help fight deforestation against the Amazon Rainforest. By 2015 Brazil had more than 33,000 square miles of forest and kept 3.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The Norwegian government also announced a $250 Million commitment to protect Guyana's forest, giving them the money over a four year period from 2011 to 2015. The country is also hard at work in Africa. Liberia, with the help of Norway, became the first nation in Africa to stop cutting down trees in return for aid. 

Norway's action plan also includes a request from parliament that the government exercise due care for the protection of biodiversity in its investments through Norway's Government Pension Fund Global. Because of this, any product that contributes to deforestation will not be used in the Scandinavian country. Their act of banning deforestation from the supply chain only continues the country's longstanding history of protecting the world's vital forests.

At the UN Climate Summit in New York in September 2014, the Norwegian government made a pledge with Germany and UK that they would promote national commitments that encourage deforestation-free supply chains, including through public procurement policies to sustainable source commodities such as palm oil, soy , beef and timber. 

By becoming the first country in the world to make such a large-scale move against deforestation, Norway is setting an example for other countries to consider similar policies. 

"This has been an astonishing success story. REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) has been so far the biggest success story of the climate negotiations...For Norway, I think the main lesson learnt is that we need to be more able to take risks, and more daring. Because there are numerous reasons why this may fail or how it can be criticized." - Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister for Environment and International Development.