ENVIRONMENTAL ESSAY- TIME FOR NATURE

Paula Kwena (Kenya)
Honorable Mentions

Rapid population growth in recent years has meant that now more than ever man is in competition with himself to obtain resources required for his sustainability. Due to overpopulation the earth is unable to sustain this demand and as a result man’s activities are causing mass extinction of both animal and plant species. The ecosystem is an intricate system in which biodiversity depend on one another for survival. Biodiversity includes different organisms from microscopic bacteria to the largest animals and plants. With the massive rate of extinction currently taking place, we are basically killing species that are essential for our survival.
I remember the first time I heard that if bees were to go extinct then the human race would soon follow. At the time it seemed bizarre since bees are such small creatures and all we get from them are honey, wax and some pain when we dared to get in their way. Surely we would be able to survive without these products? This statement however prompted me to carry out research on why bees are important and I learned that through pollination they play a vital role in maintaining our food supply. A study that was published by Nature Communications showed that 90% of food consumed worldwide relies on pollination and just 2% of wild bees is responsible for carrying out most of this pollination . Thus it is evident that without bees we would experience mass food scarcity.
This realization made me wonder what other species we are taking for granted that are going extinct yet play an important role in sustaining mankind. The examples are numerous. Over 90 species of marine fish found in European waters have gone extinct or are at the point of extinction in recent years. These fish species support over 5.4 million people across Europe and contribute greatly to its economy . This problem is however not isolated in Europe. According to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, loss of marine species in international waters depletes fish stock in the coast of developing countries. These result in social problems for them such as unemployment, increased poverty, reduced education and health opportunities, social tension between local populations and the loss of traditional means of income . Other species such like birds of prey such as vultures, hen harriers, and the giant ibis which are responsible for maintaining environmental cleanliness through feeding on carcasses of dead animals are also being driven to extinction. So many creatures that provide aesthetic, intrinsic and cultural values are being driven to extinction by the selfish acts of mankind.
The main ways through which man drives biodiversity loss is through climate change, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, pollution and deforestation. Thus one of the main ways to reverse this trend is to ensure that our activities are more sustainable. Reforestation is one of the ways through which biodiversity can be maintained. Due to overpopulation, forest encroachment through urban expansion, logging and cutting down forests to create land for agricultural use is occurring . It is essential to find ways through which man can benefit from land while maintaining a proper forest cover. This can be done through sustainable practices like agroforestry. Land can also be designated specially for planting forests. The spread of invasive species can be reduced by ensuring that fishing and hiking gear is properly cleaned before use. Where possible only native bait should be used when fishing. Communities should also be taught about invasive species and how to identify them so that they can be spotted and removed as early as possible. Pollution is a difficult problem to eliminate since most of our daily activities rely on instruments and machines that cause pollution. However, this problem should be reduced as much as possible so as to reduce its negative effects. This can be done through reducing the use of cars either by using alternative means such as bicycles or walking or through carpooling. Proper methods of waste disposal should be adopted and where possible waste material should be reused or recycled. People should be encouraged to use clean energy such as solar and hydro that produces less pollution. Finally, the public should be educated on how to use resources sustainably to prevent over exertion which causes habitat loss or direct species loss.
Biodiversity conservation is an issue that should be at the forefront of discussions. Some of the species that are going extinct are beneficial to mankind yet most people do not know this. Some of them may have massive benefits in the future but we would never know if they all became extinct today.