The University of Cape Coast, Ghana, where I am currently pursuing a degree in environmental science is located in the central region of Ghana bounded to the south by the Atlantic ocean and as such most of the natives from Cape Coast are into fishing, with the men going out to sea catch fish and the women smoking and selling the fish to consumers. The University community is not left out since students use fish to prepare most of their meals.

There are about four communities within and around the University campus, namely Amamoma, Apewosika, Akotokyir and Kwaprow and the activity of fish smoking goes on in these communities. Most of the women involved in the smoking of fish do not have a clue as to how the smoke is harmful to their well-being and as such do not visit the health centers regularly for checkups.

As part of this year?s earth day celebrations, a couple of friends and I took it upon ourselves to visit these fish smoking areas and speak to those involved in fish smoking on the effects of the smoke and about the need to visit the health centers regularly. We also advised them to use precautionary measures during fish smoking to avoid adverse health effects.

This year, mush attention is given to plastics but I have decided to go with air pollution from smoking of fish and burning in general because it is an issue worrying the university community and the communities in and around the university.