Addressing Climate change related food security challenges in Rural Africa

I came across this short documentary on youtube about climate change and how it affects smallholder rural farming communities in Zimbabwe. The documentary was done by Development Reality Institute. It looks at how local communites view climate change, what indegeneous knowledge they use to predict weather and to cope with it etc. In short it brings together what i feel are some of the important entry points to dealing with climate change related food security challenges at the smallholder scale in rural Africa.There are quite a number of interesting issues brought up especially where science meets indegenous knowledge. What i enjoy most is the positivity with which rural communities are progressing under multiple challenges, and how clearly they articulate challenges, needs and expectations regarding climate change and food security. We should listen more.

   

Egonomics of poverty: "Silly" reasons for hunger and poverty in Africa

courtesy of photobucket.com

Munyaradzi Mufambisi says “If we already know the basic parameters of what needs to be done, why have we allowed hundreds of millions to go hungry in a world that produces more food for every woman, man and child? Bluntly stated, the problem is not so much lack of food as a lack of political will. There is indeed enough food in the world to sustain every person. The problem of hunger is not one of supply but of an economic system based on inequality and a gross concentration of wealth in the hands of the few.” 

How I like quoting my friends like world renounced commentators. I pulled this off Munyaradzi’s Facebook profile. In case you are wondering, He is a friend and an economics/finance guy…hence the wealth and economics slant of that argument. More importantly, he is an “ordinary” guy with the concerns of any man (mine at least). This old Facebook post came to mind recently and got me thinking, could there be other reasons for a world going hungry despite producing enough or having the potential to produce enough food for all? I confess, my mind trod as far away as possible from the economics and finance argument of it all. Since I know only enough of that to hold up a conversation with a Taxi rank marshal from Gumbonzvanda (don’t ask). This is what came to mind:

There is a saying by my people, “kufa nenyota makumbo ari mumvura”. Loosely translated, “Dying of thirst while we stand in water.” I thought, there must be at least some things that we are doing to fuel this vicious cycle of hunger and starvation amid plenty (we here referring to Africans/Zimbabweans). Without worrying much about the Global economics, politics, wealth sharing and food distribution argument. What is our part in this?

Could it be a case of the man thinks the water in which he stands is too dirty to drink and so he may die from diarrhoea (which is quite ironic because if he doesn’t drink the water, he is sure to die anyway). Could it be that he doesn’t have a cup and so is too proud to cup his own hands to drink the water. Has the man been given too much of a taste of "Le good life” to make him too proud to go back to the basics in order to save his own life?

Yellow maize popped into my head. Zimbabweans call it “Kenya.” I think because it came from Kenya…I can’t be sure. It is a type of maize that any self respecting Zimbabwean would never grind to make our beloved Sadza (a thick porridge…there is more to it really but for progress’ sake, let us just call it that) come what may. It is maize like any other maize, but the colour is associated with extreme poverty, especially severe famine. The last time I saw a meal made from yellow maize was in 1993. This was around the time Zimbabwe experienced the worst drought of my generation. It is as if Zimbabweans signed a contract with the wind that stated “as of this year, we will never make Sadza from yellow maize again, its too demeaning” and as long as the wind blows, that contract stands! A Zimbabwean will only have his Sadza white or no Sadza at all. We wouldn’t be caught dead eating a meal made with yellow maize. We would rather starve. Such attitudes and beliefs though seemingly petty and trivial to an outsider can easily make or break a well meaning programme to relieve people from the clutches of hunger. Even if all the maize in the world were redistributed, we wouldn’t touch it as long as it was any other colour but white. Our egos won’t allow it.

Another idea popped into my head. How about improved farming technologies? They have worked wonders all over the world (case in point being Asia), why not Africa? Of course there is a whole political, socio-economic argument there, but im shying away from those. I am sticking with the seemingly silly arguments today! It got me thinking, improved technologies have failed in Africa (of course not entirely) not from a lack of trying. In a ridiculously large number of cases, farmers just simply won’t adopt them. Again, there are a lot of political and economic reasons to that too. However if you have as a researcher or development person ever encountered indigenous farmers that simply tell you “this is how we have done things for as long as we can remember and we are not going to change” then you probably know what I am talking about. All scientific reason and evidence will not move such people even if efforts are for their own good. Tradition and history can easily throw spanners in well meaning works to alleviate hunger and poverty. There is a lot that can be learnt from indigenous people (a whole lot) but if locals also continue to resist foreign interventions, simply because our egos won’t let us part with tradition, then progress towards “food for all” will be severely retarded.

How I would love to hear other “seemingly silly” arguments about why there is so much hunger and poverty in the world. Where else on the continent or the world does the “yellow maize” or “we have been doing this for years” mindset persist?

Space has been conquered. What about child hunger?

A picture of a starving child being stalked by a vulture made headline news all over the world in the early 90s. I couldn't have been old enough to know how to cross a busy street let alone solve simple maths problems like 5 minus 8, probably responding with “it cant,” along with a puzzled facial expression. The picture showed a starving Sudanese girl who had just collapsed on her way to a United Nations feeding station. she could hardly move or make a sound. She was that hungry. She had lost control of the use of her limbs and voice, her brain most likely shutting down and her spirit completely broken. She could have been just as old as I was then, and yet, she wasn't grappling with simple childish things like math and street crossing problems. Rather, life and death at the hands of starvation.

Pulitzer prize winning photo by Kevin Carter showing a starving Sudanese child being stalked by a patient vulture.

I have only recently come across this picture through the Bang Bang club a partial dramatisation of this event and the life of the photographer Kevin carter who took the picture. What a sad sight. And yet despite almost 2 decades having gone by since the picture was taken, UNICEF reports that 17000 children die daily from hunger and related illnesses (1 child every 5 seconds!), this picture still holds meaning to this day.

While it is hard to look at the picture without trying to moralise, that debate has since run its course but the timeless message in the picture remains. To me the message is simply, something isn't right. If we can allow little kids to starve to death or even go through life without enough to eat, something just isn't right. In this age of amazing developments, where we have come from smoke signals to video chatting, hunting and gathering to genetically modified food, how can we still be unable to feed every one on the planet? Let alone helpless children. " We" were able to put a man on the moon over 4 decades ago but to this day "we" cant put 3 meals a day in every child's plate. That cant be right.

                              

Is it not the role of every member of society and the whole world to ensure that children are protected and assisted to reach their greatest potential? Well, it should be. Clearly we are not doing what we should be. Could this be because we simply do not care? Have we gotten so carried away in our own luxuries to appreciate the suffering of other people? Yes, challenges exit in the world and particularly Africa which make efforts to feed all people very difficult. Amid all the wars, civil unrest, and political instabilities the starvation of children and young people is still inexcusable. We shouldn’t expect to overcome most social ills on this continent if the young members of our society are hungry. A hungry child cannot learn or do anything productive and is prone to violence. What more, their master becomes whoever offers them food. Imagine what other social ills can come from that.

By saying “feed the hungry”, the world does not ask for a man to be landed on another planet, far from it. Simply that the world cares enough to take the necessary steps to make food available to all people on earth especially the vulnerable and helpless children. It is not easy, thats a given. But genuine concerted efforts to that end are a good start.

If we think always with our minds and never with our hearts, we will lose our humanity.

Courtesy: www.1billionhungry.org/

I came across this anti-hunger campaigns which i think is quite catchy. The I billion hungry movement: I am MAD as hell! Sounds very convincing when you listen to Jeremy Irons say it on this video.  

Climate science Vs the old lady with sensitive limbs?

We have an old lady in my village who has mastered the art of weather forecasting to a tee. Her methods are unconventional but she is well respected and trusted in the community. As it turns out, gogo Chagweda can tell the weather to as far ahead as 4 weeks based of her own health.  “Ndinonzwa mitezo yangu yorwadza, ndoziva kuti mvura yave pedyo kuuya” (I can tell that the rains will be upon us soon when my limbs start to ache). Of course anyone would be forgiven for laughing this off.  Think about it. Limbs and rainfall…really! How would you react to such a claim? Would you not scoff at this statement?

However, whether we believe in the old lady’s methods or not is immaterial. Her community does. For as long as gogo Chagweda continues to make her “forecasts,” scientific forecasts have no value in my village, more so when they do not tally with her predictions. Now that’s quite a pickle for conventional science. Years of scientific research has no chance against an old lady armed with her sensitive limbs, huh? While my village case is a little extreme and slightly cynical (just to illustrate a point of course) example of Indegeneous Knowledge Systems (IKS) , similar situations will most likely exist in African villages. Here communities trust their age old IKS (of which old ladies like gogo Chagweda may be custodians) to conventional science.  

Panel discussion on indegeneous knowledge and climate change at COP 17.

So long as science continues to shy away from recognising (and I say this with the greatest amount of care) the value of local knowledge of weather and climate, the work of scientists may continue to be shunned by local communities. Scientific work will continue to play second fiddle to IKS. Given the present and potential future challenges that climate change poses especially to local resource-poor communities, isn’t it vital that conventional science and IKS find some level ground? Shouldn’t they at least start to have a conversation to that end? The way I see it, science needs to do the courting not the other way around. The Maasai certainly think so. Speaking at a side event organised by CTA at COP17, Mosses Ndiayine, Director of the Indigenous Heartland Organisation in Tanzania, a Maasai and full time livestock header said "It’s unfortunate we haven’t been able to put this knowledge in books, films and tape, we could share our knowledge with the world." “We can tell scientists that this is what we have to share and maybe they can learn from us” He continued. See video as Mosses speaks about the use of animal sounds and vegetation for weather forecasting by the Maasai.

I think the ability of scientists to approach such knowledge and community wisdom with respect and understanding can be the difference between successful community use of scientific information and failure. Yet this is as rare as a 3 dollar bill. As scientists, we learn to be suspicious of anything which cannot be verified scientifically, quantified or “reasonably” explained. But by ending there, we may miss out on the inspiration that we need in order to bridge between science and community application and acceptance of our work.

At the same COP17 side event, the director of Indegeneous people of Africa coordinating committee IPAAC, hit the nail on the head when he said “Locals have an intimate relationship with their local landscape, traditional knowledge should therefore be taken into account in policy frameworks.” We need to start having these conversations with open minds. In these deliberations lie the answers to the successful application of science at community level. Given what is at stake, shouldn’t we be trying? I know the African Young Scientists Initiative on Climate Change and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AYSICCIKS) are. There are more initiatives out there i should think and it would be interesting to follow the progress they are making in their work.

It’s not all sad stories and begging baskets in Africa

Talk about ordinary people doing it for themselves, taking things into their own hands and pulling themselves from the jaws of poverty.  Happy Shongwe is one such person. Having lived for a greater part of her life under difficult circumstances, Happy has shown an impressive will to uplift herself and her family.

Happy Shongwe and Sam Sithole

In a space of less than a decade, Happy has transformed her life from lack into a well-established award-winning farmer and agro-business woman. She is a clear example of what one can do if they apply themselves to a vision wholeheartedly. Happy now owns  a productive farm, and seed business in Swaziland. She also co-ordinates women from her community in a bid to empower them to be self-sufficient as well. Being a rural African woman, Happy  is typically hardworking, she was raised that way. She is also very community-focused and wants her community to rise from poverty to comfort.

Notably, this kind of story is quite typical in African villages. These qualities of our people should be celebrated and upheld.  Unfortunately most of these stories are hardly ever reported. Thanks to FANRPAN, Happy is able to tell her story to the world and inspire other woman and communities around the continent. Maybe this is the catalyst that we need to loosen our dependence on food aid on a continent which has such natural potential to feed itself. Fancy working up each morning to the daily paper leading with a new story of such inspirational persons. Imagine the effect it could have.

I had the opportunity to meet yet another example of this hardworking, resourceful African woman in Lydia Sasu of Ghanan (in Video).  Yet another typical African mother if I ever saw one.  Hardworking, caring and very humble. And yet her work and mobilisation of local women around farming in Ghanaian villages has earned her worldwide recognition. She is clearly flattered and surprised by all the accolades. She would do it sans awards anyway.  This is what she does, this is the life she knows and loves.  She wouldn’t do anything else. What a blessing that our young African brothers and sisters are raised and learn from these women.

“A farmer doesn’t rest. He is always trying this or that thing. "Mr Isaiah Sithole defined the typical African farming man in response to the question “Why do you do so many things at once” at the recent side event hosted by FANRPAN at COP17. Sithole is yet another clear example of the self-empowering African. A humble, unassuming and soft spoken man, Sithole has been able to make the best of humble beginnings to become a self-sufficient  farmer who deals in crops, poultry and livestock all in one. He is a self-made agro-business man in Swaziland and like Happy was able to tell his story and inspire other African farmers at a FANRPPAN side event at COP17’s Agriculture and Rural Development Day(ARDD).

There are many other such stories out there. Stories of ordinary rural African folk making it happen for themselves and their communities. May they be a shining example of what ordinary people can do for themselves and their communities. Kudos to all those organisations like FANRPAN, CONNECT4CLIMATE and CTA who are trying to bring these stories to the rest of the world!

Fitting tribute to Wangari Maathai at COP17: Now to take her vision forward

 Just had an inspiring day. The kind that makes you want to go out there and do something significant. Sign your name to a large portion of the earth, to remain there for eternity. I sat through a session that did just that for me today. The Forest Day 5 at COP17 in Durban South Africa gave a fitting send off and tribute to Wangari Maathai. A touching 8 minute video documented her vision and some of her achievements (based on the video below). Speaker after speaker showered unending praises for her visionary work. It got me thinking.

Wangari Maathai: greenbeltmovement.org

Just how much of a difference can a single person or a “not-so-empowered” group of people with an idea to serve make? In Wangari’s words, “Grass roots people can change the world.” That she did. A single and simple idea to plant a tree and get the rest of the world doing the same started movements on the continent and all over the world which have changed the lives of ordinary people, the way we see and appreciate the environment and demonstrated how much well organised pressure from ordinary people can force politicians into action. Whats more, all this she did from humble beginnings. 

The Forest Day 5 sessions focused on REDD+ and how to operationalize it (among a few other related issues). Most ideas thrown around by delegates circled around community ownership of land, community-led reforestation projects, and incorporation of agriculture and gender issues. Interesting, especially considering that this is exactly what Wangari thought and set out to do when she started the Green Belt Movement(GBM) in Kenya in the year...wait for it…wait for it… 1977! Suprisingly, more than 3 decades later, the world’s leading thinkers, policy-makers and civic organisations are still debating such a “no-brainer.” The results of Wangari’s approach are self-evident in Kenya,and the mobiliation of global movements. Yet, progress on REDD+ is still very slow.

How did she do it? She was fearless, she got involved, rolled her sleeves and dug in (see video). Wangari challenged the powers that be and forced them to do that which needed to be done. She started small with what was around her and scaled up. Without taking anything away from current well-meaning efforts to get REDD+ working, it looks to me like there is lots to be learnt from Wangari Maathai and GBM. Sealing the REDD+ deal would be a fitting tribute to her. The question is, how? Are we willing to take the stand that she did and can we get the “powers that be” to do what obviously needs to be done, in the way it needs to be done?

At COP17 Forest Day 5 with M Dhlamini (CANGO-Swaziland) and E. Chivhenge (Gottingen University- Germany)

Agro-sensual: Making agriculture “sexy” for the youth in a changing climate!

“We are young and we are fast, we want things to happen quickly, it is our nature. God made us that way so that we can accumulate as much assets as possible before we age.” Don’t I just wish I had said those words? These are the words of Talentus Mthunzi of ORAP, a rural agricultural organisation based in Zimbabwe at the recent FANRPAN regional dialogue on food security and youth engagement in agriculture held in Swaziland. 

nkulumo, Swaziland's youth minister and Talentus Mthunzi

Talentus was responding to questions raised by elder delegates to the meeting. 

Concern was that in light of climate change, youth participation in agriculture at the present is important to ensure future food security. Yet, it is clear that young people are as interested in agriculture as they are in lawn bawling, or fishing, or counting the sand on the beach, or ... you get the picture. The question was why is there so much disinterest in agriculture among the youth?

Maureen Agena as a member of the panel at the meeting

Talentus’ response, agriculture just doesn’t pay quick enough. Young people do not have the patience to wait. They want returns now, not next season, not next year, now... yesterday. Another articulate youth, Maureen Agena from Uganda put it another way. “Agriculture just isn’t sexy enough.”  Young people are all for the glitz and the glamour, not the grit and grime. To attract more youth in the industry, agriculture needs to become sassier. Maureen gave a scenario to demonstrate her point. “I graduate from college with a degree in agriculture and I am consoled... my brother graduates with a degree in medicine and he is congratulated.” It is a matter of mindset. I couldn’t agree more. We have been raised in a society which celebrates Doctors, Engineers, Pilots, Educators and the like and looks upon Farmers with the “Oh poor thing, couldn’t get a proper job look”. This mindset needs to be adjusted. There is hope still. 

Hilma Angula makes her point to the delegates

Young people are driven, they want to get ahead. They are full of ideas which can change any industry and mindset setback. If anyone can change the negative perception of agriculture and shape the future of our continent’s food security status in a changing climate, it is the youth. They just simply need to be enabled through guidance and financial leverage. As another young person at the dialogue put it “we are young, we have the ideas but where is the support...? If we have a string and you pull from that end and we pull from this end, we can tie a note” Hilma Angula, Namibian Youth Coalition on Climate Change.  

If venture capitalists didn’t believe in and support young Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Google co-founders), we would still be struggling to find information on the internet. Maybe the internet is not much of a priority on this continent at the moment. Food security comes first. More so with the pressure expected to be exerted on our food production systems by climate change.  Maybe with the right amount of belief and support, we can find our own Page and Brin in the agricultural sector. A couple (hopefully more, the more the better) of inspired and determined young people with a dream to transform the sector and provide all people with unlimited access to food.  

Its early days yet, but with organisations like FANRPAN trying to give the youth opportunities to showcase their capabilities and to share ideas on how to improve agriculture despite/under the climate change threat. It looks like we are heading somewhere. We may just need to pick up the pace.

The Youth delegation with the Youth Minister of Swaziland and the CEO of FANRPAN

Environmental consciousness: The new competitive edge for companies

Should organizations care about the implications that their products and services have on the environment?  The simple and direct answer is yes. It is not just about our natural environment being able to sustain life on this planet for present and future generations. It is about a new and imminent competitive edge that is set to make a big difference in business in the 21^st century.

Courtesy:www.fotosearch.com

In today's world, corporate activities are too frequently subsidized by non-monetary "external" costs paid by the environment and the earth at large. This has led to a backlash from environmentalists who constantly call for strict regulation of operations and punitive measures on business. However, it is my opinion that businesses should be able to self regulate and consider the impact of their activities on the environment and life of the planet as a whole. A new trend which business cannot afford to ignore is rising over the horizon, born from the damage that human activities led by industry and business have inflicted on the environment. The growing “going green” movement is here and here to stay. Business should therefore embrace this new trend and capatalise on it to advance their corporate interest or risk being knocked down by versatile competitors.

Michael potter, in the Harvard business review: business and the environment states “Managers must start to realize environmental management as an economic and competitive opportunity, not as an annoying cost or an inevitable threat.” Business and trade ethics in the world over are evolving very rapidly, making sound environmental consciousness a significant component for good business management. Yet despite these observations, few companies especially in low income countries like Zimbabwe take this new trend seriously.  However, if business intends to continue to stay vibrant and relevant on a local and especially global scale, environmental considerations should begin to feature consistently in business strategy. 

Courtesy: www.fotosearch.com

All businesses place warranted value on financial accountability through regular financial reporting and performance evaluations. In the 21^st century, as a result of rising concerns on the pressure being placed on our environment by business, similar value may well be placed on environmental accountability through regular environmental reporting and performance evaluations.   Companies should start developing environmental strategic frameworks which envision a sustainable future. This can be done through consistently analyzing environmental trends and pressures against company activities. Companies can then go on to channel operations into currently acceptable environmental impact levels and start considering the financial potential of greener products and activities.

Given that the environmental consciousness of an organization can set it apart from others, companies may consider the following:

·         Incorporating environmental issues in core business actions (practicing eco-friendly day to day activities, analyzing environmental trends, developing innovative eco-friendly services and products, investing in staff environmental education etc.)

·          Taking stock of company environmental responsibility (how does our activities or products impact the environment?  How can we measure our ecological footprint?  What action can we take to reduce the impacts? )

·         Account for environmental performance (Environmental reporting, monitoring and evaluation)

·         Develop partnerships in tackling environmental challenges among business, government and civil society.

While Zimbabwe may still be in its infancy in developing environmental standards and codes of ethics, individual companies in Zimbabwe should however consider becoming trailblazers in the current “green revolution” through self regulation. Vast benefits can accrue to these environmentally conscious companies. The companies may become “best practice” models in their respective industries and for the business community as a whole. In some instances, new laws and regulations may be modeled after the practices of these trailblazers, thereby ensuring that they stay ahead of the curve and demote competitors to merely playing “catch up”.

Courtesy:www.fotosearch.com

Taking the green initiative seriously will help companies demonstrate integrity. As the company operates nationally or globally and interacts with many societies and organisations whose values greatly differ from one location to another, by holding consistent moral and social positions, the company is viewed by key stakeholders as true to their word and principles. This will make them less vulnerable to attack or criticism. Expectations and demands from society often well exceed those of law and policy makers. It’s the everyday citizen who has the most influence on what constitutes current environmental challenge. Ignoring these voices of concern can cause irreparable reputational damage. Those companies that hold themselves to a higher standard, and go beyond compliance will enjoy the most highly regarded reputations. It is companies that go the extra mile that reap the rewards in the court of public opinion. And it is companies that voluntarily raise the bar that often unearth a myriad of commercially interesting business opportunities. Since the environmental question is top of current international agendas and concerns, taking a proactive stance is likely to build a company’s reputation.

One of the outstanding qualities of good businesses is the ability to recognize opportunity. In the 21^st century, the environment is one such opportunity. Business should be in tune with the wide range of environmental concerns of the world, and position itself to address them in a way that profits them. The environmental question is bound to be a catalyst of business innovation, will your business be a leading force in this revolution or settle for chasing the rest of the pack?

Climate change: Roll your sleeves, dig in... get with it!

I support Professor Kees Stigter of Agromet Vision and INSAM who during a Seminar on Agrometeorlogy and sustainable development held in Harare recently stated “We can fight about the causes and impacts but it (climate change) is undeniable, it is a reality.”

courtesy:www.fotosearch.com

Scientists and politicians will continue to bicker over the issue of climate change for years to come. While they do, it is up to us to take time to ascertain what is of essence on this matter and take action.

As a people, we are more inclined to be motivated to action by how we feel about something as opposed to facts and figures. The business as usual attitude will continue to prevail and life will go on as usual for as long as the climate change issue is not brought “home”.

In my humble opinion, (humility is a claim in this instance) climate change has a human face. It is more about people than it is of science, politics, facts or fiction. It is about our families, our friends, and our relationship with them and the world around us.

My conviction is that climate change has the potential to define us, to define our era, and ultimately to determine the legacy we leave for generations to come. As a result, young people hold the future in their hands.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, we need to be sure that we are aware of the changes occurring around us. Do we know what climate change is? How does it affect our lives, the lives of our families and friends and generations to come? Above all, as young people, what can we do?

I humbly (yet another claim of humility!) propose a 3 step action plan for young people who wish to shape the future regarding this critical (without sounding alarmist, of course) issue.

First and foremost, we need to get informed. Trying to make a difference without gaining an in-depth understanding of the matter at hand would be futile. It would be as senseless as pitching up to a nuclear war with spears, slingshots, bows and arrows (no matter how many of these weapons you bring to battle, they are inappropriate). Getting information and gaining an understanding of the climate change issue will ensure that we get involved. Get informed!

Once we have been informed, we need to take action. Most importantly we need to take and lead action. The future belongs to us. As young people we are most at stake (again, without sounding alarmist!). We cannot afford to stand aside and let our future be determined by those who may not be a part of it. We should take a stand for the future we want!

courtesy:www.fotosearch.com

This leads us to the final and equally important pillar of this tri-factor. As young people we need to influence policy and let our voices be heard. While policies are being drafted locally, regionally and globally, how many of us have managed to add our views to the climate change question. It is important that young people get together to discuss and decide on issues which are pertinent to us and to make them the centre of current and future policy decisions. While we may not all get the opportunity to take part in international conferences and events, we can get involved in debates and events which occur on-line. We spend half our time there anyway. Such platforms include Connect4Climate YPARD Green reporters AfricaAdapt and a whole lot others. Join, be heard, start your own... what ever you decide, just be heard!

Sustainable living: Going back to the basics/ Lessons from the past.

Contrary to the notion given off by highly commercialised marketing gimmicks, sustainable living need not cost an arm and a leg. Rather, sustainable living should at the least save us money. The basis of sustainable living is rooted in simplicity and thoughtfulness. In that sense therefore, low income people are in a better position to live sustainably than their more affluent counterparts. Yet, economically and technologically advanced societies with their talk of hybrid cars and nuclear energy would have us believe that drastic adjustments need to be made in the way we live in order to contribute towards a healthier planet. Lessons from our past will attest otherwise.

Let me take you down memory lane to confirm my declaration that lessons in simplicity, thoughtfulness and ultimately sustainable living are found thereof. How many of us remember the days when simply forgetting to switch off your bedroom light or letting the water tap drip would result in serious ramification at the hands of parents? Do we remember the days when every trip to the grocer was made with a recyclable shopping basket or plastic bag? I remember watering the garden only during the early hours of the morning albeit under heavy protest. I also remember the times when the whole family would travel to school, work or church in a single car despite the availability of another vehicle.

These and more actions which were practiced in the past vividly capture the foundations of sustainable living, which incorporate 3 basic principles which are: Reduce, Reuse/Recycle and Save. If we observe these lessons and apply them to our lives today, we will be on our way to a sustainable life.

Courtesy:www.fotosearch.com

Let us begin by considering the transport that we use. Three decades ago, being able to drive in Zimbabwe was a status symbol, mainly a preserve of men high up the socio-economic ladder. In this era however, everyone is driving. Gases emitted by cars are one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases which are the main cause of global warming. How do we ensure that we reduce the amount of gases emitted by our cars? Since electric cars, hydrogen cars and smart cars are still a long way from becoming trendy in this part of the world, reducing the number of cars on the road and the number of people driving is the most prudent way of cutting down on emissions.

We should begin to consider carpooling to work or to school. If our day involves sitting on a desk or in a class/lecture room, sharing a family car or a friend‘s car is a good way to reduce our carbon footprint (amount of carbon dioxide that we are directly or indirectly responsible for producing and emitting into the earth's atmosphere). Besides, with rising fuel prices and parking costs, it is going to save us a lot of money anyway.

Carpooling may help to improve our interpersonal relationships as well. This drive time can become family time or a time to catch up with friends thereby bringing us closer together. For those of us who drive everywhere including the market or grocery store (which is only 2km away), walking or cycling as alternatives to driving will not only save on greenhouse gas emissions but will contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

We can start to purchase more eco friendly products. Eco friendly products are those which have the least impact on the environment. Back in the day, it was natural to buy eco friendly products although we didn’t necessarily consider this to be a service to the planet. We saved money through buying local produce. What we did not realise is that we were also reducing our carbon footprint by reducing “food miles”. Foreign products don’t only cost more but travel much longer distances to reach us thereby using up more energy and emitting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Courtesy: www.fotosearch.com

Buying organic foods (foods produced naturally) will also reduce our impact on the environment since other products are likely to be grown with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Besides, organic food is much healthier. Choosing to buy energy saving appliances will help to reduce our carbon footprint as well as save us money in the long run. Energy saving bulbs for example use as little as 10kw of power as opposed to the conventional 60 - 100kw and can last up to 6 years. These bulbs will save money on our electricity bill as well as reduce the pressure on our severely compromised national energy generating capacity.

While we strive daily to save money, many of us do not make the connection between resources and finances, forgetting that electric bills and water bills make up a significant portion of monthly expenses. Just because these resources and expenses are necessary, that does not mean they cannot be cut back, or utilised more thoughtfully and effectively. Often times, we act in a wasteful manner, simply out of habit. But habits can be broken.

Saving water and electricity are simple tasks that will not only help promote sustainable living and protect the environment, they can also help reduce our household expenses. We should cut the habit of leaving the water running when brushing our teeth, cleaning dishes, or washing our cars. By simply filling the sink halfway with water, then adding soap, we ensure that no water is lost unnecessarily during dishwashing. When we wash our cars, we could use buckets and turn the hosepipe off. Being conscious of when we choose to water our lawn or garden is also helpful. We should avoid watering during the heat of the day. Watering in the early morning or evening hours is more efficient. Taking showers for shorter periods or using buckets also ensures that we save water.

Thousands of gallons of water are wasted each year, simply because people are too lazy to turn off the tap when doing daily tasks. The beauty of our situation in Zimbabwe is that most of us will find these changes simple to make considering our perennial water shortages. In most cases, we may have already been forced into these sustainable life changes anyway.

Through simple and thoughtful acts like turning the lights off if we are not in the room or taking full advantage of natural light whenever possible by opening curtains during the day, we reduce our energy use and costs.  We should always turn off appliances when not in use. Turning off the T.V, radio and computer and avoiding leaving the phone on the charger over night will significantly reduce the electricity that we use daily.

However, considering the excessive power cuts experienced in Zimbabwe, most of us are usually excited at the opportunity to maximize the few hours that we do have power by switching on every appliance imaginable even those which we do not need. We should try by all means to desist from this behavior. It increases the pressure on our meager energy resources thereby leading to more power cuts and higher electricity bills.

Courtesy:www.fotosearch.com

Reducing the amount of waste which we produce and recycling the waste is another important lesson for sustainable living which we can draw from the past. Litter will always find its way into rubbish dumps and landfills. These landfills are one of the major producers of methane, a leading greenhouse gas which contributes to global warming. Collecting newspapers, containers and plastic bags is an effective way of reducing your contribution to global warming. In most cases, there are people, organisations or companies that can make use of what you consider to be rubbish. Most of this material can be recycled into more useful materials like candles (which come in handy during power cuts) or tissues. Some companies may even pay for these materials.

Some of us have clothes which we do not need any more. Instead of throwing these away and generating more waste, give them away. Charitable organisations enable us to freely give away those items which we no longer need or want. Someone can reuse them. Giving items away will reduce the amount of waste we generate and also give us a sense of well being. Using recyclable carrier bags or shopping baskets will also help to reduce the amounts of excess plastic we generate. This will also save us money since plastic bags are now for sale in grocery stores.

Apart from reducing, recycling and saving, we can also take decisive action to restore our natural environment and our planet’s ability to sustain life. One of the most important acts we can engage in is tree planting. The value of trees to our lives can never be overemphasised. While planting a tree is a simple exercise, its value to our lives is immeasurable.  

Courtesy: www.fotosearch.com

Trees are the major removers of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They are therefore one of the most potent weapons against global warming and climate change. Trees also contribute immensely to our health and well being. They remove gaseous pollutants from the atmosphere and produce vital oxygen. Trees clean our water, preserve our soils and cool our environment. The importance of trees is so vast that it would require an entire article. However, in the mean time, why not plant a tree as a symbol of remembering important events in our lives such as birthdays, anniversaries and as a local funeral company would have it, in memory of a departed loved one.

Let us teach one another the simple tips on how to “save” the environment. One person or one generation alone cannot do it. This task needs as many people contributing as possible. Therefore, let us continue the culture of sustainable living through simple acts of thoughtfulness. This will augment and redevelop the basis for a culture that will live for generations to come.