Climate Action Now / From Pollution to Conservation
by Francisca Kasuku
CLIMATE ACTION NOW
Systems change is important because most people change their ways based on the need to and if they see the need. There is something about individuals owning up their projects in which they have put in some effort into. Usually, sustainability is the result of such. Whether put in the context of a project or something else. The changes would for example include use of clean energy, more home vegetable gardens, clothes not made from wildlife products and avoiding single-use plastics.
The Climate Crisis eventually leads to Biodiversity loss. This happens because of the detrimental effects that come as a result of Climate Change. Rampant Wildfires that result in the death of wildlife and habitat which could be a result of heat waves, floods, drought, or unprecedented weather shift. All of these affect people's livelihoods with a need to change tactics to adapt.
Speaking of adaptation, there are sustainable ways to conquer Climate change by reducing its implication. It is a simple action such as SDG 12, responsible consumption and production. Imagine if by choice most people refused single-use plastic, that would mean a drop in demand for its production.
SDG 13 on Climate Action is in place in various ways. Well, youths are louder in their social media campaigns using different hashtags under the FridaysForFuture umbrella. A movement that caused a ripple effect that has made more people climate aware. I have seen projects encouraging Climate Smart Agriculture ie the EBAFOSA - Ecosystem-Based Food Systems Approach that uses solar to preserve cassava, a staple food that is drought resistant.
Finally, I have recently met an eco-school. Well, not because they only plant trees but it is a school that uses solar energy to supply it with electricity to electric-dependent devices. Kivukoni School in Kilifi, Kenya is nature-based. The school is based in a natural world, with simple classes, not large buildings. Parents and students alike agree to promote harmony with nature by signing an agreement and complying in that, there is no single-use plastic, vegetarian diets are encouraged and the litter is well managed with waste separation being a priority.
Children that grow up loving nature will hardly depart from it. People love what they know and understand. What joy there is in creating nature lovers from a tender age? These young people influence their parents and say no comfortably to behaviour such as littering through the window. In particular, I'm deep into Climate literacy because I know that awareness creation can spur some positive change in mindset and attitudes. A positive shift will mean a higher chance of more people embracing nature-based solutions to combat Climate change in their individual capacity and the entire community. I believe that it is not late to cut off our carbon footprint and achieve Net-Zero. There is hope for Mother Earth. She can still win if we think and act sustainably.
From Pollution to Conservation
A story is told of a young girl, ambitious, witty, and cheeky. A friend to many people. Young and old alike. She is a teachers favourite. Made in the slum of Mathare, Nairobi. She yearns and ask alot wants to know more all the time.
Her parents have dreams for her. They want her to be a doctor or better yet am engineer. She is up for it and pushes herself towards it. She performs well in sciences. But she seemed to have discovered from a long time what she loved. Connecting with nature. Her upbringing hardly brought green spaces to her.
One day she had visited the National Museums of Kenya. Here she heard the story of the dinosaur and from there henceforth, she knew that she wanted to defend wildlife of all sorts big and small. She did not feel limited by the fact that where she stays there was hardly a verandah to even have a small garden.
She planted trees in primary school, high school was an active member in the wildlife club. She ended up pursuing Bsc. Wildlife Management and Conservation. She has thereafter focused on what makes her happy to be able to change the mindset of one person at a time and to plant trees whenever the opportunity arises.
She has through AFEW Kenya, Action for Cheetahs in Kenya and the University of Nairobi Wildlife Students Association been able to inspire other youths. She recently got the 2021 EE30 under 30 award. She continues to do her Environmental Education and Awareness work through social media advocating for both Wildlife and animal welfare.
She dreams of a day when more slum children especially those living in the slums will be able to experience the natural world and be advocates who protect the immediate green spaces. She also envision a future where Wildlife and communities living within wildlife corridors will live in harmony.
About
I am passionate about Wildlife, Biodiversity and ecological relationship. I believe that wildlife and humans can co-exist, and green spaces can thrive as sustainable development continues. I have worked with organizations that focus on environmental education. In this regard, I have hands-on experience in environmental and conservation education. I have nurtured a wide pool of young environment champions that care for all creations. Francisca is an Eleven Eleven Twelve Foundation representative in Kenya. I am an active member of the Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network and the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network-Kenya.
