Some residents in Abuja on Monday called for more awareness on World Earth Day to educate the people on the need to protect the environment for the benefit of the citizens.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the residents urged government, organisations, individuals to sensitise Nigerians on the importance of embarking on environment-friendly activities at all times.
It will be recalled that a U.S. Senator, Gaylord Nelson, on April 22, 1970, founded World Earth Day now been celebrated yearly in the world to save the natural assets of the earth.
In response to this year’s world’s earth day celebration, the residents agreed that steps must be taken to promote environmental-friendly activities by respecting the assets of the planet.
Mr Chinedu Okafor, a senior civil servant, said; ‘‘I’m not aware of such celebration but all the same, it is very necessary to take care of environmental issues to stay healthy and alive.
‘‘These days, everything is being packed in plastic bags; plastic bag productions are increasing day-by-day and are not properly disposed.
‘‘We all, small and great, should participate in checking the deterioration of the environmental,” he said.
He called for the control of oil spills, toxic dumps, air and water pollution due to industrialisation, raw sewage, use and production of pesticides.
Another civil servant, Alhaji Yusuf Ibrahim, decried the depletion of the ozone layer which prevents people from the ultra violet rays of the sun.
‘‘The function of the ozone layer is to shield the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun and to keep the earth warm.
‘‘And if the air is polluted, its effect on the ozone layer is that it creates holes in the atmosphere, which allows powerful ultraviolet rays from the sun to reach the Earth’s surface,’’ he said.
Ibrahim explained that another big problem of the environment is drying up of rivers by getting mixed with the industrial toxic materials which leads to global warming.
‘‘Increasing industrialisation on daily basis leads to deforestation which ultimately leads to the rise in earth’s temperature and we can curtail these through small steps.
‘‘Such steps include new trees plantation, inhibiting the deforestation, enhancing the energy conservation through reducing the unnecessary use of electricity.
‘‘These small steps will become big steps if taken by the people worldwide together,’’ he added.
Alhaji Ibrahim Sani, another respondent, called on government to sensitise the general public on the need to assist in making the environment safe for humans.
‘‘Various events and campaigns should be organised to celebrate the earth that will make people take part in clean environment in order to build a clean and healthy world to welcome new generations.
‘‘Perform outdoor activities related to the earth safety like tree planting, picking up waste materials on roadsides, recycling of wastes, energy conservation among others.’’
According to him, the aim of all these should be to inspire the public for making the earth safe for humans. (NAN)
