By Chit Ko Pe
I MAGINE a sight of green lawn in coolness with cozy breeze under the blue sky. How pleasant and enjoyable it is! How soothing and relaxing the viewers feel! It should not be legendary or mythical, but must be real for next generations. Currently, unsustainable environments surround around us.
True nature diminishes and depletes in most parts of the earth in this age. It is due to inconsiderate and unkind acts of mankind, knowingly or unknowingly destroying the environment in the name of globalization or industrialization or modernization. Mother Earth is consequentially inflicted with climate disruption, biodiversity loss, pollution and waste.
Origin of a true nature shall remain intact, and shall not be spoilt and ruined. Enjoyment of true nature is a basic right for the next generations who shall not be put precarious and perilous in a spoilt environment.
To tackle it in a collective move, all member countries of the United Nations (UN) have been roped in to follow and adopt the guidelines laid down. To reinforce the move, a particularly auspicious day was chosen and designated by the UN in 2019 for annual observance worldwide. It is the 7th of September, and this year marks the 3rd anniversary of the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.
The present world has been suffering faster warming than ever before. It is because of heat-trapping or the presence of greenhouse gases (GHGs) of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides among others in the sky. The GHGs exist as a result of human acts such as burning fossil fuels, cutting down rainforests and forests and emitting from vehicles and industries.
The GHGs act like a blanket above the earth trapping the sun’s heat and leading to global warming and climate change. The natural characteristics of the atmosphere are altered by chemical, physical or biological agents produced from household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires, resulting in air pollution with a threat of adverse effects to human health or the environment.
Our Yangon city does have the primary sources of air pollution—traffic, diesel generators, construction works, power plants, factories, burning of waste, and slash-and-burn agricultural practices. Myanmar, as a whole, has often experienced more intense floods, cyclones and droughts becoming one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to the impacts of climate change.
It is largely detrimental to human health with nine out of ten persons globally living in areas with poor air quality, an annual casualty of seven million premature deaths including 600,000 children under the age of five, and more than two billion people still relying on the polluting cooking systems according to the report of the World Health Organization (WHO). To these health effects, people more vulnerable than others are children, pregnant women, older adults and the elderly, people with heart disease, lung disease or respiratory problems and those of all ages who exercise or work vigorously outdoors as they expose themselves to ozone more than others.
Therefore, it is crucial and critical to protect people’s health, well-being, and quality of life from the impacts of air pollution. First of all, we shall start with a transformative change in our lifestyles and in work execution practices at jobs so as to reduce air pollution as far as possible and manageable.
Some industries here and abroad have been adopting the so-called green approaches such as a reduce-reuse-recycle practice to minimize wastage, energy conservation with electrical light fittings, air conditioning systems, appliances, equipment and devices that bear energy-efficient or green label marks as well as the use of solar cells or other alternate energy eg. bio-diesel, wind.
Individuals’ involvement in such a noble move will make a difference to restore the origin of nature by –
growing more trees,
turning off lights, computers and engines when not in use,
unplugging electronic gadgets when they are off,
walking or riding a bike,
avoiding open-burning of debris or waste, and
saving water.
At a national level, the following awareness activities shall be regularly organized in communities, schools, universities, business settings, public offices and institutions.
distribution of brochures,
educational talk shows televised / radio broadcast,
practical demonstrations,
poster exhibitions,
conferences and seminars,
publication of articles in newspapers, journals and magazines,
timely updates and discussion on social media
development of policies, guidelines and planning for air pollution control,
natural resources management and environmental sustainability
action plan for transboundary haze pollution control,
capacity development and international cooperation, and
people’s awareness and participation events.
Legislations prompt the control measures for environmental and air quality management that Myanmar strictly follows with an array of environmental laws enacted like other member countries of the UN.
All people, global citizens, shall mind the importance of a sustainable environment and strive for the eternal existence of our earth with clean air through green care.
