By Sangeetha Shreekar
World Conservation Day is dedicated to protecting forests, conserving biodiversity and finding ways to source raw materials sustainably. As a collective, particularly now since Covid-19 we all need to play a part in the protection, conservation and sustainable practice of the world’s limited natural resources. We have all had the opportunity to explore, enjoy and re-connect over the last 16 months with nature so we need to protect it more than ever.
Some threats to natural resources are deforestation, too much industrial development, pollution, and illegal wildlife trade. Global warming, diseases, natural disasters, the melting of freshwater glaciers, and rising sea levels are all examples of a natural imbalance.
As we observe the World Nature Conservation Day on 28th July, below are the hard hitting facts on why you need to conserve the planet we live in so we can continue to enjoy living in it :
- Less than one percent of the water on Earth is safe for human consumption.
- Earth’s average temperature has increased 1 degree Celsius, or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit, above preindustrial levels.
- In 2015, over 20 percent of all coral reefs experienced a 90 percent mortality rate due to global warming.
Little changes make all the difference. How can you contribute in persevering the earth and playing a crucial role this Conservation day? Below are simple activities you could take up and initiate the drive towards conservation:
1) Become a recycling champion
Effective waste management practices are considered the most significant towards nature and environment protection. Become a recycling champion and do your bit towards the planet. Check out the Irish directives on all waste management and how they are regulated.
2) Become a patron
Support a conservation organisation in Ireland. You could always volunteer or make a donation, every little help counts. For example, check out Flossie & The Beach Cleaners for regular coast clean drives in your locality. You could get your team registered & make a day out of it.
3) Become a conservationist
Work to conserve in your own life: recycle, try and use less water and electricity, invest in renewable energy to power your home, plant indigenous trees.
4) Make sustainability your motto
Make sustainability your motto even when you hold events. Check out our blog on how you can ensure to hold a sustainable events going forward.
5) Grow your own
Grow your own vegetables or source locally grown produce, and get involved in local conservation initiatives. Reduce carbon footprint, say yes to local produce. Even a small project like kitchen garden hacks shows you care.
6) Educate yourself
Educate yourself with a powerful read like Nature’s Best Hope, it is a 2020 New York Times best seller, and shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats.
