Hendrix Oliomogbe
The urgent need for climate action and how to respond to the warning signals the Earth is sending took the centre stage weekend all over the world during this year's World Environment Day.
Celebrated annually on 5 June, the World Environment Day is one of the planet's largest platforms for environmental outreach and is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
This year's edition, which has as its theme, "Climate Change Begins With You, Act Now" and hosted by Azerbaijan, will focus on solutions to the climate crisis.
In Benin City, Edo State, the Foundation For Earth Rights Assembly (FERA) joined the global community to mark the 54th celebration of World Environment Day, one of the biggest environmental awareness programmes in the world.
Speaking after the end of a road show on some main streets in the Edo State capital city, which terminated at Uselu Market, the executive director, Foundation For Earth Rights Assembly (FERA), Mr. Nosa Tokunbo said that the organization decided to launch its campaign as part of its responsibility of carrying out climate action to advocate for responsible consumption aimed at reducing plastic pollution in the environment.
Mr. Tokunbo added that the initiative is aimed at positively impacting on the planet, communities, and the future generations.
The executive director reeled out the many benefits of waste reuse to include but not limited to reusing items by keeping them out of landfills and reducing the growing problem of waste pollution.
The environmentalist lamented that plastic waste causes pollution, harms wildlife, clogs drains, creates unsanitary conditions, and wastes valuable resources.
He added: "Reusing extends the life of materials and reduces the demand for raw materials and energy and encourages creativity and innovation by turning old items into something useful and new.
"Also reusing items can reduce the need to buy new products, thereby helping to save money, reduce pollution. Less waste burned or sent to landfills means cleaner air, water, and healthier ecosystems.
Sharing, swapping and reusing builds stronger connections and creates a culture of care and responsibility."
Mr. Tokunbo passionately pleaded with Nigerians to embrace eco-friendly habits and contribute towards building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.
The environmental activist highlighted global warming and climate change; heat wave and extreme weather; melting glaciers; rising sea levels; deforestation; air and water pollution; plastic Pollution; and biodiversity loss and habitat destruction as the major environmental challenges in 2026.
As a way out, the executive director emphasized that plastic pollution could be beaten by people reducing what they use, reusing what they have, recycling what they can, restoring the land and ecosystems.
Mr. Tokunbo noted that the campaign slogan is #NowForClimate, stressing that acting now delivers safer, healthier, and more prosperous societies.
The environmental crusader continued: "This World Environment Day, let us embrace eco-friendly habits and contribute towards building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future. Plastic waste causes pollution, harms wildlife, clogs drains, creates unsanitary conditions, wastes valuable resources."
He concluded: "Choose sustainably. Act responsibly. Safeguard our environment. Our planet is warming and sending signals too hot to ignore. We're calling on everyone, everywhere, to move together for climate action."
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