When the death of Sudan, the last white male rhinoceros was announced on Monday March 19, 2018 the world literally held its breath. Influencers, celebrities and several others especially environment protection and conservation fanatics lent their voices with most clamouring for the need for humans to change their attitude towards conservation of the wildlife, environment and nature generally.

Trust Nigerians to act unbothered. Who would blame us though?

We have a barrage of issues daily besetting us. Why should the death of a “mere animal” bother us when hundreds of people die daily, no thanks to incessant tribal wars, religious insurgency, underfunded hospitals amongst other ills. While this may be true, what is often forgotten is that there portends a danger far more catastrophic than bad leadership should we continue to neglect tending to and caring for our environment.

When critically considered, we are doing ourselves more harm than good, focusing all our attention on economy, leadership, education, though all of which are important, pale when compared to how directly issues like erosion, congested air, deforestation, river pollution and animal extinction affect our lives. The fact, whether or not we admit, remains that our quest for good leadership and a better country will one day be met but by then, at this rate, it may be too late to have the beauty of our environment back. Would we then now start another protest for the environment?

This is something for us all to think about and if you are out there wondering how you can take care of your environment, let me share with you quick ways, according to an article published on www.conserve-energy-future.com.

1. Stop smoking. If you don’t smoke, you lessen air pollution and improve your lung health.
2. Change the way you clean the house. Use sustainably made items or all-natural products that aren’t made with dangerous chemicals. It’s better for your health, doesn’t pollute the air, and is less harsh on personal items.
3. Conserve water. Wash your clothes and dishes only after you have a full load. Save water by turning off the faucet, taking shorter showers, and make use of nature’s water by collecting rainwater to water your lawn.
4. Unplug things. If an item isn’t in use, that doesn’t mean it isn’t requiring electricity while plugged up. When an item is unplugged, it’s not using any power at all. This saves more energy for future use while being cost effective.
5. Learn to upcycle. There are so many crafty ways to reuse things you already have. Research to learn fun new projects that can bring new life to old items so that you don’t have to throw them away.
6. If you can, avoid using plastic water bottles and paper. Anything you do use that is recyclable, be sure to dispose of it properly.
7. Contact government officials and support petitions and other companies that promote change.
8. Be kind to others. Donate things that you don’t use anymore instead of throwing them away. You avoid trashing valuable items while making it available to someone else for less money. On a similar note, purchase items that were gently used instead of buying new material that has been mass produced with no regard for the environment.