Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), an ecology-focused Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), on World Earth Day called for a drastic reduction in the use of plastics to save planet earth from suffocation.
HOMEF notes that celebrating the annual Earth Day themed: ‘Planet Vs Plastic’ urges us to build a liveable future for humans, other beings, and natural systems, a statement by Kome Odhomor, HOMEF, media and communications Lead stated.
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The World Earth Day is an annual event designed to shed light on serious environmental problems faced from the climate crisis to air pollution and deforestation
Nnimmo Bassey, the executive director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, while advocating for urgent action to ban the production and usage of single-use plastics also called for action by everyone to be involved in efforts to kick out plastics.
“Now is a critical time to choose between planet and plastic. Good sense tells us to choose the planet, our Mother Earth that sustains all lives. Poor sense driven by profit urges humans to choose plastics because of the ease they bring, despite the harmful impacts on our health, climate, and overall health of the planet,” Bassey said.
“As we mark World Earth Day 2024, the alarm must be sounded that it is time to uproot plastics from their fossil base or be ready to be turned into plastic humans living plastic lives and heading to an infernal plastic future. At HOMEF, we are all for the planet, people, and all life forms.”
HOMEF noted that research has shown that 380 million tonnes of plastic are now produced every year globally, while only nine per cent of plastic ever produced has been recycled. Campaigns around the world calling for a 60 per cent reduction in plastic by 2040 are commendable and worthy of support.
The statement informed that “at HOMEF, we believe in the intrinsic Rights of Mother Earth and the rights of humans and other beings to be respected and to live in dignity. It is time to build up courage and to preserve and protect our health, and our livelihoods by embracing alternatives that are sustainable, healthy, and safe for the planet and we must stop all forms of destructive extractive activities in Nigeria, Africa, and the World.
“World Earth Day reminds us as humans that the Earth is ours to protect and preserve but over time humans have abandoned their roles in protecting the planet because of selfishness and drive for profit.
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The Planet vs Plastics campaign is a call to arms, a demand that we act now to end the scourge of plastics and safeguard the health of every living being on our planet,” We are submerged in a sea of plastic wastes, from our creeks to the ocean. It’s time we did better!”
We stand united in our fight against non-biodegradable waste pollution. Our addiction to single-use plastics suffocates the planet. Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose, clog our water bodies, and cause harmful impacts as a result of their chemical composition. Sadly, the world is a plastic civilisation due to a vested interest in hydrocarbons and ease of application.
