We all breath the same air. And unfortunately due to one of the largest uses of diesel generators in the world, that air quality is very poor. Additionally we are seeing a drastic increase in temperatures with our summers hotter than ever.
God gave us this earth filled with all the resources that we need and we should respect his plan for us. A few years back Richard Branson offered a $25 million prize to anyone who can invent a device capable of removing significant volumes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Andy Kerr, an environmentalist, drew a picture of a tree and sent it in. After all, a tree performs the job of sucking carbon out of the air far better than any technology yet devised by humans. To this day no one received the prize money because God is the best engineer known to date.
I would also argue that flooding affects all of us. Did you know that trees reduce flood risk from the top to bottom. Lots of raindrops that land on leaves evaporate straight into the air- so less water reaches the ground. And what does reach the ground is absorbed by the roots. The older tree the bigger the root system. I am happy to hear about tree planting initiatives but it’s very important to understand it takes decades for a tree to mature to a level where it significantly absorbs carbon dioxide and gives large amounts of oxygen. So a tree planting initiative does not replace decade old trees that we are fortunate enough to have in Lagos.
I am also happy to see progress and roads being repaired but why in 2020 does it have to be at the cost of something else? One would think that proper urban planning incorporates greenery especially in a neighborhood where this is one of the main features that distinguishes it and helps maintain the property values at their highest.
Most cities around the world are trying to find ways to become greener because they understand that proper city planning is key to the well-being of its citizens therefore all factors need to be properly considered.
We have the opportunity to develop ours in the best way possible. So why wouldn’t we want to be an example of how development in Africa can be done right. Not give the world another opportunity to criticize us.
