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Environmental Sustainability as a Tool for Peace Building
an article by Ms. Adam Ceesay
Environment is mostly seen as an abstract item in our lives.
However, I believe it serves as an integral link between all other
factors of life and if used effectively can lead to harmonious
collaborations within communities.
click on photo to enlarge
For
example, a pollution prevention initiative called "Operation Clean the
Nation" in The Gambia has brought together people from communities of
various ethnic groups for the joint cause of ensuring a clean
environment.
With a disregard for religious, political and tribal
differences; these communities have united to form unbreakable bonds of
love, trust, fun and laughter.
With daily meetings at community development centers, women and
youth groups in certain villages can now boast of better economic gains
through reuse of waste materials such as plastic bags to make beautiful
products e.g. local fans, slippers and bags.
These same groups also boast of successful community advocacy
programs on safe use of the environment e.g. encouraging use of solar
energy and biogas technology.
This has in no small measures resulted in fewer cases of
deforestation and better use of the local people’s time for sustainable
economic gains.
In essence, working towards environmental sustainability in The
Gambia through joint initiatives by the local communities has reduced
the amount of time people actually special on negative issues such as
tribalism, religious segregation and violent politics; leaving them with
the choice of having closer contact with their fellow citizens, as well
as learn and share new environment-friendly development activities.
This is what I call a peaceful and harmonious coexistence in a society.
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DISCUSSION
Question(s) related to this article:
What is the relation between the environment and peace?
Thematic forum(s) in which this article is being discussed:
ECOLOGY - ECOLOGIE
LATEST READER COMMENT:
[quote=mmartin,Nov. 16 2004,22:16][/quote]
| Quote | | Preserve the planet is one of the keys of a culture of peace. |
For
sure it is; the question is what is the relation, and for this we can
best listen to the wisdom of so many indigenous peoples, that from times
immemorial are guardians of the earth. If we are not at peace with our
environment, behaving like parasites, how can we even think about a
peacefull and non violent culture for our future generations....it is
like a contradiction in terms.
So we have to heal this error of
thinking and realise that the relation between the environment and peace
is one of inextricable boundage.
This is why I want to bring
under your attention the Global Campaign: SPEAKING4EARTH that is
launched at 9 december 2004 in the Peace palace in The Hague.
Indigenous
peoples have a deep spiritual connection to their land, including the
sky, the clouds, the rivers, the soil and all living creatures. In the
indigenous world, it is said that land is not something you inherit from
your ancestors, but rather something you borrow from your children.
Speaking4Earth is a project connecting this sense of change in the
western relationship with the world with the vision of indigenous
peoples that we need to care for the earth for our future generations.. . ...more.
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This report was posted on August 10, 2011.
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