Oh Mother Earth!

Billy sichone 1993

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QUOTES 1. “Once there was a valley of fertile land. There was grass for the animals and air was clean. But sometime later man wanted wood, he thoughtlessly cut down all the trees and because of this no people could live, the climate also changed. This was the second reason men could not live. They became poor. So this beautiful valley became a deserted place.” - USAMA AZHAR, PAKISTAN.( 10 YEAR OLD ) 2. “Man has lost his ability to foresee and to forestall. He will end by destroying the earth” =ALBERT SCHWEITZER (MISSIONARY AND PHILOSOPHER) 3. “Twenty percent of the earth is very cold, Twenty percent is mountainous. Of the remaining forty percent, about two percent has very little soil and rainfall. And man kind is busy destroying the rest.” - DONALD PHIRI (ZAMBIAN SCHOOL BOY) 4. “In those days, the annual supply of rainfall was not lost, as it is now, though being allowed to flow over treeless and denuded surface to the sea.” - PLATO, 347 BC (GREEK PHILOSOPHER) 5. “In the distant past, forest and nature surrounded (besieged) man but today the opposite is true, man is covered by a concrete jungle.” - BILLY SICHONE, 1993 (ZAMBIAN STUDENT) 6. “In ages past, man was struggling to cut and get out of the forest. But now he is busy planting and getting back into the forest.” - BILLY SICHONE, 1993 (ZAMBIAN STUDENT) 7. “It is an open secret that today, there is heavy pollution which if unregulated will lead to total destruction of this planet which man has sought to develop. The posterity deserves and has as much right to a glimpse at the live, free range natural animals and not merely fossilized photos.” -BILLY SICHONE, 1993 (ZAMBIAN STUDENT)

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PREFACE

This is a humble effort to try and help spread the awareness of the indiscriminate and extravagant consumption of natural resources. This ignorant is especially true in developing countries, which are busy trying to develop. The developed world on the other hand, is facing serious environmental problems having realized that the natural resources are not inexhaustible and that the planet itself is at the verge of being totally vanquished and may not be habitable in the near future. The battle zone therefore is not limited to the developed world. It is a fight that must be fought jointly from all angles of the globe. Though over 60% of the pollution is from the developed world〈, this fight affects all without exception. It is never to be forgotten that ozone layer knows no political boundaries. The scope of this book is scanty, covering the whole problem of pollution and the ozone layer depletion. It is aimed at the reader who casts a casual thought about the environmental problems confronting us today. It is hoped that some reader will be spurred on to champion the cause of environmental protection. We long for the time like that in king Solomon’s when they could import and export animals and timber without restrictions (1 kings 10:22-Bible). The reason is probably that everything was in abundance and the demand was low. The ecosystem was probably in equilibrium then than now. Let us battle for a regeneration of such a time. It can be achieved, though remote to the human eye now!

BILLY C SICHONE 17/08/93 LUSAKA

From the Rio Earth summit comments, 1992

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OH MOTHER EARTH

A little over five hundred years ago, the world was generally silent and activity was centered only in the scattered isolated settlements on the surface of the giant spaceshipEARTH. As the planet soared majestically through the solar system, organic activity continued normally and unabated. Christopher Columbus or Vasco Da Gama had not set out on their adventurous voyages. Marco-polo had not yet hit the road on foot to the east. One fourth of the earth then lay like a huge forest, and nobody knew that it was zooming on in its never ending race round the sun. Then a time was when the great adventures begun. After sometime, “dark continent” was discovered. The forests on this continent were almost bordering the edges or shores of the sea. That Dark Continent was undoubtedly VIRGIN AFRICA. The natural vegetational status of this continent was undisturbed in any way. As this was the case, all kinds of wild animals peacefully roamed about safely. The sound of the gun was neither known nor heard of. The diverse species of animals were either carnivorous or herbivorous. How lovely the world must have been! With its bio-diverse structure un tempered with, the primitive uncivilized people were insignificantly few and their consumption rate of resources unnoticed. It was insignificant as scratching one’s name on the pyramids of Egypt. Oh! How refreshing the morning and the evening air must have been! Birds chirped sweetly and melodiously, further, fresh water continuously plunged over cliffs and flowed naturally. No artificial barriers, like dams, to destabilize the local ecosystem! But then, as pollution begun to swell, larger stretches of forests were felled for fuel and more game was hunted for meat. As people begun to settle in lager communities, they cleared off trees so as to facilitate space for building villages and settlements. Naturally, hunting expeditions were appointed to kill game so as to feed the booming populations. Meanwhile, the explorers were making headway into the heart of Africa. When contact and communication was established, they influenced the natives to adopt there relatively well refined living standards. In no time, more land was cleared to make way for roads and the planned railway line from “Cape to Cairo “ a dream that never was, were underway. Untold amount of diverse flora and fauna was lost forever in process. We shall never be able to estimate exactly how much. Improved farming methods were inculcated into the locals and in the end, they were irresistibly converted because of the bumper harvests they reaped. Never did the question arise as to the damage, which was being done to the pilot less space craft… Over the years, industrialization has spread its tentacles to all corners of the globe and the benefits are unquestionably great. 4

But is it all “a bed of roses” with industrialization? I assert with an emphatic “no” why? Well, the cosmic voyager us now in grave danger of pressing a SELF- DESTRUCTION BUTTON. There are higher levels of toxic gases and alarming temperature raises within the craft. Where is the problem? Who is causing this? The answer is simple. It is the chief architect him self- MAN! , the obvious culprit! The engineers of the space ship Earth reliably inform us that the vessel walls are extensively damaged and have some holes at some points∪. This is serious! It ought to cause any one board to sweat and tremble with fear because of the consequences and implications. What is the actual problem? Can anything be done? The Ozone Layer, has been severely damaged in certain areas. It is reported that the same is becoming thinner everyday and infact LARGE HOLES in the layer have been spotted at some points! “So what? Why bother?” I hear some of you say. Well, this means that we are not shielded from the fatal and dangerous gamma rays which cause terminal diseases such as skin cancer. In short, we are exposed! The reported incidences of skin cancer have risen sharply especially in the heavily industrialized nations. The ozone layer functions as a SIFT to stop or minimize GAMMA RAYS from entering the atmosphere. But alas! These deadly rays now have free course in the absence of the ozone layer. All organisms are equally vulnerably exposed to these hazardous rays. The LIGHT SKINNED people are most at risk because they have little MELANIN in the skins for protection. For another thing, the “GREEN HOUSE EFFECT” of temperature rise is taking place each moment as deposits of CARBON DIOXIDE accumulate in the atmosphere. This threatens to upset the air GAS RATIO EQUILIBRUM in the atmosphere and the danger of the POLAR CAPS MELTING IS IMMINENT . Should this happen, the entire earth surface would be submerged or flooded like in biblical times (Genesis 6) – what horrifying prospects confront us! We do not have enough time or space to talk about the toxic fumes emitted by the industries, vehicles, and smokers. These emit dangerous gases such as Sulphur dioxide which react with the ozone (03) in the presence of light to break down the layer. (Vehicles emit lead into the atmosphere which is equally hazardous to humans) at the present rate, by the year “2030, the earth’s temperature will have risen by between 1.5 and 4.5 degrees Celsius.”∇ “Man” used in a generic sense to mean both male and female human species. The Awake magazine of 1996 reports that the huge ozone holes are more frequent over the south and North poles. The continent worst affected is Australia. Recent indications are that this is already taking place hence contributing to the rising ocean tides

A number of quotes in this write up are from the WWF reports booklet # 6, May 1991 issue from pages 15, 19, 21, and 23. Other quotes are from a book called “Tropical Forests” by Jacqueline Sawyer on page 28. Global warming will probably affect weather patterns enormously”-Sawyer. Note that ozone layer forms when NITROGEN OXIDES IN PRESENCE OF SUN LIGHT, combines with HYDROCARBONS(emitted mostly by 5

I trust we have seen our dire straits by now. Time is fast ebbing away! Even the time you have spent reading this information, the temperature of the atmosphere may have risen by a millionth or thousandth of a Celsius degree! Awake! Awake! And do something! No doubt, if the great ancient explorers and scientists of yesterday were to arise from their graves, they could collapse back into their caskets because they would be too grief stricken at the egocentric poor stewardship of the earth man has thus far exhibited! What careless and destructive patrons we have been!! The destruction already done is undoubtedly great. But the important thing is that we know the root cause and some possible solutions. Were we ignorant until now, the damage could probably have been irreparably great but thank God that it is not too late yet! --as long as we act now and promptly so. Therefore, quit your armchair criticism and act now!! It is high time to awake for THE TIME IS SHORT!

Motor vehicles and oil refineries) NO+HC= = = >03+HN

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BIOGRAPHY

1. WWF reports No 6, MAY 1991 ISSUE from pages 15, 19, 21 and 23 2. Sawyer Jacqueline, “TROPICAL FORESTS” pp 28.

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