In commemoration of the 2024 World Earth Day, an Environmentalist and founder of Fight Against Desert Encroachment FADE Africa Chief Newton Jibunor has called for a drastic reduction in the use of plastics to save planet Earth from suffocation.
World Earth Day is an annual event celebrated April 22, and it is designed to shed light on serious environmental problems faced from the climate crisis to air pollution and deforestation. This year’s World Earth Day was themed: ‘Planet Vs Plastic.’
Chief Jibunor who hails from Akwukwu Igbo in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta state, advocated for urgent action to ban the production and usage of single-use plastics and warned against those selling the Ogbe-Ani land in the area.
Jibunor and members of his area and a Farm camp settlers who held various placards on a procession to commemorate the Earth Day, urged everyone to be involved in efforts to kick out plastics, build a liveable future for humans, other beings, and natural systems.
He said: “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. They sell our lands without notification and use the monies to buy cars and build houses for themselves.
Continuing he said, ” this area is known for farming, we are agrarians and that is the only occupation we are involved in to feed our family members. Any attempt for anyone to sell our land ,we will deal with the person. 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. A 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.
“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,we are all for the planet, people, and all life forms,” Jibunor added.