Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), on Monday called for a drastic reduction in the use of plastics to save planet earth from suffocation.
Dr Nnimmo Bassey, the Executive Director of HOMEF, made the call in a briefing to newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Bassey said that HOMEF, in commemoration of the 2024 World Earth Day, called for urgent ban on production and usage of single use plastics.
Bassey recalled that the world earth day had been an annual event designed to shed light on serious environmental problems faced from the climate crisis to air pollution and deforestation.
“The International Mother Earth Day’s theme, ‘Planet Vs Plastic’, reminds us as humans that the earth is ours to protect and preserve.
”But over times humans have abandoned their roles in protecting the planet to selfishness and drive for profit.
“The world earth day urges us to build a liveable future for humans, other beings, and natural systems.
“We stand united in our fight against non-biodegradable waste pollution.
“Our addiction to single use plastics suffocate 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,” Bassey said.
He urged the public to be involved in efforts to kick out plastics, adding that the time is critical to choose between the planet and the plastic to sustain all lives.
“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.
“HOMEF is all for the planet, people and all life forms, ” he said.
The environmentalist also said that research had shown that 380 million tonnes of plastic were produced every year, while nine per cent of plastic produced had been recycled.
He commended the campaign around the world calling for a 60 per cent reduction in the use of plastic by 2040.
“It is time to build up courage to preserve,protect our health, and our livelihood by embracing alternatives that are sustainable, healthy, and safe for the planet.
“We must stop all forms of destructive extractive activities in Nigeria, Africa and the world,” Bassey said. (NAN)
