Marking the 2023 World Environment Day
The World Environment Day is an annual event celebrated every 5th of June. The celebrations are organized by the United Nations to create awareness among people about their responsibilities towards nature and the earth at large. This year’s theme for World Environment Day is “Beat Plastic Pollution”, and it is a call for individuals to take charge of their surroundings and realize the severity of using plastic in daily life.
In recent years, the earth has turned into a dumping ground of plastic waste with millions of tons of plastic ending up in our oceans, where they can harm marine life and pollute our beaches. According to environmental experts, if strict measures are not taken to reduce the use of plastic now, then by 2050, the oceans will have more plastic waste than fish. With plastic making up 10% of the total waste generated, half of it used is disposable or single-use. This presents a major problem as it is non-renewable and its manufacture and destruction expose individuals and the environment to many toxins, including carcinogens.
Kenya made the official decision to ban the use of plastic bags on August 28, 2017, as part of the government’s commitment to control environmental pollution. Within the area in Masai Mara with the recent increase in population and the migration of people from other regions to the Maasai Mara area, there has been an unprecedented increase in domestic and industrial waste generation. Some waste products are non-biodegradable such as plastics, polythene bags, metals, and glasses.
As part of our commitment to minimize the impact that our operations have on the environment, Basecamp educates the local Maasai community on the importance of proper waste management and provides each manyatta or Maasai homestead with a waste collection sack which is collected every 3 days. We aim to increase awareness and understanding of conservation issues, so as to inspire the Maasai community to take pride and be responsible for their natural heritage.
On World Environment Day today, let’s take a pledge to save this environment from the harmful effects of plastic. Together, through small yet impactful steps, we can make a monumental difference in preserving our environment. Join us in beating plastic pollution and safeguarding our planet’s future!