Mbeya Vigil December 2009. ( TANZANIA )

Mbeya Vigil

Climate change is one of the hottest agenda reviewed since Kyoto Protocol of 2005 that was initially adopted in December 1997. Copenhagen climate action summit has been held brilliantly in the month of December 2009. World's leaders and delegates effectively took part in determining the green future for the future generation to come. I had my ears open on the two weeks (7^th – 18^th) December of finding the clear destination to Carbon and relevant emissions. The two weeks in which the world's leaders flocked together into the Danish Capital of Copenhagen. This summit, the environmental most unique Summit in planet's history as far as environment is concerned, has beyond brought media and environmental activist's attentions and anxiety.

Mbeya is a one the richest region in Tanzania. Tanzania one of the countries in East African community largely depends on Mbeya as the core producer of food especially maize, rice and potatoes. Therefore this region is quite crucial in driving the country's agricultural sector and Ministry of agriculture in large. Cash crops are also found in the Mbeya region these include tea, cocoa and coffee. On the southern highlands of Tanzania where Mbeya is also located rainfalls have not shown any sings of reluctance in a decade. This has been a blessing to Nyakusya, Safwa, Kinga, Ndali, Nyia and Nyamwanga tribes which are predominantly residing in Mbeya region.

With current rapid climate change this consent of prosperous food production might just be a delusion in Mbeya and the neighboring regions like Rukwa and Ruvuma another rich agricultural regions.

Most regions in Tanzania have experienced different climate patterns including rainfalls fluctuations and temperature rise. High temperatures stimulate Malaria eruptions as one cause on the medical ground. Malaria is a tropical killer disease caused by plasmodium which dwells in a female mosquito as a host. High temperature (Hot) favors mosquito's reproduction. Therefore some parts in Tanzania besides Mbeya region are currently experiencing Malaria because of temperature rise and climate change.

I was listening to a panel organized by BBC based on Copenhagen summit decisions held on 17^th Dec 09. Frankly this environmental panel was extremely fascinating. Mohamed Nasheed Maldives's president sited out that he would love to see his grandkids from his two own daughters born and raised in Maldives. Maldives includes several islands, the smallest country in Indian Ocean which is under severe threat to be wiped out of the planet because of climate change. Sea level rise because of ice melting caused by temperature rise is most scaring factor to eliminate Maldives on the planet's face. Mr. Nasheed was impatiently settled after seeing two weeks of unending conclusions. From the developed world represented by the Australian and Swedish prime ministers there was imprecise decision of how is the transition process from fossil to green technology accomplished. Swedish prime minister who also represented the EU spotted out that European Union needs China and the United States to initiate this process of transition since they are the biggest emitters of green gases.

.

Tanzania had few delegates and representatives at the summit to have their contributions heard and implemented. Besides some Tanzanian representative actively and physically being in Copenhagen, me and my brother on behalf of our beautiful nation of Tanzania we had a small vigil in our house back yard (Mbeya) and this is how it was.

"We got up early on Sunday morning 13^th Dec 09. And to be extremely environmental friendly we wanted to be creative on what we will use to convey our message. Firstly we took unused discarded silver board in the garage, secondly we used green leftovers fabrics from our local tailor, and then we used a piece of charcoal, a soap bar, a rake and a slasher. We spent 0$ to accomplish our vigil and to be precise this is what happened.

• We wet the fabrics after cutting them into equal sizes. After wards we applied intensive soap bar scrubbed on top of them. Finally we stuck them on the board showing "GREEN FUTURE".
  
• We wrote "TANZANIA" using a piece of charcoal just below GREEN FUTURE.
  

The message behind this picture is to show the importance of re-using the reusable resources to sustain the living planet. We used a fabric that tailors in my neighborhood burn them, but it was in the same fabrics we are sending this message through. Charcoal has carbon and it gives out carbon dioxide, it plays a big role in climate change therefore focus should be upon Carbon dioxide in this green future issue.

The tools we are holding show we have the means to save the planet and fight the climate change. We are more than ready to stand for the future generations which still need to enjoy the wonders of the environment that it has to offer.

Mexican President Felipe Calderón thinks the climate change is the responsibility of every country and everyone and therefore this battle should not focus on who is responsible but rather on uniting as the world together to stand for the one planet we have. His argument on the BBC environmental panel was strongly agreed by the South African Environmental minister.

The following are more views from Tanzania that was on the front pages of the business times (a local Tanzanian News paper)

Tanzania is vividly concerned about the climate change.

Our Pledge:

"We love nature and the environment. We are dedicated to save it and the people living in it. International leaders we need you to make wise decisions and have policies that will prioritize the environment."

We are sending our message with sincere hope of green future.

Thanks

Kenneth Mbwanji and Family.

Sustainability Institute (Lynedoch –Stellenbosch)

One way to acquire knowledge on environmental sustainability is through visiting the right sustainable Institutes.

"Kusoma hakuna mwisho" this is a Swahili phrase which means "learning has no ends" in English. Literally this means we still need to know and learn new facts on daily basis especially in this fast paced and growing world.

SRC (Student Representative Council) environmental affairs sub-committee of Stellenbosch University- Stellenbosch South Africa had an opportunity to visit the sustainability institute on the 21^st October 2009 which is located few minutes away from Stellenbosch campus in a beautiful South African farming village called Lynedoch

Including me a quite number of students being part of the environmental affairs sub-committee it has really open tremendous doors to us to learn and crave to want to know all the possible means to live in a more sustainable way, more commonly referred to as an environmental friendly way of living.

This is one out of many environmental institutes that you can visit and learn on how environment can be sustained.

The following are the main things we learned from the tour.

First of all "Waste is an input somewhere else" which was a good concept to obtain and apply. Waste will still be waste if we see it that way; our abilities to transform our minds are limited by our imaginations. This was a strong theme given by

Eve Annecke the director, lecture and one of core leaders at the sustainability institute.

More other exciting stuffs include:

• Kids who are the future generation that the present influence will have great impacts on their lives. Kids are one of the main targets at the institute whereby there is a government school at the institute and kids are being helped with school work and thier moral growth.

• Non-violence and peace building within the school is one the emphasis at the Institute.

• The institute works in partnership with the Housing department to facilitate sustainable housing in the region. Even though South Africa especially in the Western-Cape has the highest gap between higher and lower income people in the world (Brazil use to lead) the institute has however tried to accommodate all groups of people and set example to bridge these two classes of dissimilar living standards. One of the constraint that Lynedoch went through was People of colour were not allowed to live in Lynedoch area. So establishing housing theme was a challenge to overturn the objections of having people of colour in the area. It was good to also know South-Africa is the only country in the world where each citizen is assured of having a house and housing provision services. UK funds the Institute abundantly in most of the institute`s projects, housing being one of them.

• The Institute has natural environmental beauty which plays huge role in facilitating sustainable living (what an interesting fact).

• Methane is one of the key products at the institute, which can be used to run gas in households especially kitchen stoves. This is one form of Biogas usage which stimulates less green gases emissions. In advanced countries for instance Sweden there is enough methane (even recycled) to operate approximately 150 buses in the city of Stockholm.

• The Institute is also Importing technologies and work on them at a local scale, then transform to a large scale e.g. Solar Energy through linking what has been imported and blend it with local technology and then assess on the feedback efficiency (Under rights of course) is one of the ongoing projects at the institute. One of the Solar systems they have is solar heater which saves up to 50% energy and can be used up to 20 years before re-installing. Tiled roof solar which merge with the tiles was another sustainable approach found at the institute, the tiled roof solar works very efficient and safety wise it is extremely secured from theft.

Water re-using at the institute was another mode related to living sustainable. Instead of directing used water to the sea or water landfills, the institute has designed its own water recycle system that purifies water and some water goes back to the main house stream(s) and the rest goes for gardening purposes.

• Cooling systems that use less energy. This was another exciting concept that one could grab, the institute`s most buildings have vents at the top and outlets on the sides and bottom that allow maximum circulation of air with a self supporting mechanism and therefore cools most building especially in summer.

• Who wants to farm in the city? This can be a question that strikes most of us but the answer is YES and it is VERY POSSIBLE. Urbanized farming is the term referred to this farming scheme. A master's student was busy working on which soils type(s) and at what levels will it be ideal to allow this practice applicable. Just imagine having a small garden on your house roof (if it is flat), on my own personal opinion I think this will save you vegetables costs.

• One fact that I personally acquired from the trip to the sustainability institute at Lynedoch was: the climate change has brought many impacts to the planet and is the poor nations and their people that have least contributed to this cause most likely to be affected the most. Being from the third world country myself this really concerns me.The Institute has set an example to help out on making the planet a place to live sustainable. The things that they are doing and plan to do are possible. "Living extremely sustainable is extremely possible but is our imaginations that can only be the limiting factor

For more information visit their page on: http://www.sustainabilityinstitute.net/

Take your part today to acquire sustainable knowledge.