by Moses H. Barbu

20 November 2009

My inspiration for conservation: A water crisis and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai

I must start off with a confession; I never used to pay much attention to environmental conservation. I would listen to people talk about the importance of planting trees and saving forests and I would never do anything about it. The last time I planted a tree was at home as part of Liberia’s forestry development programme at our Farm in Bong County, Liberia.

Well, recently the importance of environmental and water conservation was driven home to me in a very personal and sobering way, during my last vacation. For the first time in a very long time I woke up to dry taps.

Now anyone who has lived through a water shortage crisis knows that this is a rather unpleasant experience, especially for those of us who take water for granted. I thought this was just a temporary problem, but a friend I met from Kenya told me the situation as regards the water problem was disastrous. Now two weeks down the line and many news briefs later, it hit me that they are having a serious water crisis and even around the globe in many countries.

My idea of it is that water crises have been in the making a long time and it is largely a result of deforestation. Now what I told my friend was that I thought Kenyans, like Liberians in some part, are finally reaping the bitter fruit of their “don’t care” ways, and I am not sure when they’ll get out of this mess.

I hope the taps will start flowing again soon, but in reality I doubt it. In the meantime some are living with water rationing schedules and for the first time many of us are beginning to take steps to conserve water.

Furthermore, our citizens around the globe, most of whom are poor, are now faced with a situation where they are forced to buy water for their basic needs, and for some of them it is literally a choice between buying water and other necessities like food. The purchase of water from dubious sources leads to all sorts of attendant problems, such as contaminated water being sold and causing cholera outbreaks, like the ones we have recently witnessed around the globe.

Aside from leading to drought and water shortages, deforestation is also a leading cause of global warming. It is unfortunate that a large segment of people do not realize the dangers we face from environmental degradation as a result of our destructive activities. Perhaps because they are for the time being cushioned from the negative consequences of their activities.

In the meantime poor developing nations and poor people continue to suffer most from the effects of environmental destruction.

It is my hope that the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference will come up with concrete measures to address the negative effects of climate change. But more so it is my hope that each of us will begin to take action to preserve the environment both for ourselves and future generations.

The following environmental poem was inspired by the sadness I feel over the current water crisis and drought in one of our African Nations, Kenya. The 'She' alluded to in this poem is Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, a native of Kenya who was persecuted for warning Kenyans over the very situation that Kenyans now facing.

As they say, "A prophet is always reviled in (her) homeland."

Now the Taps Are Dry: Environment Poem by Moses H. Barbu

She told you to plant trees
and you paid her no heed
and now the taps are dry.

They released a water rationing schedule today,
a water conservation measure
you say, because the taps are dry.

You should have rationed your greed
and paid her heed, when she told you not to cut down forest trees,
but you did not see the wisdom of her pleas,
and now the taps are dry.

You thought that the price of food was high
until you had to choose what to buy,
Food or the liquid of life?

Yesterday, someone had to explain to their daughter,
that the choice was between food and water,
Now that your taps are dry.

Who would have thought that the day would come, when you would stand under God’s glorious sun, and buy water by the gallon?

You cannot say that you did not see it coming,
because I gave you ample warning,
that soon the day would be dawning,
when you would wake up one morning,
and find that your taps were dry.

So now you are taking conservation measures,
A little too late you are reclaiming your treasures that were squandered and plundered
to suit the whims of a few.

You lacked forethought, and you should have fought, just as I taught, to protect the liquid of life. You should have been as far-sighted as I who told you not to cut down trees,
Then perhaps today you would not be crying over the fact that your taps are drying.


Water Conservation Tips: Five Easy Ways to Conserve Water

1. Do not leave taps running.
2. Fix dripping taps.
3. Turn off the garden hose when you are not using it.
4. Take five-minute showers.
5. Educate others on water conservation measures.