ARU Reporter
The Planet or Mother Earth is commemorating the 54th Earth Day on the April 22, 2024, a time when temperatures are breaking records year by year and pollution is at its pick levels. On this day, people around the world organize campaigns and make commitments to improve the planet’s health.
Earth Day 2024 is being commemorated under the theme “Planet Vs Plastics” which aims to increase public awareness of the detrimental effects that plastic pollution has on both human and environmental health, according to NDTV.
This year’s theme tallies well with the plastic recycling plant of Eco Brixs of Masaka Diocese – Uganda. The initiative of Fr. James Ssendege and his friend Andrew Bownds of building a zero waste community takes root as 44 communities are in plastic recycling business since 2016. The recycling plant has recycled 982 tons of plastics, with 41,232,013 plastics bottles recycled and 3,000 people who receive income through plastic recycling process.
In the recycling process, the plastic-flakes are smelted into molds to design different products like boats, “hard wood” for construction and goal posts, flower pots, picnic tables, chairs etc. The initiative is good news to the vulnerable communities who receive cash on delivery! The business simultaneously solves the unemployment problems as it addresses the overdue problem of plastic pollution, by rendering the cities and drainages free from plastic pollution. Thus, listening and responding to the cry of the earth as it responds to the cry of the poor by employing them.
Ugandans have invested in their appropriate technological skills by fabricating a molding machine which takes three minutes to finish the process. Unlike the previously imported one that takes 3 hours. Hence, the fabricated Ugandan made is 2 hrs and 57 minutes faster than the imported version! Fr. James calls upon Ugandans to roll out the recycling industry to different parts of the country to keep Uganda free from plastic pollution.
According to NDTV report, the theme was selected with the historic UN plastics convention in mind, which is anticipated to be adopted by the end of 2024. The UK is one of the more than 50 nations that have demanded that plastic pollution be ended by 2040.
Historically, Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The day is also known as International Mother Earth Day. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness about various issues that threaten the environment and endanger the planet, such as the rapidly rising levels of pollution, deforestation, and global warming.
Countries and organizations from all around the world unite to promote awareness of the critical need to preserve the environment through different platforms.