Let’s Rally for Environmental Responsibility

by Abigail Scarlett, United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands

Abigail Scarlett is from United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI). She recently interned with World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and is passionate about gender justice and environmental issues.

After seeing the disasters that have been taking place around the world: the fires in Amazon rainforest and across Angola to Madagascar and the tropical hurricane and depressions that have devastated northern Bahamas, it is fair to say that the topic of caring for the environment cannot be exhausted enough. There should no longer be a question of why we must consider the environment. Economic growth is important but not so much for us to be neglecting the signs of the times and excavating our way into all our natural reserves. If nothing else, the recent disastrous natural events should be provoking us to think sustainably.

All countries are seeking to achieve economic growth yet there are still those who do not see the link between environmental responsibility and sustainable profits. We need to see sustainability as a broad term. It is best to remember its three pillars: environment, social and economic ensuring that the importance on each is weighted heavily. It is impossible to focus solely on the economic aspect and expect it not to affect the social and environmental facets. Sustainable development should be treated as having counterparts in which the goal- ‘development’ cannot be achieved without the other pillars of sustainability.

Biodiversity and natural resources (example: water, wood, coal, etc.) are important in building up the country’s economy. Agboraw and Jones (2017) confirms that natural resources increases a country’s wellbeing and its economic wealth. More jobs are created, there is increased manufacturing and a higher standard of living, as well as an influence on the financial sector. This therefore means that an increase in care for the country’s natural resources can only result into something good. Pollution, and environmentally unsustainable choices would cause the earth to collapse therefore causing natural resources to be depleted (Higgins 2013). Each time we pollute, over-exploit resources, clear lands without replanting trees, or clear lands without assessing the species present, with the aim of making more money, we leave fewer resources to utilize in the future. Now this inhibits us from our ultimate goal- being financially secure!

So what do we do to mitigate against that? We can embrace sustainable living. Many countries have already been implementing plastic and styrofoam bans. Some countries have even opted out of mining their resources which are in protected areas. Others have converted a number of their public transportation to more energy-efficient ones. As we continue in this direction of living sustainably, we can take care of our own spaces such as our homes, schools and offices. Let us reduce our garbage waste, plant more trees, endorse recycling and educate those around us about the benefits of being green. If these actions are not already being taken, then it is not too late to start now! Environmental responsibility may seem daunting, but it takes a conscious effort to get a big result. Also, pushing environmental stewardship in institutions (schools, churches, companies) is a positive way in getting our countries in the direction they need to go.

Hopefully giving this example will get you interested. In Ghana, crop yields were reduced, the productivity decreased rapidly and there were many water shortages as a result of clearing land, soil erosion and over-exploitation. The cost of Environmental degradation (CoeD) in Ghana was a tenth of the GDP and a half of the Official Development Assistance (Fredua 2014). This simply means that as environmental degradation increases, more money will be needed to fix the problems created which would leave less money for the country to grow economically. If that is not enough, here is another story that may get you on the ‘go green’ campaign. In 2014, it was admitted that the multiple water shortages in Jamaica was due to the mismanagement of water and the ineffective storage, collection and distribution of it (Jamaica Observer 2014). With approximately 10 hydrological basins and 26 watershed management units, Jamaica should have sufficient water to last throughout the dry seasons without creating much problem. Being unsustainable, therefore, is futile and only causes a decline in the development of our countries.

In trying to grow our countries’ economy, don’t ignore the environment! The environment can reap benefits depending on how well we take care of it. Let us challenge more of our youths, our bosses, our church community and our country’s leaders to promote environmental sustainability. Let’s build our business plans, our laws and our organisations on the foundation of a sustainable environment and guarantee a positive feedback. Even if your passion is not specifically the environment, a better country should be enough to fuel each person’s desire to care for its resources. It takes work and a combined effort to get your country to the place we desire. Let us put in the effort.

3 Agboraw, Efundem & Jones, Aled. 2017. Resource constraints and global growth. Gewerbestrasse: Springer Nature.

Fredua, Kwame Boakye. 2014. "The Economic Cost of Environmental Degradation: A Case Study of Agricultural Land Degradation in Ghana". SSRN Electronic Journal. Elsevier BV. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2534429.