Side Effects of Climate Change on Our Health

climate change has affected our surrounding and environment in tremendous levels. We have clearly seen the effects of global warming, ice melting, the rise of sea level, desertification, and many other changes. The world is trying to shift to eco-friendly solutions. We have seen a radicle shift towards the use of renewable energy in Europe and the United States. These may reduce the effect or slow them down a little. However, we are not paying much of attention to the effect of it on our health.

Climate change has social, environmental, and health effects. They can be direct and indirect after years. Unfortunately, we don’t see or maybe put the blame on the change our planet is facing, thus, we are the direct target. Due to human activities, we have been causing an imbalance in the system. Our clean air, food sources, and water are what keep us alive so damaging these won’t give good results.

Libya is no exception. The increase of temperature is putting its toll on citizens caused so many health issues like infections, cancer, Asthma, and death in some cases. The increase in cancer cases in the last seven years has been unbelievable. People don’t blame it on the climate change though. Also, the increase in the use of electricity generators has caused a thick clear layer of polluted air above Tripoli which can be seen in the picture below.

It is a connected cycle. If our air is polluted then plants will not have a good environment to grow. The heat and smoke which come out of generators have burnt down nearby trees especially if it is put next to living plants. This will decrease the amount of fresh oxygen released to the air.

The increase of heat along with the degradation of disposed of garbage, have also caused airways allergies, especially in children when they play outdoors. Adaptation and mitigation can be the answer because eliminating the effect of climate change is almost impossible. One of the things which people can do is the use of air conditioning system more during summer, avoid spending so much time outdoors, and increase the use of sun cream. The main reason for this is humans and the solution is also by humans. Libyans lack awareness in this term so extensive workshops in schools and public institutions will help many to get a wakeup call.

10 Easy Steps to Reduce Your Daily Environmental Impact

 

source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/photos/in-pictures-plastic-pollution-and-our-oceans/ss-BBCdiIK#image=1

Our planet is drowning in plastic. 1.4 billion plastic bottles are bought every day around the globe. Less than half of these bottles are collected for recycling. In many countries, particularly those with weak recycling infrastructure (like Libya) this trash ends up in landfills, scattered about the land, or in the sea.

 

The amount of plastic in our oceans has reached shocking proportions. Marine diversity is irreversibly affected, with many species dying rapidly from plastic overload, only a small proportion of which we are able to document, let alone protect. It is estimated that 1/3 of fish on the market contain traces of plastic, meaning there is so much plastic trash on our planet that we are in effect eating it.

By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, by weight. The Great Pacific Garbage patch (first noticed in the 1980s!) is an accumulation of plastics, debris and chemical sludge that is so large that it is now visible from space: in some estimates, it is twice the size of France – that’s 75% of Libya.

Feeling slightly disheartened? You shouldn’t be. There’s more environmental activism happening around the world than ever before. Ther ares more technology, funds and research dedicated to fighting climate change, waste and pollution than ever before. If you’re reading this blog, you already know how important this fight is and you’ve probably realised that it will require behaviour change in each and every one of us. Our lifestyle is unsustainable but we all have the power to change that, right now!

 

Here are 10 simple steps to turning your lifestyle into one that acknowledges your environmental impact and reduces it. By taking these steps, you will inspire others to do so – or at least make them think about their own relation to the environment. Every little helps!

1. Switch lights, electronics & AC off when not needed

This is incredibly obvious and very easy, and I just can’t understand how people are still leaving things on when leaving a room, office or house. Do it now!

2. Use a re-usable bottle

Plastic bottles are rarely recycled, particularly in Arab countries. If there’s no recycling point nearby, your plastic bottle will end up polluting either soil or sea. Don’t be a part of that. It’s so easy to carry around a small refillable bottle! (I’d recommend stainless steel)

3. DON’T accept plastic bags in shops

The consumption of plastic bags is shockingly high in the Arab region (try counting the plastic bags YOU consume in just one week). It’s up to us consumers to fight that. Last year Tunisia became the first Arab country to ban free plastic bags; hopefully, other Arab countries will follow suit. In the meantime, you can boycott them easily, by just saying NO and carrying your groceries in a real bag, a light cloth bag or even reusing a sturdy plastic one. Plastic bags end up in trees, on beaches and inside the bellies of turtles and other seafaring animals, killing them painfully. They’re harmful and you just don’t need them!

4. Turn off that tap

Although many Arab countries have an extremely arid climate, they rank surprisingly high in water consumption per capita. You can save thousands of liters a year by just closing the tap when brushing your teeth or scrubbing the dishes, turning off the shower when applying soap, avoiding baths or long showers, and using the clothes-washer only when you have enough dirty clothes to fill it.

5. Avoid plastic cups and cutlery, as well as single-use products like disposable razors.

None of the above our recyclable. Real cups, metal cutlery, and long-lasting razors are much better, so why bother with the fiddly plastic ones?

6. Eat less takeaway & get your coffee in a reusable cup

Takeaway food is packaged in an extremely wasteful manner. Take the time to eat your food or drink your coffee in the premises, or bring your own Tupperware or cup to take it with you. The waiters will be baffled at first, but that’s part of the fun!

7. Take care of stuff so it lasts; fix it when it breaks

We throw things away without even checking if they can be repaired. But fixing things is sometimes incredibly easy and if you can’t do it yourself, you’re never far from someone who can. Reusing, repairing and recycling is all part of the fight against waste. Repair shops and online communities are popping up everywhere so that people can exchange advice and tools, and get together to make their stuff last longer.

8. Finish your plate

If you’ve ever been to an Arab wedding or an Eid el Adha feast, you know how wasteful Arab food culture can be. But a dish takes a lot of energy, labor, C02 emissions and water to be grown, produced, packaged, transported and cooked. It’s senseless to buy good food and then waste it – don’t order more than you can eat, and if you can’t finish, put it in the fridge for later.

9. Buy Eco cleaning products and recycled paper (and toilet paper)

The price of environmentally friendly products is only slightly higher, but the impact is huge. Water pollution is a widespread problem and when a country doesn’t have a comprehensive water treatment system, a lot of the chemicals end up in rivers, lakes, aquifers and in the sea.

10. Buy your clothes second-hand

This is frowned upon by many people in Arab countries (the Lebanese have a weird hostility to second-hand products, I’ve discovered) but it makes sense and it kills two birds with one stone: fighting waste and fighting the exploitative apparel industry! Second-hand clothes are just as good as new ones and the selection is immense. (In comparison, seasonal styles and colors in fashion mean that all stores sell the same stuff at the same time – try buying a sweater in summer or bright colors in winter and you’ll see what I mean). The best part of buying second hand? Saves you a LOT of money.

Writer: Laurène Veale

Renewable Energy Future in Libya

Renewable energy is currently the gate to the future. Europe and the United States are taking big steps towards the continuous use of alternative resources for sustainability and unending development. Growth in clean energies is unstoppable, as reflected in statistics produced in 2015 by the International Energy Agency (IEA): they represented nearly half of all new electricity generation capacity installed in 2014, when they constituted the second biggest source of electricity worldwide, behind coal.

Libya as a country in the MENA region is full of capacity and potential. The country’s geography influences its development socially and culturally. Although it depends solely on oil and gas production, it can totally shift to eco-friendly industries. Starting a renewable energy revolution in the Libya can benefit the economy and society in many ways.

Unfortunately, Libya is suffering from continuous power cuts due to the overload on some stations and the damaged areas by conflicts. It started with few hours to days without electricity. It made life unbearable at some point. The positive part is that awareness in this field and environmental stability and policies are increasing which can lead to possible actions.

If Libya shifts to renewable energy, it will stabilize the country economically and socially. Renewable energy sources such as windmills, water turbines, and solar panels can save power consumed using coal power generators and can greatly help the environment.

One of the things which can be considered as a good start to shift to the renewable energy industry is the use of bioenergy which will lead to more control of garbage disposal and re-used degradable garbage in landfills. It only requires big landfills and awareness about reusing and recycling among Libyans. Garbage must be categorized and biodegradable substances can be separated to later be disposed correctly in order to enhance the quality of soil and revive the soil cycle again. This can be implemented in every house in Libya.

Many people claim that the cost of alternative energy is high because of the current economy drop in Libya but waiting won’t change anything. It will, in fact, make it worst. It will reduce carbon emissions and by products. Moreover, it will increase employment rate and provide jobs to so many. It will attract students to pursue a career in it because of its high demand globally. Lastly, it will provide energy security of supply and reduce dependence on some sources.

 

How Do You Make Climate Change Relevant in a War Zone?

There have been countless studies conducted which have shown that developing countries are the hardest hit by the consequences of climate change. Water scarcity, desertification, and natural disasters are just some of the upcoming challenges facing these countries. And yet, if you talk to citizens residing there, the environment is usually the last thing on their minds.

Libya is one such country. While its geography and unique environmental situation make it particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, the civil war in the country has overshadowed all other problems. Right now the main focus is on providing humanitarian relief, temporary shelter and emergency health care to those affected by the crisis. In this scenario, there are many issues that take a back seat, including culture, social equality, and of course the environment.

Yet, we cannot ignore our degrading ecosystem until the war is over and Libya is stable, which could take decades. Action needs to be taken now in order to prepare for future environmental crises. One way this is being done is the solar panel project implemented by UNDP’s Stabilization Facility for Libya. Through this project, support is provided to the health sector in the form of solar energy, whereby hospitals are able to continue functioning through off-grid power during severe power outages. In this way, a humanitarian issue is treated which also contributes to promoting clean energy.

While these kinds of efforts are commendable, they cannot achieve a wider impact if there is no awareness among the local population of why these solutions are so crucial. In a power outage, Libyan citizens will most likely use a generator rather than install a solar power system, because it is cheaper, faster and more familiar. And so how do we change this phenomenon?

This is a challenge that we have been trying to tackle at the Libyan Sustainable Development Network. Our main aim is to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a list of 17 goals to be achieved by 2030. These goals can be divided into social, economic and environmental categories. While the social and economic goals receive a lot of attention during our work, there is little interest in the environmental goals (13 – Climate Action, 14 – Life under Water, 15 – Life on Land). So how do we make them relevant?

The cool thing about the SDGs is that they are connected; by achieving one goal, you can contribute to achieving others. The SDGs are built on a model called the Raworth Donut, which is a framework of social and environmental boundaries that highlights a transversal approach to improving human lives. A disruption in this balance is the cause of many problems we have in the world today.

Talking about these inter-linkages has been a successful method for the network in making the conversation on climate change relevant in Libya. By trying to achieve climate action, we are also tackling goals like clean water and sanitation. When we work on innovation and industry, we are able to achieve progress for goals like health and well-being, and quality education. It is one big web in which every contribution makes a difference.

While Libya still has a long way to go in promoting climate action policies and achieving sustainable development, the post-conflict recovery phase is a prime opportunity for us as Libyans, and particularly for young Libyans, to begin doing things better than before. The SDGs are a great tool in making sure that we have a comprehensive strategy in developing our country, which in turn will help us do our part in creating a better world.

Written by: Nada Elfeituri | Libyan Sustainable Development Network

We Are Our Earth

April 22, happens to be the annual Earth Day. We are currently facing a serious climate change issue. Earth day is a reminder to all of us of the importance of the planet we are living in. It is a reminder of the effects of human acts which lead to degrade it gradually.

We can do so many things for our earth and we can turn Earth day into a full day of activities, workshops and seminars. In my opinion, this day should mainly be for our kids at schools and day cares. We should plant in them the seeds of love and respect to make our communities better.

Here are some of the things that families and kids can do in this day especially in schools:

1-  Planting trees, flowers and vegetables.

2- Interactive recycling and reusing workshops. Let students learn what can be recycled or re-used.

3- Introduce alternative energy resources such as solar energy and talk about its advantages and how it can improve our lives.

4- Clean up your community.

As a conclusion, I hope that we do not forget our planet in the midst of all the chaos surrounding us. The activities mentioned above should not only be considered on this day but it should be a celebration of our clean and green communities. We are our Earth.