How we are the cause of global warming and climate change (pt 2). A seven minutes read.

Greenhouse gases ghg trap the sun's radiation within the Earth's causing continuous warming. Humans contribute to the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases like the methane, carbon-dioxide,water vapour, nitrous oxide e.t.c through deforestation,  vehicle emissions,  energy production and waste disposal. 

Several things used everyday in your home produce gases like those that contribute to global warming. Certain lights has been thrown to this subjects in the last post, we will try to elaborate on what has been said and more.

photo credit: e.education.psu.edu 

The Air condition system

Cooling your home uses energy in the form of electricity or natural gas. Your air condition contains refrigerants like the chlorofluorocarbons CFCs, that if allowed to escape into the atmosphere; which eventually happens, contributes heavily to global warming by depleting/damaging the ozone layer, depending on the age of the unit. 

Let me explain this! when CFCs goes into the stratosphere( a layer in the atmosphere ), it is broken up by ultraviolet radiation from the sun, and when this occurs, chlorine is been release that catalytically destroys the ozone layer; it does this by creating hole in the stratosphere that allows excess ultraviolet rays to find its way to the earth surface. Hence, increases chances of skin cancer, irritation and skin burns-----mostly with individuals low on melanin.

Light

Electricity use in houses in Nigeria/Africa contribute its own quarter to global environmental crises, as many are dependent on ac generators, as a result of lack of supplied electricity. Nigeria reliance on industrial and household ac generators, if recorded, causes so much environmental imbalances like the: noise pollution, sooth, carbon emissions and health disadvantages. The more we use more energy consuming bulbs and appliances, the more load we hand to the generator, which in turn, works more and emit more. Now! replacing this energy consuming bulbs with the energy saving ones can significantly reduce home electricity use and save you money while simultaneously making a positive impact on the environment. Also, if more can be done for the importation and promotion of solar power ( renewable energy ) against the use of ac generators mostly in Nigeria, as this can also go a long way in reduction of environmental degradation. This change would be in the hands of policy makers and government, as the average man would prefer to keep blind to the use of solar, because he/she believes the ac generators are more cheaper compared to the solar panels in Africa/Nigeria. 

Waste

When household waste ends up in a open landfill/dumpsite like the ones we have in big cities like Lagos      ( epe, ewu elepe, olusosun, solluos 1,2 and 3 waste dumpsites ). It decomposes and produces greenhouse gases including methane from manures of both man and animals. Reduce, reuse and recycling of waste are ways the people can help the environmental issues of today. 

There is also the need for the government to put infrastructures, awareness and set departments that would be responsible for this type of sustainable waste management, and also the need to educate everyone on domestic waste topics like difference between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste; to assist in reaching this environmental objectives. 

photo credit: dailypost.ng 

Note: if you have notice in my post, i use global warming with climate change in a way that it seem like am referring to both topic/problems as one. although both represent separate problem that fuels each other. 

Global warming is the environmental problem that occurs and still occurring as a result of the atmosphere been occupied with large amount of gases ghg that absorbs excess heat, and later extend it to earth surface continuously, when there exist no way for such heat to escape the earth surface  

 ( our environment ). ------ causing warming.

Climate change is the aftermath of global warming, as the earth keeps warming and getting hotter, the climate keeps changing.  The hot climate keeps causing evaporation increase( increase rainfall ), melting of glaciers and the ice-caps, which were so much thicker many years ago. It is feared that by the year 2o4o these ice might completely melt--------i guess you are asking how the melting ice-caps and glacier concerns you, relax let me explain.

Sea level around the world has been increasing as a result of global warming, this has been a major contributor to flooding as water from the sea come closer to shore and settlement( people's houses ) around and beyond. During intense rainy season with addition to the increasing sea level, flood becomes inevitable. 

The melting of ice caps and glacier in the north pole keeps dissolving and adding to the already existing sea level by increasing it's height, that is not the only cause of rise in sea level. The warming climate increases evaporation rate by channelling water vapour from the planetary surface( Land/Earth ) to the planetary atmosphere ( the skies ); hence, it continues to increase the sea level--------causing flooding, which displaces people from their houses, and cause ill health and environmental problems.

keywords: 

cfcs  ---- are chlorofluorocarbons is an organic compound that contains carbon, chlorine and fluorine.  It is widely used as a refrigerants for refrigerators, because of the damages it causes to the ozone layer, and has been replaced with hydro-fluorocarbons hcfs, although so many are still using the old refrigerators and other product that uses cfcs.

glaciers  ---- a dense body of ice that is constantly moving under its own weight as it forms accumulated snow.  Below are pictures to show .

A melting glacier
Photo credit: beforeitsnews.com

Ice cap
Photo credit: Climate change guide

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How we are the cause of global warming and climate change (pt 1). A four minutes read.

In the last post we talked a little about global warming and climate change, then towards the end i told you, that we are part of a problem, a contributor to the larger scale problem. Our burning of waste/bushes, deforestation and burning of fossil fuels( oil, natural gas and coal ) are chief culprits; not to forget our careless disposals of waste in an open dump-site. Okay let me explain briefly with picture illustration.

photo credit: ppsthane.com

 

The market trader

Disposes waste openly on the road side and at times burn it, which in turn emits carbon and turns waste into ash and heat, which are added to already existing green house gases ghg; and in turn thickens the planet atmosphere. One more addition is the fact that some of this waste are wash off when it rains into streams and ground water, which are later consumed by the municipal people and in turn harmful to public health.

The daily auto mobile emission from different exhaust 

The trucks, buses, trailers and cars emit carbon dioxide and water vapour when engine are working properly and the carbon is been oxidized, but discharges carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and soot ( the black stuff that comes out like a smoke ) during incomplete combustion, which is as a result of carbon not been oxidized or engines not well serviced. Aside the degrading and warming potential of these gases, the carbon-monoxide gas is toxic to human health when exposed. Imagine the health implication of people that are constantly been exposed to the every day traffic like that of major cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Los Angeles, and New York.

We the people

We continue to be responsible for the global environmental problems, like the floods, hot temperature, acid rain and death in so many agricultural produce and ocean life. We live our every day life ignorant of the problems that the generations before our generation has cause to the environment, and the problems that we too have help in creating. We only fear disease, war and terrorism. Which to an extent is reasonable and because we  frequently see the casualties through the media, we watch the chaos in Syria and Sudan and also see the Boko haram, Isis, Taliban, Al-shabaab constitute serious threats and damages to the society, and also we see campaigns like #Bringbackourgirls #Prayforparis and say to ourselves that this are major threats; well! they are as well but still, lets put this on the table.

 The threats that global warming and climate change present is one that is constantly increasing the temperature of the earth, and you know with intense heat comes fire. Imagine the catastrophe, not even five to ten nuclear bombs would be compared to the direct sun radiation that would occur when the planet ozone layer would be completely or severely degraded. There are so many ways we can contribute to environmental degradation with out been aware, we often degrade our health and the environment by our misappropriate waste management methods, burning of charcoal, bushes, refuse and properties, not to forget often our disposal of liquid waste into gutters that leads to canals. At times this canal run into streams, that later becomes accessible to an individual at the other end. Cases like typhoid, diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery and so on --- are diseases and illness caused by polluted water. We are, our environmental problems. As custodians of the environment around us, we affect it in so many ways possible, a little awareness goes a long way to alert everyone of the problems on ground as many are ignorant of this. More light would be thrown on the next environmental post. If you find this post enlightening, feel free to share using the social media icons below. Until your next read, enjoy.

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Global warming and the climate change phenomena. A four read.

This is a typical gas flaring activity occurring in a community. It emits carbon, methane, nitrogen, sulphur and major gases contributing to global warming and climate change. This doesn't just degrade the environment, it causes upset to the ecosystem, and also it impact negatively to water, food, comfort, health and security. 

We won't be talking about this problems on this post but in future post. This post would be an introduction to global warming and climate change in its simplest form, and also the term radiation and heat would be use interchangeably, so please don't be confused for they mean the same thing in this context.

You must have heard or still hearing about continuous increase in the average temperature of the earth's climatic system and how much degradation is been done to the environment. To an average person, this is gibberish and as so many would say all this are elements of debate, and that the world environmentalist, ecologist, N.G.O, activist, and scientist are using it to keep job afloat and seem relevant, but this is not the case. I would tell a story to convey my message.

" The earth was a virgin, free from pollution, emissions, waste, and all man made poisons inflicted as a result of over exploited development. It was a place that came with its own default setting. The earth was free from anthropogenic degradation ( ruins by man ). 

The atmosphere contain gases known as the green house gases GHG. This gases absorbs heat in the day and emit it at night, when the temperature is low. This is the reason we survive at night when the temperature is extremely low and on this, man kind have survive all through many years and climate, had it stay this way, the world will not have been in this mess".---- Now lets talk about how it all went wrong.

Our predecessors and those before them, have always look for ways to make life much easier and venture into production, from developing the olden horse chariots for transportation and later replacing it with fuel motor auto-mobiles, to reduction of strenuous man labour to creating machine equipments for work. Man kind has been blessed with knowledge and expertise for improvement and development, so man continue in its quest for dominance, adventure, enterprise and power. 

During the industrial revolution( 18th - 19th century), the continuous exploitation broke a bridge between man and environment. How! you asked; well let me explain. During production and energy use, carbon is been emitted to the atmosphere, adding up to already existing carbon in the atmosphere. Methane, Nitrous Oxide, CFCs, Sulphur and Carbon-dioxide are emitted adding to already existing GHG in the atmosphere. Now! something happens------The atmosphere continues to carry more and more of this green house gases and in turn absorbs more heat to be emitted back down to earth surface to warm us at night, which in turn does not have any means of releasing heat out from its warmed-up surface. 

This continues, as more heat are later send back at night adding to already existing heat on the earth. The whole process of heat adding up to previous heat on earth, and continuous heating of the planet surface is called global warming, and the continuous variation in temperature increment resulting in different measurement in hotness and other climatic conditions is called climate change, and also when radiation from the atmosphere warms the planet surface to a temperature above what it would be, absence of its atmosphere, that is called the green house effect. You and i are also responsible for this. How? would let you know on my next post. Until your next read, enjoy.

photo credit: azbenga.wordpress.com

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The international day for zero tolerance of female genitalia mutilation F.G.M. A five minutes read.

The 6th of February every year has been set aside as a day for zero tolerance of female genital mutilation or circumcision FGM ( World Wide ). The female genital mutilation is an unjust and unlawful act inflicted on girls and women globally, often as a result of traditional, cultural and a few religious beliefs.

photo credit: Instagram

There is need for abolition of this unhealthy practice. An approach that involves legislation, health care professional organizations, empowerment of the women in the society, and education of the general public at all levels with emphasis on dangers and disgust of the FGM.

According to the US National Library of Medicine, Nigeria due to its large population has the highest absolute number of female genital mutilation (FGM) worldwide, accounting for about one-quarter of the estimated 115–130 million circumcised women in the world.

Though FGM is practice in a lot of countries in Africa and a few scattered communities worldwide, its burden is seen in Nigeria, Egypt, Mali, Eritrea, Sudan, Central African Republic, and northern part of Ghana where it has been an old traditional and cultural practice of various ethnic groups. The highest prevalence rates are found in Somalia and Djibouti where FGM is virtually universally.

FGM is a practice whose origin and significance seem to be in secrecy, uncertainty, and confusion.The origin of FGM is birth with controversy either as an initiation ceremony of young girls into womanhood or to ensure virginity and curb promiscuity, or to protect female modesty and innocence.The ritual has been so widespread that it could not have risen from a single origin.

This ritual of FGM as i read is classified into four types or method, and have so many health and life threatening implications in time to come, as a female you have a whole life time to face this problems. I strongly suggest you look that up on wiki ,  bing or google. 

In Nigeria basically all the ethnic groups practice it except for the Fulanis, as they do not practice any form at all. FGM varies from country to country, tribes, religion, and from one state and cultural setting to another, and no continent in the world has been exempted. In most parts of Nigeria, it is carried out at a very young age (minors) and there is no possibility of the individual's consent. Its like giving a child tattoo when he/she is not of age to make that decision.

FGM is recognized worldwide as a fundamental violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. 

It involves violation of rights of the children and violation of a person's right to health, security, and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death. Furthermore, girls usually undergo the practice without their informed consent, depriving them of the opportunity to make independent decision about their bodies.

 It is very clear that there is no single benefit derived from FGM.

• Join the movement to say “NO” to save the future generations of women.
• Enquire about the practice in your locality and give clear information and education to other people on the health effects of FGM.
• And if it is in your power discuss with your law makers or local representatives on making laws against FGM.

Support families and communities in their efforts to abandon the practice and to improve care for those who have undergone FGM. Every one has the right to decisions concerning their life and well being and is never in the hands of parents, community, custom to make that decision; it is one thing to preserve custom and tradition as it has always been a guidance back to roots and norm, but it is another thing to endanger an individuals life to promote and preserve such fetishes.

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The effect of using the traditional cooking stove and how much it affects you and the environment. A four minutes read.

The kerosene fuelled stove is commonly used in developing countries of the world. The particular type on display is popular in Nigeria. Over the years people of the past and present have relied on this traditional method of cooking, ranging from the local farmer, teacher, trader, plumber and in most homes found in the urban areas in Nigeria; as this makes-up 80% of the cooking population--i am guessing, is not an actual statistics.

The use of this stove is efficient for heating to most people, not forgetting. it is cheap and economical for users; as money is utilized economically compared to alternative method--using the common man logic. Now! we have discuss the pros; lets get to the cons.

The use of this traditional stove is always associated with the emission of carbon monoxide co, which normally is odourless, colourless, tasteless and toxic, would definitely kill you when exposed over a long period of time in a confine space. The carbon monoxide comes to be as a result of incomplete combustion of carbon that is absent of oxygen.

Carbon monoxide exposure in homes above 70ppm can cause symptoms like: headache, fatigue, and nausea but sustained level above 150ppm can cause disorientation, unconsciousness, and death. Just imagine this happening in a poorly ventilated kitchen, as it is in most of our kitchens in Africa; well! you weigh the results.

 When it comes to exposure every one is at risk. Unborn babies, infants, the elderly and people with conditions like: chronic heart diseases, anaemia, or respiratory problems, as they are generally more at risk than others.

 Often noticed around cooking pot used in cooking with the traditional stoves; during or after cooking as a result of wrong setting of stove wick or any other part; as well as incomplete combustion of carbon, is the presence of black carbon or soot; a component of particulate matter.

 Black carbon apart from it's negative health impacts over the years, is among one of the many causes of climate change and happens to be number 2 in the carbon family to carbon-dioxide CO2 in the amount of heat trap in the atmosphere; which causes global warming, rise in sea level, flooding and other environmental disturbing problems and degradation. So needless to say, looking for a better  alternative methods of cooking doesn't just care for your health, it cares for the environment.

 If you find this post educating, please feel free to share using the social media icon below, you can as well connect to this platform using the social media icon above. Hope you visit again; until next time, enjoy.

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As it was in the head of a six years old. A five minutes read.

Often you wonder if things ever get easy, if worries ever go away. Your fear, insecurity, pressure and the insensitivity of this world. As a little boy the adults and society let me understand that not been good enough will doom one's future in time to come.

How always been bad in certain aspect of your life is a sign that you probably won't amount to much in life; how not been good enough would bring ruin to you in future to come.

Back in the day i was never good at anything at all, never good in:  sports, looks, or even academics; as occasionally i and certain group of pupils were always dragging the 1st, 2nd, 3nd down to 11th position in class, and trust me, it was never from the front.

The pressure was on, even as an 6 years old, you look around  and see people you feel are having it easy, and wish you had that life. Time to time, you pray to be better but been better was not really coming your way.

As continuously you feel that you were on this alone and no one seem to pay attention or observe how hard you are trying and how much of patience you need them to have, to be able to reach out to you. This was the life of so many of us, and still is to many, only on a different phase and scale. The truth is that most of us have been stressing and worried about tomorrow, even as a child, you didn't really live through or enjoyed childhood innocence and freedom; as it suppose to be.

 Our fears, insecurity and uncertainties always get the best of us. As an adult you look at kids today playing, and say to yourself that they have no problems and no worries, how much you miss been them, and how much you would give to just see life their way one more time. No worries, just excitement. Well! this is because all you see in them is smile and play.

 The funny truth remains that you too had your fair share of fun as a child, but do you remember the fair share of fear and insecurities of not fitting in or been weird, the people within and around you not understanding you, even when in your mind you seem to be screaming your lungs out and saying please, get me. So many times in your mind you screaming, showing clue but no one seem to pay attention, no one seem to want to graze you the patient of connecting with you, no one seem to get you, because to them, you just a kid what more could be your problem other than food, sleep and play.

 Today we all have a kid or more, related or not. Do you think that perhaps it would be too much of a burden to you, to really inquire about their happiness, fear and insecurities. It is easy to be an adult that buys candy for a child, anyone even the gate man can do that, but been the adult that connects on a level that many ignore, is what a child 20 years from particular date would remember, and say that was an aunty/uncle that truly got me. Extending that time and attention to really and truly connect with a child, would be priceless to that child, in future to come. Until your next read, enjoy and feel free to use the share button below.

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Colours. A two minutes read.

Micheal chijioke amadi is a graduate of Biochemistry, Abia state university.

 A former lodge mate of mine back then in school, we stayed neighbours all through our university program; as none of us actually moved out, ignore the beards in the picture, he doesn't always he look like a criminal; he has a baby face when shaved lol. 

A brief essay on him will be my first post on this column. So what can i say about Michael? sorry, i forgot to mention he is popularly known as " colours ". 

He is a regular guy with hopes and dream of a foreseeable bright future, and saw the need to give life to the "Resume" and "curriculum vitae" of both graduates and undergraduates that seek his professional touch on their credentials. if you are one of such people, seek his expertise and that of his team.

 Connect with them him: bbm= 24CA5F70, email= coloursvitae@gmail.com or better still, visit www.coloursvitae.com. I could write a composition on this guy but lets leave it on the 2mins  mark, because a lot of people don't like reading a long text. Micheal chijioke amadi aka " colours" is our regular guy that most definitely will do extraordinarily things.

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