The big R

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle…

The environment is the surroundings in which a person, animal or plant lives in or operates from.
It is the natural world as a whole or in a particular geographical area especially as affected by human activity.
The environment is a fragile little thing that struggles each day with degradation, neglect and abuse in order provide its inhabitants with protection, resource and sustenance.

Friday morning, I turned my face away as this seriously road unworthy trailer, bellowed past. It infused me, my clothes and hair with an unholy black smog.
I coughed, fanned the air around my face with my fingers, blinked away tears in my eyes that formed from the onslaught and went about my business as usual.
Oh! There was the courtesy glance I threw in the direction of Federal Road Safety Corps stationed at the junction.
They were too busy interrogating the apparent owner of a shiny silver jeep as to why the “t” on his vehicle paper was not properly crossed to notice or be affected by the demon on wheels that went past.

Unlike these equation's which I am still waiting on to provide me with money, food and/or a husband, green house gases, ozone depletion and acid rain among others are things I learned about in school, thought were an imaginary monsters but face each day.

Throbbing headaches, high blood pressure, difficulty in breathing and the heat of the sun bearing down on us with a vengeance is something that can easily be traced back to karma.
You do not piss in an ice tray and expect honey flavored ice cubes.

Most of us have come across the 3 R’s at one point in our life or the other but it seems like the only people who have found use for these principles are our “decision makers”.
They Reduce the expectations of the citizens, spend more time and energy on irrelevant agendas and encourage thuggism, thievery and bullying.
They Reuse the same campaign strategies, promising better health, amenities, infrastructures… more hope for the future if only we give them the power and finally, they Recycle their party representatives.
The older? The better!

Waste and how we choose to handle it affects our environment.
Waste is not only the gala wrapper or empty La Casera bottle we throw away after a “quick fix”, it also includes misused energy, resource and intellect.

The environment is hurt each time we use its limited resource to create new items to replace the ones we throw away. Frankly speaking, no matter the angle you look at it from, a landfill is never a pretty site to see so, why promote it?

The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it!


Think before you trash.
We end up returning to the market to buy items similar to the ones we threw out to facilitate a particular chore.

Reducing is cutting back on the amount of trash we make.
Reusing is finding a new way to use “trash” so we do not have to throw it out.
Recycling is using collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products.

• Go with your own bags when shopping and reduce your demand for plastic bags for each item you buy.
• Buy products that can be reused.
• Reduce hazardous waste (furniture polish, cleaning solvent, bleach, non-biodegradable detergent, etc)
• Sell or give away unwanted items.
• Buy products with little packaging, they use less raw material.
• Ensure taps/faucets are tightly closed and not dripping after use.
• Old clothes can be used as cleaning rags.
• Buy products that can be recycled
• Recycle motor products (break fluids, oils and tires)
• Use energy saving bulbs; replacing the cheap regular light bulbs with energy saving bulbs will reduce nitrogen oxide (produces smog), sulphur dioxide (acid rain) and carbon dioxide (global warming). On the long run it would save you money.
• Buy non toxic products whenever possible
• Turn off lights when not in use.
• Use plastic grocery bags as trash bags.
• Buy only what you need.
• Save money, buy in bulk.
• Avoid buying canned items and opt for fresh produce, bottled drinks or items in paper packages.
• Return empty plastic water bottles to their manufacturers.
• Where you can, keep a garden and start a compost bin to use as manure for the plants.
• Rent and/or share items that are used infrequently like party decorations, tools or furniture.

The 3 R’s reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators (that is if we really have functional ones in the country), reduces the green house gases emitted, conserves natural resources and sustains the environment for future generations.



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Risky is about the only one in a million population who knew that before he’d live, he was sure to die.
Conceived on a cool Saturday evening at the start of the rainy season , he was born to an age worn mother and a young irresponsible father (who had lost his head).
A one-night stand, that was how the relationship was defined.
Although his mother was past her prime (advanced in age), when she was in the mood and begun her dance, there were few males who could resist her call.
His father was no exception.
Smitten is the word.
You can blame nature, the society, or whatever but no blame can change the fact that of all her offspring, Risky was the only one who made it past infancy.


Risky, Risky, where’d you go?
With wit like a whip
He’s faster than a flash

Risky, Risky, see that streak?
Like a bullet to its target
Risky’s straight to the goal