One day, Tahina and I suggested “Climate change” as a discussion topic for our English Club. We were so astonished (or shouldn’t we???) that all the members felt reluctant. So we could guess that they were not interested in the topic. I believe that many other people around the world behave like these members when it is to talk about “Climate change”.
I have registered to this Blog Action Day (BAD) because first of all, I feel concerned about it, and also it is so great to see the numerous blogs which are taking part in posting articles about “Climate change” – BAD’s topic of this year. This makes me feel NOT ALONE.
Since this morning, I have deeply thought about what I will post this evening. And on my way home, I saw this big truck which smokes. I took out my camera and came nearer the driver and asked if I could take a pic. The big guy hesitated as I explained that it was for my blog. He could guess that I will talk about environment so he said “Make sure you don’t put my face and the plate number on it.” So I took the pic and showed it to him. Then I asked a “silly” question: Why he didn’t want to appear on the pic. He laughed and said: “I know that this smoke is bad but this truck is my money resources so I have to do with it… Anyway, I’m not the only one [shy smile]”
I leaved that guy because I started to cough with the smoke. I went home and I have noticed that my neighbour was using charcoal. And bingo! Here is our topic. Most of Malagasy homes (I am tempted to say 90%) use charcoal. Why? Because this is cheaper and you can buy it at any time in small quantity. Though if you use gas you have to pay for the whole bottle right away which is quite expensive for most homes. Don’t even think of electricity! But where does the charcoal come from? Peasants in countrysides cut trees of forests to make the charcoal. Though none of them thought about re-planting trees. They prefer to move on to the nearby forests and so on. We, who are aware of the environmental issues, know exactly the impacts of such act: no rain, disapperance of endemic fauna and flora, heat, erosion…
I think that the main problem here in Madagascar is that people are so busy to search for what they are going to eat today. We then become selfish and just think of ourselves. We forget our neighbours and our future generation.
One day, I was intrigued by a quote from a movie about our today’s topic (I don’t remeber the title): “Why have we waited until it is too late to save our planet?”. Yet, many believe that they still have time to think about the problems of climate change tomorrow or even laterer. People seem not aware at all even though, here in Madagascar, we should now be in hot and rainy season. I remember, when I was a kid, in October like this, it rained almost every day… but this october 2009, till today, we only had 5 or 6 rainy days. Some may feel happy because they won’t need to buy and bring umbrella; peasants are not because of their farming.
I hope that the Bloggers’Action of today will wake up millions… billions of people… governments… poor countries… rich countries… and then, we will altogether rescue the Earth. What I can and already do now is planting my own trees.
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October 15, 2009 at 8:42 pm
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October 16, 2009 at 12:49 am
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[…] each one of us and we’ll do this for no one but each one of us … and the future generation Ariniaina from Antananarivo I lived that guy cuz I started to cough with the smoke. I went home and I have noticed that my […]
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January 15, 2010 at 3:40 pm
saveoursmile
I think charcoal comes along with the “kitay kely” or “” kitay menaka”… those little pieces of naturally-oiled wood that makes it easier to light the fire … They seem to be small pieces but you’ll be amazed how slim a tree can become once they have “cut” the base of the tree with their axe … You’d think you don’t even need a cyclone to have this tree break and fall …
January 15, 2010 at 9:00 pm
ariniaina
you’re completely right saveoursmile, and we should seriously work on these environmental problems RIGHT NOW!