Water, you and the Earth
The Earth is getting hotter and it is largely due to human-induced climate change. What does this mean to you and me and what can we do about it?
South Africa has been recording annual temperatures for 122 years and 2013 was the hottest ever recorded. This record was short-lived, only to be broken in 2014 and then again last year! With the extreme heat and low rainfall came the worst drought in over thirty years. The drought affected over 2.7 million householdsâŚand it is going to get worse! Food prices are set to soar, as we need to import vast amounts of maize and other products against a very weak currency.
People usually change for one of two reasons. We can change by being more informed as to the plight we find our planet in and then make more ethical choices in our daily actions. Information can make us become more conscious and respectful of what so many of us take for granted. Unfortunately, the reason most people change is because they are forced to. What would you have to do if water stopped coming out of the tap? You would have to move from a comfort zone and make a plan. Letâs not wait for that to happen but rather begin making lots of small changes NOW.
So what can we do? Here are a few examples. Donât leave the tap running when you brush your teeth; or guys, when you shave. Shower, donât bath; if you have a garden, buy hardy plants that donât require much water. If you have a green lawn, think about converting it into a vegetable garden, as lawns are hugely water intensive. And a big one for meâŚsubstitute beef for venison if you must eat meat. Of the approximately 70 billion farmed animals on earth, cows on drink 1, 7 billion litres of water per day. It takes a hectare of land to house one cow and a hectare of rain forest is burned EVERY MINUTE to grow maize or soy to feed that cow! 35% of all maize and soy is fed to cows. That figure could quite easily feed the entire worlds starving poor.
Whilst on the subject food, instead of eating marine fish buy farmed fresh water fish (like the trout and salmon in your Woolies store). Peer reviewed papers from some of the worlds leading scientists tell us that there will be NO FISH IN THE OCEANS BY 2048! Donât let this happenâŚwe can change things by understanding the problems.
On the 26th December my friend, Pete van Kets and me will be rowing the Cape to Rio yacht race. Thatâs 6, 700kms and we will be pulling around 2,3 million strokes with our oars. We get to Rio with your helpâŚwe want 2,3 million people to #DOT; to Do One Thing for the planet via our free download App which will be launched later this this year. Please be an asset to the planet by âpulling togetherâ with Pete and me.
