CATHOLIC YOUTHS on TREE PLANTING

 One Tree makes Big Difference

by Nigel Akuani 

Planting a tree can make a big difference in battling air pollution and conserving the environment.

 

Catholic youths discuss tree planting on air.

This was the message from first-year students of Limana Vocational during their talk of the theme ‘Plant a tree, pick up rubbish and make a difference’on the Chat Room program on July 17, 2019 at the NBC Radio Station. 

The five students kick-started their discussion with introducing and defining the topic, outlined the facts and benefits of tree planting and picking up rubbish, the effects of logging, and made suggestions in protecting and caring for the environment.

The group’s first speaker Peter Tabai introduced the topic and said planting trees was crucial to balancing the environment’s atmosphere. “Trees help by giving oxygen and absorbing the fatal gas of carbon dioxide, this helps improve the air quality that we humans and animals share,” he said.

Highlighting the facts and benefits of planting a tree was Karlister Fabila. Ms Fabila explained that planting a tree was one of the possible ways of reducing the impact of illegal logging. “Many tropical forests around the world, and here in the PNG face the a very high risk of being completely cut down. The laws for regulating and protecting our diverse types environment are stagnant and need serious consideration on the part policy and law makers,” Ms Fabila stated.

One tree can make a difference.

Third speaker Lemuel Serubi spoke on the facts and benefits of picking up rubbish, and emphasized that it was every individual’s responsibility to care for the environment and do their part in picking rubbish. “We all want to live in a clean environment, but rubbish always makes the place look filthy that creates pollution if not taken care of. Our ways of not caring for the environment are now becoming evident affecting all forms of life, from on land, in the air to deep in the ocean.” he cautioned.

Ms Mavis Sergius spoke on making a difference for the environment’s wellbeing and urged people to begin changing their attitude and appreciate their surroundings. “Anyone can make a difference, it depends entirely on them. They just need to mind their own rubbish, and tell others to follow the same. The difference can start from planting a small tree, to  preventing illegal logging. But this driving factor for a difference should always be to preserve the environment,” she advised. 

The panel’s final speaker Pedro Pinipas made recommendations to raise efforts in planting more trees, and said for every person to take it seriously. “This is a serious matter because by year 2050, our future generation may never have the benefits given from trees. The current generation today need to have a plan or vision of what they want their future to be like. The government and its departments, NGO’s and schools need to form an initiative for planting trees, that benefits the people and their environment,” he said.