“To be a scientist is to be naïve. We are so focused on our search for truth we fail to consider how few actually want us to find it, but it is always there whether we see it or not, choose to or not. The truth does not care for our needs or wants; it doesn’t care about our governments, our ideologies, our religions. It will lie and wait for all time and this at last is the gift of Chernobyl. Where once I’d fear the cost of the truth now I only ask, what is the cost of lies?” (Valery Legasov)
Valery Legasov was a nuclear scientist who was involved in dealing with the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident in 1986.He later committed suicide because after he exposed the truth about the cause of accident the leaders in The Soviet Union had him stripped of his duties and all the work that he had done to rescue the situation was to be erased from history. The cause of the accident was human error coupled with faulty design of the nuclear reactor. The government was trying to conceal that it had used cheap material to build the reactor and this had fatal consequences. “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth, sooner or later that debt is paid”, Legasov said during trial. The debt was truly paid, the disaster covered an area of 2,600 square kilometres, 300,000 people were permanently displaced and 4,000-93,000 was the number of estimated deaths.
Another disaster is about to happen on a larger scale. The warning signs loud and cannot be ignored. Scientist have remained stubborn and sometimes naïve thinking that the truth is enough to change the minds of the masses. But where the scientists have failed, the earth has spoken so eloquently. Natural disasters and climate variability has affected so many lives that people and governments have started to listen.
Mozambique has experienced the effects of this changing climate. Cyclone Idai devastated areas in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. This is the second-deadliest Cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere of Africa. There has been an increase in natural disasters throughout the world, from forest fires to cyclone, from tropical storms to hurricanes. Here in Kenya the expected rainy season delayed and this has affected food production. As the summers get hotter and the winter gets colder it’s not our comfort that should worry us but that our livelihoods, health and shelter are under threat.
Today is World Environmental Day, and theme is ‘Beat Air Pollution’. Air pollution is a silent killer mostly because the gases are invisible. Air pollution causes respiratory issues, affects yet to be born babies, affects brain development in our children and changes the chemical composition of the atmosphere leading to acidic rain and the greenhouse effect. Increase in atmospheric temperature, caused by gases like methane and carbon (IV) oxide affecting the ozone layer, has detrimental effects on our health, agriculture and ecosystems. Melting of the Arctic ice will affect life in the sea and on earth. The Arctic ice acts as an air conditioning system by reflecting sun rays back into space. When ice melts it changes the concentration of salt in the ocean which affects organisms in water. An the increase in ocean water levels will lead to the displacement of people in coastal areas and the immersion of small island states.
Any scientist, environmentalist, activist or environment enthusiast should not feel discouraged that there presentation of facts and truths may be ignored but should know that the truth always surfaces above lies. It might take time for people to understand what you are trying to communicate but it is never in vain and is always worth the effort.
To everyone who wants to be part of the solution, all hope is not lost yet. We can still redeem ourselves and leave a healthy environment where future generations can thrive. So what can you do? No contribution is too small. There are a lot of organisations and groups that have on going petitions to solve issues such as plastic waste and protection of various ecosystems. One such petition can be found on Parvati.org which seeks to protect the Arctic Sea Ice by compelling countries to be signatory to the Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary (MAPS). We can also conserve our environment by living responsibly and not being wasteful. We can avoid one-off use plastics such as straws and plastic bottles, re-purpose products to reduce waste and avoid products that are produced by fossil fuel energy or pollute the environment by seeking alternative products.
If you try to conceal the truth because of selfish interest, consequences will definitely be felt. Sadly the effects are often felt by others, not only by the person guilty of dishonesty. For those enlightened with the truth, speak out and help Mother Nature survive.
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