tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41619341247038503212024-02-19T01:19:39.139-08:00TLC4EnvironmentTLC4ENVIRONMENT simply stands for tender loving care for the environment and largely appreciating it!
The same way we love and care for our family and friends is the same kind of love we should have for the environment.
The state of the environment is in our hands, so we should do our best to maintain it sustainably.
Take part in saving our environment through various activities, events and even through public awareness. It all starts with YOU!!!TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-32881305299294130652020-06-30T17:06:00.000-07:002020-06-30T17:06:17.482-07:00#GreenStaycation at Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands!In this era of hashtags I definitely must incorporate some in my posts đ This is that post!<br />
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Last weekend I had an opportunity to stay at <a href="https://www.ibisstylesnairobi.com/">Ibis Styles Nairobi</a> located in Westlands for a #staycation. Personally the cessation of movement in Nairobi and restricted travels due to the #Covid19 pandemic had me thinking of exciting ways to stay sane and safe but to have fun while at it. I definitely needed a breather! Ibis Styles Nairobi has been advertising it's #staycation deal and I felt I should explore it; so when I saw they were having a competition for #AfricaDay I jumped at the opportunity to participate. Guess what, I won the fabulous giveaway...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDX5Oy7zlWCVBEJAddH0vFMDjujcA_Zg3QlQUB0YZwuElFB51GfV5j-kT_5bvWbR-bTm8Qj5hpXSeFle-y-PP_ipK3TRFfGjp0sulZMzaRlraOKVIx2OmPWL1aXzjbwx3o9h4Z5MidpL8/s1600/20200628_114037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDX5Oy7zlWCVBEJAddH0vFMDjujcA_Zg3QlQUB0YZwuElFB51GfV5j-kT_5bvWbR-bTm8Qj5hpXSeFle-y-PP_ipK3TRFfGjp0sulZMzaRlraOKVIx2OmPWL1aXzjbwx3o9h4Z5MidpL8/s320/20200628_114037.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the entrance of Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands</td></tr>
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The hotel has recently re-opened its doors to the public in an #ALLsafe standard, after being inspected and approved by the Ministry of Health with the team actively and regularly disinfecting the area, ensuring social distance is observed, everyone is masked, constantly sanitizing and temperature checking before accessing the hotel. I have to mention that the menus are contactless, all you have to do is scan the barcode at <a href="https://www.ibisstylesnairobi.com/dining/utamu-restaurant/?lang=en">Utamu restaurant</a> and <a href="https://www.ibisstylesnairobi.com/dining/kilele-nyama/?lang=en">Kilele Nyama</a> using your phone and voila you have it on your screen; this was a whole new experience for me! I was assured safety is paramount in their operations considering the new normal.</div>
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After checking in and while on the way to my 7th floor room, I saw the breath-taking view of Nairobi city. I also noticed an interesting greenery on the first floor of the hotel that had me curious... My room was clean, cozy, well-furnished with a welcoming ambience... just the perfect getaway!</div>
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I was particularly thrilled about the hotel's environmental consciousness and how the team is driven by the desire to be environmentally-friendly. I was fortunate to meet part of the rock-star team; Stuart, Joel and Athailus who took their time to explain the green initiatives the hotel has undertaken. Later on, Athailus guided me on a tour of the environmental initiatives that have been put in place (thank you!) For example, the hotel now uses a bio-diesel made from recycled plastics to generate steam which in turn is used operate two boilers to heat water for the 277 rooms. Other than the environmental advantages of using bio-diesel, it is a cost effective measure because the cost per litre is actually Ksh. 8 cheaper than diesel yet recent tests conducted showed that it is 87% effective! Additionally, the hotel uses energy-efficient lighting having installed only energy-saving bulbs in the entire premises! I was also familiarized with a plan soon to be initiated whereby the hotel will install solar panels to generate solar electricity which is projected to raise efficiency and bring down electricity costs significantly. Needless to say, this is a win on both energy and cost savings! For the air conditioners, the hotel has deployed a water-cooled chiller system and also uses an environmentally friendly refrigerant which does not have fluorocarbons. This specific refrigerant has an insignificant contribution towards ozone depletion, which is a major cause of climate change.</div>
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Another interesting initiative is a partnership with a local company that collects cooking oil and residue form the hotel's kitchen, which is then transformed into soaps and detergent and supplied back to the hotel whereby it is used for cleaning purposes, how cool is that?! Also, to reduce food waste, the hotel also encourages to take all you can eat but eat all you take! They are clearly demonstrating and walking the talk on reducing, re-using and recycling...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well said at the staff cafeteria...</td></tr>
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As an alternative source of water beside the Nairobi City Council source, the hotel has a borehole and a water treatment plant that performs reverse osmosis to reduce the iron content in the water, which is one of the most efficient water purification processes. It is also important to mention that Ibis Styles Nairobi has introduced a water-saving flush technique by installing dual water flush systems which have been adjusted to only use 6 litres of water per flush as compared to the standard 9 litres. Waste water and effluents are collected in a septic tank before being pumped out to the major water and sewerage line. </div>
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It is impressive how the hotel has eliminated single-use plastic! For drinking water in the room and at the restaurants, I was offered glass bottled mineral water to quench my thirst and a paper straw for my cocktail. Cheers to #BeatPlasticPollution đ</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottled glass water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out fresh spices on the 1st floor!</td></tr>
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Remember the greenery I was curious about on the first floor? Turns out it is spices, herbs and bamboo grown by the hotel on recycled tires and pots. I easily identified fresh lemon-grass and mint, which I was informed are used for cooking and garnishing. </div>
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With plans to continue implementing Accor's Planet 21 initiative, Ibis Styles Nairobi aims to provide a positive hospitality experience that takes sustainability into account.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSbf38ypLObOWd4L7hFIX_EbAjxrV-QEWHfQ0vM5e7AJrZ2RqpPUaNTBj344E-h71IGObj7k9R-qoLlXo_BzWeoADOXVQfeiW5dpLp4rK2RLhXw8QJl9UouGzf-LQGidFgu_RiRODn6Q/s1600/20200628_092107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSbf38ypLObOWd4L7hFIX_EbAjxrV-QEWHfQ0vM5e7AJrZ2RqpPUaNTBj344E-h71IGObj7k9R-qoLlXo_BzWeoADOXVQfeiW5dpLp4rK2RLhXw8QJl9UouGzf-LQGidFgu_RiRODn6Q/s200/20200628_092107.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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Experiencing the simple pleasure of star gazing at Kilele Nyama while downing my chilled blue lagoon cocktail, free from worries of curfew and any other cares, was just the peak! From delish meals (the mouth-watering chargrill meat platters are exceptional!) to splendid views, to comfort and appealing style, Ibis Styles Nairobi Westlands gives you a #greenstaycation experience. </div>
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Mine was an #ALLsafe ecstatic #staycation, I deserved it and so do you!</div>
TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-65596142026330050452020-05-28T05:16:00.000-07:002020-05-28T05:16:13.675-07:002020: The 'new normal'...It has been a long while since I did a piece here, thanks to Covid-19 I am back... Not that I don't write anymore but I have been doing shorter posts / opinion pieces on Facebook and Twitter, which I find easier to manage now considering the nature of my work. That said, where are we now?<br />It is 2020 and most of us started the year with a bang, excited about the new decade! We had no idea that a few months down the line we would be living a 'new normal' where by our daily lives would be much different than we ever imagined. Targets set for 2020 have changed! I now understand more the fragility of economies, societies not forgetting ecosystems. I believe many of you including myself , are adopting flexible conditions and trying to stay relevant in our lanes. The Novel Coronavirus has dramatically exposed us to unprecedented times, many are devastated and discouraged!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Hgp6fdyj3TtG-mimL5WP0F__AdFnwNvKRFUaQ_ob1EsyTeLlvSXLRKKxL9le_cYNJQ0zOqn7ci6LWMOV9Wc0-6YDlssN7qc7ffzIH0_zirc2znQVw92-nDsv2kgZpoAq_y6tZckoTrw/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Hgp6fdyj3TtG-mimL5WP0F__AdFnwNvKRFUaQ_ob1EsyTeLlvSXLRKKxL9le_cYNJQ0zOqn7ci6LWMOV9Wc0-6YDlssN7qc7ffzIH0_zirc2znQVw92-nDsv2kgZpoAq_y6tZckoTrw/w200-h200/corona.jpg" title="*borrowed from The Guardian" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /><div>Just like any other field, conservation has been adversely affected by the pandemic. There are several articles claiming that ecosystems are now thriving due to less human interference resulting from measures aimed at flattening the curve. As much as this may be true in some areas, I believe many conservation efforts have become slower or have halted in some regions. Truth is, conservation efforts mainly rely on support from various stakeholders, such as governments, institutions, corporates, individuals... and many other bodies. With the challenges that Corona has presented, majority of these stakeholders are directing their efforts towards fighting the coronavirus. Corporates that would ideally give towards conservation are now giving towards Corona, and it is understandable because with economies threatened and 'collapsing' the priorities are clear- fight the coronavirus!<br />However, as we channel our energies towards battling the pandemic, I highly advocate that we should not forget our fragile ecosystems, that have been struggling even before 'the rona'. Issues such as environmental degradation and climate change remain a global crisis and require our attention. These unprecedented times have also revealed unprecedented opportunity to take action. It is in this harsh period that many have realized the spirit of community and how inter-linkages are a necessity in restarting or in the continuity of initiatives. Under the pressure, vital conservation efforts globally are at risk and more than ever, cooperation is needed to tackle the challenges. It has been also said that attacks on nature contribute to health crisis and therefore as we work towards recovery, we should focus on environmental-friendly solutions and those that are sustainable.</div><div>Shoot me for this, but we have seen that more stakeholders can give towards broader initiatives including conservation. Corporates, individuals and development partners among others are in the front-line in contributing towards Corona. We appreciate all those going over and beyond for this, but can we channel that same energy towards our environment? We cannot be resilient without nature. With this mindset, we can take accountability for our actions, especially for businesses that underpin the environment. This is the kind of commitment that the environment requires!</div><div>Additionally, it is also evident that the digital transformation is crucial in maintaining continuity with operations being remotely managed. During this period, digital platforms have been widely accessed and applied to advance wildlife conservation especially through data flows which give more information for monitoring purposes to improve conservation activities. This promotes processes in fostering a relationship between the natural world and humans by exploring social dynamics between the two. Therefore, the digital leap is a great opportunity to improve engagement in nature conservation alongside practical approaches which are more interactive and both are vital for developing conservation-oriented management actions. This is a wake-up call for many of us, as it is a glimpse of the future of work , digital tools are increasingly becoming a key competency and as conservationists we should adopt digital skills to improve and increase our efforts!</div><div>How will the post Covid-19 conservation world look like? I do not have any answers but for me the bottom-line is, as we frantically look into restarting the economy, let us also channel the same energy towards conservation! Conservation should not remain underrated.</div><div>I wish you all good health, stay safe!</div></div>TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-47743574832022104732018-07-30T03:33:00.001-07:002018-07-30T03:33:50.720-07:00A Tale of Dead Rhinos: Controversial Translocation & Blame Game.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQn8cIgbUP1UY1hbu65JxKXBoLiW3t6zHbItP8DgC07pHEgqKCv60pmNZxR_6ME3KQx3DLNL1l3oA0-5Qzi6iXE9AqI1DaY05EHccVqfTRuANTII6X7yfRvMjaRNg7fsAJHZApys0y8Y/s1600/IMG-20180729-WA0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQn8cIgbUP1UY1hbu65JxKXBoLiW3t6zHbItP8DgC07pHEgqKCv60pmNZxR_6ME3KQx3DLNL1l3oA0-5Qzi6iXE9AqI1DaY05EHccVqfTRuANTII6X7yfRvMjaRNg7fsAJHZApys0y8Y/s320/IMG-20180729-WA0007.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rhino looks on at the Maasai Mara National Park. Photo credits: Elodie D.</td></tr>
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Other than the brutal adverse
cold temperatures being currently experienced in the country, the death of 10
critically endangered black rhinos has set tongues wagging. The blame game is
hot and getting hotter daily after the massive loss of the rhinos which
resulted after a translocation from the Nairobi and Nakuru National Parks to
Tsavo. On the day when the first deaths occurred, just 4 days after the highly
publicized translocation, the public was informed that the death was as a
result of consumption of highly saline water in the new habitat. Shortly after
the reported first deaths, as if in solidarity, more of the translocated rhinos
died leaving only one remaining. The lone survivor is said to be âdoing wellâ
even though it is reported to have been attacked by a lion. We surely do hope
and pray that it will survive!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now to the blame game, the WWF team, after orchestrating
âThe Big Moveâ is now trying in vain to disassociate itself from the disaster,
saying that the organization trusted Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and had no
reason to doubt their âincapacityâ to move the rhinos to the supposed
sanctuary. Let us not forget that the Tourism CS, Hon. Balala last week made a
daring move to sack KWS officials for their âcarelessnessâ in the translocation,
attributing that the move was mismanaged from the beginning. The same move he had
earlier termed as âa key milestone in the conservation of the rapidly dwindling
black rhino populationâ. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Questions arise
why the CS is claiming this now because if he observed the mismanagement from
the start, it is only logical that he should have pointed it out then and wouldnât
have agreed to it. On the other hand, Dr. Leakey, the former chairman of KWS
board of trustees, has also given his statement about the conservation blunder,
plainly condemning Balala for accepting to translocate the rhinos even though the
board had opposed the translocation. However, according to The Standard
Newspaper, park officials and insiders cast blame at what they termed as âconstant
wrangles and disagreements between management at KWS and wildlife conversation
organisations that have infiltrated the wildlife sectorâ. One official pointed
out that âThe death of the rhinos is pure sabotage. These groups (KWS and
wildlife conversation organisations) have been fighting, so the rhinos were
killed to prove a point.â (<a href="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001289725/insiders-say-rhinos-victims-of-turf-wars-and-were-poisoned">https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001289725/insiders-say-rhinos-victims-of-turf-wars-and-were-poisoned</a>
). We however do not know how true this is, even though it just might be shedding some light to the truth of the matter. Before the translocation, questions arose why
it was necessary to move the rhinos from a public protected area to a private
sanctuary? Some of us are still waiting for a convincing explanation of some
sorts. What do you think?<o:p></o:p></div>
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That aside, another critical
issue that has erupted is the speculation on the whereabouts of the horns from
the dead rhinos, however, KWS has informed the public that the 20 horns were
carefully extracted and are micro-chipped for safety, abating fears that the
horns have gone missing. We are keenly following this storyâŠ<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rumour has it that the
translocation was done so as to facilitate the construction of the next phase
of the SGR, but this is Kenya and we may possibly never know the whole truth
after all. Local and international conservationists have exerted pressure on
the issue demanding answers to what could have gone wrong- with some even
stating that this is worse than poaching. As is the usual Kenyan style,
investigations are being conducted and we the public are waiting for answers-
if they will be found⊠ni hayo tu kwa sasa!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-90002539537683053242017-10-11T04:10:00.000-07:002017-10-11T04:10:58.544-07:00Biosphere Reserves: The 2017 Man and Biosphere Youth Forum<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I took a random trip to Dare
Salaam one fine Friday in September 2015, I had decided to relax for a few days
and enjoy the beauty our neighbour Tanzania had to offer as I thought of what
next after a three month internship. It is during this trip that I accompanied
a friend of mine, Carole, to the UNESCO Regional Youth Forum that was happening
at the British Council. After an exciting weekend in Zanzibar and being left by
the ferry, getting to Dar and attending the UNESCO Regional Youth forum seemed
like the most reasonable thing to do. After all, other than memories, I wanted
to go back home with something to work on, and I figured this would trigger my
mind. So off we went⊠and that is how I got involved with UNESCOâs programs!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Okay now, fast forward to
September 2017! What you do with information matters a lot! Seriously, I mean
if someone tells you something, think of what it can do for you or how to work
with that little piece of info till it works for you- at least that is what I
did. Yet again, another internship had just ended in June and unfortunately I
was lying in bed unwell, when I got a phone call from a friend, asking me if I
had heard of the 2017 Man and Biosphere (MAB) Youth Forum which was taking
place in Italy. Honestly I had not heard about it, all I knew was the AfriMAB
which was happening in Nigeria a few weeks later and a colleague had mentioned
he would be attending. My friend on the other side was quite confident in me, telling
me that I should think about it because âit is something that I would
definitely be interested inâ and of course, yes I was. He later on sent me the
link, I had a look and decided to think deeply about it later. Next day, my
condition had worsened and now I was admitted in hospital. I had all the time
to browse on the internet on new and upcoming opportunities, and that is when
my âdeepâ thought process about the MAB Youth Forum begun. On this hospital
bed, I drafted my letter of interest on my phone and sent it to the UNESCO
Kenya National Commission (KNATCOM). I then proceeded to whisper a prayer and
wished the best for the application. In a few days, I received positive
feedback from the KNATCOM- I was still on my hospital bed; they also sent me an
official link to the application for the Forum which I filled in and submitted,
and waited for the response- which by now you definitely know was positive!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The 2017 MAB Youth Forum was held
at the Po Delta Biosphere Reserve in Italy from 18 â 23 September 2017. I
consider myself very privileged to have attended this highly participatory and
engaging Forum which had almost 300 participants from 95 different countries. I
also was the only Kenyan participant representing the Malindi-Watamu Biosphere
Reserve. </div>
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So how did I end up choosing Malindi-Watamu BR? Well, I come from the
Kenyan coast and I once had a volunteering opportunity within Watamu, focusing
on ecological monitoring and educational programs. During this period is when I
first heard about the term âbiosphere reservesâ. According to the UNESCO
Biosphere Reserves are ââScience for Sustainability support sitesâ â special
places for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing
changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including
conflict prevention and management of biodiversityâ. They are nominated by
national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states
where they are located and their status is internationally recognized. In
Kenya, the Biosphere Reserves are Mt. Kenya, Mt. Kulal, Mt. Elgon, Amboseli,
Kiunga and Malindi-Watamu which are all managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
You can read more about the Kenya Biosphere Reserves <a href="http://www.unesco.org/mabdb/br/brdir/directory/contact.asp?code=KEN">here</a>. According to the
September 2017 La Gazeta periodical, the MAB Youth Forum was a world-class
event that prefigures the exploration and knowledge of territories in a
perspective of sustainable development while giving young people a chance to be
the center of this process.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I arrived in Rosalina Mare on 17<sup>th</sup>
September and checked in at the beautiful Rosapineta Tourist Village- which is
a perfect holiday destination by the way- this place looks like a postcard!!
The next day, in the morning we had parallel sessions focusing on Communication
strategies. We then embarked on creating a MAB Global Communication Strategy.
At the same time the other parallel sessions running were on drawing
territories, which we practically did, and also appreciated our smartphones and
how we can use them as a strong communication tool. Just before midday we also
has a presentation on Swedish MAB Programme, which was a case study focusing on
BRs as arenas for implementing the 2030 Agenda. Later on, some of the
participants, me included, had a guided visit to the National Archaeological Museum
of Adria. This was a good way for me to re-energize after the morning sessions.
The Museum exhibits are from Adria and Basso Polestine with a highlight on
Bocchi collection and Atticaâs ceramics. This was particularly exciting, and
the G. Cipriani State Professional Institute of Enogastronomy & Hotel
Hospitality made it extra special with professional young people who guided us
through the Museum and also prepared for us specialties tastings. After this we
headed to a colorful Opening Ceremony of the MAB Youth Forum at the Municipal
Theatre of Adria which commenced with a musical opening by the Orchestra of the
State Musical Conservatory of Adria, and later on welcoming addresses before we
headed out for a concert! On Tuesday, 19<sup>th</sup> September, we had 6 parallel
workshops in different locations (my group met at the Centro Culturale Mercato,
Argenta) where we addressed the question âhow can young people be more
effectively involved in MAB programme and in the Biosphere Reservesâ life?â We
had a clear introduction on the methodology and the goals and expectation for
the day but the beauty of this session was that it was managed and guided by
the participants! I should mention that after drafting these, we had a session
to vote on those we felt strongly about. In the evening we had dinner at the
Rice Fair of Porto Tolle, Ocaro Restaurant⊠which concluded with a vibrant
performance from a local artist! Wednesday 20<sup>th</sup> was the day for <b>EXCURSIONS</b>!! Who doesnât love
excursions!! Again we were divided into 6 groups, in mine we explored the
youngest land of Italy, though different means of transport. My favorite was
canoeing, as this was a new experience and I braved it! Cycling was also
another highlight, as I got to see most recent landforms and fully understand
the evolution of the Po Delta as well as spot a variety of bird species!! In the evening we had dinner at the âRadicchio Fairâ in Bosco Mesola followed by a concert at the Mesola Castle, Mesola.</div>
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On 21st September, Thursday,<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span>I
was back at the Castello della Mesola with a group where we continued with
drafting the goals and expectations we had started on Tuesday and afterwards we
voted again on those we were passionate about. In the evening we had a âstreet
partyâ at the Rosapineta Village with lots of food, I enjoyed oysters!! This
was followed by a color party and dancing at the Arena! On Friday we then had
workshops on digital destination marketing, storytelling with the social media
teams and cyclotourism as a development opportunity for parks and territories.
The âcyclotourismâ session was particularly interesting for me since it is a
new concept (to me) and I think it is an area I can further explore.<span style="background: white; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>In the evening
at the closing ceremony, we had the <b>Final
Declaration </b>of the forum presented by selected participants, which was the
major outcome of the MAB Youth Forum. The Declaration was mainly on involving
the youth in MAB governance by sharing traditional and scientific information
related to sustainable development and BRs through an open database,
strengthening partnerships and collaboration in institutions to train youth,
facilitate access to funding to support sustainable enterprises and to create
hubs and incubators to support sustainable business ideas. We as the MAB Youth
Forum Delegates committed to creating host projects for young people in BRs to
enhance youth exchange and cooperation on the objectives and actions for the
Biosphere Reserve, World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) and the MAB
Programme.</div>
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After such a busy and fun week of
the highly interactive and participatory Forum, it was time to go back to our
respective homes and become actors in the MAB Programme to ensure the
sustainable development of OUR communities in line with the Lima Action Plan!<o:p></o:p></div>
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PS: Expression of gratitude to the Kenya National Commission of the UNESCO (<a href="http://www.unesco.go.ke/">KNATCOM</a>), <a href="http://www.unesco.org/new/en/venice">UNESCO Regional Bureau in Venice</a> and the <a href="http://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/">Conservation Leadership Program</a> (CLP) who supported me as a delegate.</div>
TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-34253322624427695172017-06-12T02:11:00.001-07:002017-06-12T02:11:37.963-07:00Whatâs up 2017!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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Okay I know we are halfway past 2017... It has been a while since I
wrote⊠well wrote here! Honestly I am ashamed that it has been more than a
year, but life is like that and things happen, so hey, please forgive me,
because I have forgiven myself already.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A lot has been happening since I
last wrote, first and foremost, I was doing my thesis and it took a toll on me.
All the writing, editing and corrections took a lot of my time and I just
postponed writing on this blog about current issues in the environmental
sphere. Then just slightly after my last post, I was attending the 2<sup>nd</sup>
United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA) here in Nairobi and I got so busy
writing applications for jobs and short courses that I got wind of at the UNEA.
With that said, let me mention, one application went through and a few months
later I was at the University of Dresden (TUD) in Germany, attending a short
course in integrated water management and health. I wrote a few posts about my
experience on their website <a href="https://tu-dresden.de/bu/umwelt/cipsem?set_language=en">CIPSEM</a> you
should actually check them out, they have interesting courses focusing on the
environment. So me being me, the travel junkie, I travelled to Czech Republic
and Switzerland and of course posted pictures of how awesome my âeuro-tripâ
was! Immediately when I got back home, I collaborated with my 350 Kenya counterparts,
you know climate change action never gets old for some of us! I went down to
the coast to document stories on the impacts of climate change in Kilifi
county, these <a href="https://medium.com/our-climate-stories/water-scarcity-in-kenya-34df6f1cda9e">stories</a>
would be later show-cased at COP 23 in Marrakech. So yes, COP 23 went down in Morocco! Did I
forget to mention that Trump won the Presidential US election? Oh well, yes he
did, and this came with tons of worries by most environmentalists from all
corners of the globe. Trump is clearly a climate denier, and having him in
power put at risk all the efforts put in by nations to combat climate change, a
treaty in which the US previously supported through signing the Paris treaty
which was passed during COP 21. Stories about this coming up later by the wayâŠ<o:p></o:p></div>
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So anyway, it is in November 2016
that I was awarded through the Conservation Leadership Program (<a href="http://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/">CLP</a>) an internship
position within BirdLife International. So far it has been a great experience,
with key learning on conservation and how to support conservation priorities.
Iâve also learnt a great deal about birds, and can name quite a number. In
short, I am enjoying my internship even though it is now almost at its ends.
Through this internship I also got a chance to visit the UK, during which I
visited the BirdLife Global secretariat in Cambridge and also, the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) which is the BirdLife UK partner. I
also got to write about my trip <a href="https://heelsandvalisetours.blogspot.co.ke/2017/05/why-am-going-back-to-uk.html">here</a>
please feel to read this, I promise it is exciting!<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is new in 2017? Other than
elections here in Kenya, the ban on plastic bags is soon to be implemented in
August. I am actually not sure how this will go down, because the supply is
huge and so is the demand! I also feel that many Kenyans are not really keen on
this plastic bag ban. I wish it the very best! Next, the #MadarakaExpress! So
the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) is now in use, and the maiden trip happened
just before Madaraka day, Kenyans were very excited about this. However, some
of us still feel it should have been re-routed, because we love the Nairobi
National Park for all that itâs got, but mr. president called it âupuziâ so
what can we do about it! Okay, let us see how that goes⊠Have you heard of âThe
Big Conservation Lieâ? This is a book by John Mbaria and Mordecai Ogada, on the
management and conservation practice in Kenya for several decades. I am
currently reading this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the conservation
field. That is just as much as I would say about it â get a copy! Globally, the
biggest concern this year I think is Trumpâs recent move to have the US
withdraw from the Paris agreement. The panic that this came with, weuh!! We are
just here with crossed-fingers that we will remain strong in fighting climate
change regardless of any challenges that come our way. I promise to write soon,
and more on the environment, as usualâŠ<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i>So I will get a bit personal
here, this very year I lost a brother and that was a big blow, even in my work,
after all we are only human and we will get beat by life at times. Ngure Cairo,
I will dearly miss you, your support in reading this blog, following my
Facebook page and twitter handle. I will miss your critique, you really
helped me think much about how to respond to readers. Cheers to the support you
gave me in my environmental work and in life generally! You are always and
forever fondly loved, and I dedicate this post to you.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-28747298124020781082016-04-05T06:18:00.000-07:002016-04-05T06:18:04.663-07:00The future of wildlife is in our handsâŠ<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBEE6n7aSRW7BemhAMBd0G5cg85j3GleLN_GDDzHU4FdBKab-bQUQD7lGFO9LPAy8YMo5_w2O-BOl9eLHLzSgtphU59yzURjJSrjS_ZcpxuRsRVMII81msO_AqWBom4tWAU48qLIWrh0/s1600/IMG_20160405_093155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBEE6n7aSRW7BemhAMBd0G5cg85j3GleLN_GDDzHU4FdBKab-bQUQD7lGFO9LPAy8YMo5_w2O-BOl9eLHLzSgtphU59yzURjJSrjS_ZcpxuRsRVMII81msO_AqWBom4tWAU48qLIWrh0/s320/IMG_20160405_093155.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
future of wildlife is in our handsâŠ</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">No
beating about the bush, today I start with exactly what I want to pass. The take
home message is: â<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the future of wildlife is in my hands</i></b>â tell yourself that.
Recite it as a mantra if you want, but keep it in mind.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I
borrowed this line from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IFAW </b>(International
Fund for Animal Welfare) and I completely agree with it. Because conservation
efforts are collective, both you and I need to take part. We cannot afford to
be spoilers⊠and yes by âspoilersâ I mean actually spoiling. We do not want to
spoil what weâve had for years, we do not want to spoil for ourselves, and
neither do we want to spoil it for our children⊠think about that!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Last
week Kenya lost one of its most famous lions, Mohawk, who had wandered off the
Nairobi National Park into Isinya, Kajiado. Mohawk had been spotted strolling
in the morning hours when residents triggered and agitated him forcing him to
do what was best- protect himself. Unfortunately Mohawk attacked and injured a
27 year old man who had ignited his motorcycle commonly known as âboda bodaâ
hoping to flee from the raging animal. According to reports, the KWS team that
first arrived to the site had no tranquilizers, and since Mohawk was hostile
after being extremely agitated by the residents, he was left with no option but
to attack, prompting the KWS officials to shoot him down, at least 9 times.
Apparently, the second team from the KWS was only 3km away, and with them were
the tranquilizer shots, however the damage had been executed and the Mohawkâs
life terminated brutally. Only a few weeks ago did a lion named Cheru also find
his way out of the Nairobi National Park and strolled on Mombasa road, injuring
an elderly man. Also itâs within this same year, in February, when a group of stray
lions commonly nicknamed as the âLangata 6â <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>believed to have wandered off the same
national park were seen strolling leisurely in Langata/Kibera area. However,
the KWS team arrived on site with materials in hand ready to safely return them
back to their habitat. Unfortunately for Mohawk, this was not the case as he met
an excruciating death, betrayed by those meant to be his protector. The manner in
which Mohawk died*, was extremely repugnant. I strongly detested the manner in
which he was killed as I believe better ways could have been employed to
address the situation. Just a few days after his killing, Lemek a younger lion
was found dead, speared behind a bush in Kitengela. Animal lovers, conservationists
and environmentalists (me included) have brought this grave matter to the Kenyan
and global headlines as we are envisioning destruction of communities and
species due to human-wildlife conflict, if necessary action is not taken. As
for Mohawk and Lamek, we organized a peaceful memorial for them, last Sunday, 3<sup>rd</sup>
April 2016, just outside the KWS Headquarters in Langata, Nairobi, whereby we paid
our tributes and expressed opinions on promoting conservation efforts. We also
took that chance to accentuate that the entire environment needs to be
conserved and protected, and highlighted the lack of awareness on animal behavior
including the lack of sensitization on conservation. It is also alarming that the number of lions in the Nairobi National Park now remains as 34, according to some reports on the state of the park. Other than that, lion population in Africa is greatly declining, and the king of the jungle is now listed as an endangered and vulnerable specie according to the Born Free Foundation, and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Personally,
I think that since 8% of Kenyaâs total landmass is covered by sanctuaries, national
parks and reserves, conservation awareness is key for every citizen, as these
are the habitats to wildlife as well as major income-generators. And since it
is stated in the Kenya Constitution in Article 69 that every person has a duty
to cooperate in the protection and conservation of the environment, why donât we
all take responsibility? How many of us recited the Loyalty Pledge? Who
remembers this line, â<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My life and strength in the task of our
nationâs building</i></b>â? Isnât conservation part of the nationâs building?
Honestly when I was in primary school I saw no sense in reciting this, I mean,
it did not even make sense, itâs something I did just for the sake. Something
to sing or recite to during parade and assembly. But for sure these words now
make sense, this is a symbol to pledge my loyalty as a Kenyan citizen, a
patriot, and I can only do that if I live to those words. There are many tasks
that we get involved in during our lifetime, but have you ever thought to
yourself, how these tasks affect others? Do these tasks contribute to the
nationâs building? What have I really done for my country? Many times I canât
answer myself. Good thing is I can now take part in one task to redeem myself,
and this one thing is promoting conservation. I have been labelled âtoo
emotionalâ about this of late, but oh well, this is what I call passion, and
yes it is emotional if we are losing our biodiversity, so I will hung in there,
and stand for what I believe in. I can help to protect the nationâs heritageâŠ
and so can you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As
we sing passionately to the national anthem⊠<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">justice be our shield and defender</i></b>,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>let us mean these words⊠and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">âFirm
may we stand to defendâ </i></b>⊠<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">â<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Build this our nation together</i>â</b>, because
Kenyans need you as a fellow Kenyan, conservationists need you,
environmentalists need you⊠we all need each other, letâs practice what we
sing, hard as it may be, it is possible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">God
Bless Kenya</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">PS: You can watch the clip to
Mohawkâs killing on the below link:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">*<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MaJcqoPbm0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MaJcqoPbm0</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> #JusticeForMohawk</span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd2NKXRXxORk8NJwREaT7m7Ub60umvc-pNV4AyfDixKxh1Btlx6jhmA501GrCimHHVW3tTgaUKVeqrYaGDFuTPx7YABB9KAN8KBYA8C0I5-0J7ILxGnskKHHFykps7U-RCd0bnqotA4U/s1600/20160403_113142-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBd2NKXRXxORk8NJwREaT7m7Ub60umvc-pNV4AyfDixKxh1Btlx6jhmA501GrCimHHVW3tTgaUKVeqrYaGDFuTPx7YABB9KAN8KBYA8C0I5-0J7ILxGnskKHHFykps7U-RCd0bnqotA4U/s320/20160403_113142-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#JusticeForMohawk Memorial</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45XjZW5roEKSAQ9XP1sBrUkt7yNs6nd_5JMoVzupYhWswm1Tp-8bclaNX1tC7NYTRd49Mn0EDmVLBMA_-0wI3GIiFZAUPZjeASbojf58eAyUlFGbNF5I3_tBxV1p3Eie0ae1T6vgfPzA/s1600/Mohawk-the-lion-620x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45XjZW5roEKSAQ9XP1sBrUkt7yNs6nd_5JMoVzupYhWswm1Tp-8bclaNX1tC7NYTRd49Mn0EDmVLBMA_-0wI3GIiFZAUPZjeASbojf58eAyUlFGbNF5I3_tBxV1p3Eie0ae1T6vgfPzA/s320/Mohawk-the-lion-620x350.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of Mohawk (borrowed from the Internet)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></div>
TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-51555120754646136362016-01-26T02:09:00.000-08:002016-01-26T02:09:06.192-08:00Green light at the end of the tunnel...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV3wPS-mOqagV0-ik2575gs7hVMLn5EJtD3pqMEMeXKn2-D2ZCrwfs6DxMU1Yrwkorq5eflcrUX3DxcXYQP6sCdtun5n9g65VmhLOPjFaOFyZWRJkEKtYK41OdBt8CpXe-ErcO_fWcdY/s1600/the_light_at_the_end_of_the_tunnel_by_kleineputchen-d4oima0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV3wPS-mOqagV0-ik2575gs7hVMLn5EJtD3pqMEMeXKn2-D2ZCrwfs6DxMU1Yrwkorq5eflcrUX3DxcXYQP6sCdtun5n9g65VmhLOPjFaOFyZWRJkEKtYK41OdBt8CpXe-ErcO_fWcdY/s320/the_light_at_the_end_of_the_tunnel_by_kleineputchen-d4oima0.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><b>Happy New Year People!</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is my wish and hope that the year has started out well for everyone...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is a difficult task to write at times, especially if you are a fan of <a href="http://www.bikozulu.co.ke/">Biko Zulu's posts</a> and you feel like your writing skills may be worse than his new born son. Anyway that aside, I have been really wanting to post soon, but I just did not have any idea of what exactly to write about, or if it would be captivating, if people would read... so I decided to read through other blogs and most that I follow have been focusing on the New Year, resolutions and how 2015 was. I think its good to have a recap of last year, because it is what will set motion for 2016. But as for me I will first start with the journey... how it all begun and why I will focus on 2015.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some of you may not know that it is in 2012 when I created TLC4Environment as just a Facebook group, with a few of my classmates and friends as members. How I came up with that name I don't know, my mum just said it was a mouthful. Others shorten it to TLC but anyway I stuck to it because it is what I started with and it is exactly what I want it to mean, so yes... TLC4Environment it is!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Personally, 2015 is the year I felt most inspired to do what I do. In 2015, I got the courage to be more pro-active and into making more profound impacts with this initiative. I begun the year with a trip to Switzerland for a short course on sustainable practices and tools, thanks to the YES* course, which I call the eye-opener for realizing my potential. I mean, there are a lot of resources right in front of us that we do not utilize, resources that can make us achieve what we fear venturing into. Anyway, Switzerland was a splendid expedition, came back with multiple stories and... chocolates.... and most importantly I returned with skills and the zeal to accomplish more in environmental conservation. The good thing about these forums, conferences, workshops, courses and what have you, is that you meet people with the same vision as you and learn from them too. Its called networking. I now had friends not only from within but from far and wide who felt the dire need to promote environmental awareness, and we could chat for hours about this. Opportunities started surfacing and all of a sudden I felt I had an army of supporters rallying behind me, encouraging and appreciating my little efforts. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So back to TLC4Environment, thinking of what next and how I could foster
environmental awareness and what projects I could roll out, I got busy with planning, organizing and facilitating grass-root campaigns and especially targeted environmental days' events. After these events I tried my very best to document each and every one, highlighting the significance and why it is beneficial. And this is how my 2015 was, tree planting activities, river clean-up, environmental talks, forums and marches... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am now to my cousin Tunu, an environmental activist, this she coined when another cousin asked what I do for a living. Well I like the sound of that, I am an activist by choice, which I had not realized and I am delighted to be one. I remember on the First Sunday of this year when the senior pastor at my church said that animal rights should not exceed human rights, I was not amused, actually I felt like taking over that sermon and using it as a means to reach out to people that we cannot rely on <b><i>human rights</i></b> as we obliterate everything else that is around us. Anyway that is a story for another day...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This post as I said earlier is to encourage you, to be the best you can be with the resources at your feet... So my wish is that I continue to influence and inspire others in this
journey, fighting for what we stand on... just as I did in 2015. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, for me its a green light... a clean go ahead...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
*YES : <a href="https://actis.myclimate.org/">Youth Encounter on Sustainability</a></div>
TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-77601699282131407852015-11-10T03:03:00.001-08:002015-11-10T03:03:37.084-08:00Kenya Climate Concert in wordsâŠ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ8F_lLtq7VvBKszS7k_VJoNw-qlk49LvNufl1Mnj1-nzALXZyTTuEvsTXIzw_eOfNOF0ToHUO52lcL-RZomzJk5kIBJCOh2o5IE6SRK8riLDlOWodEQnFUQug_umXLV8heEh7B88omQ/s1600/KENYA+CLIMATE+CONCERT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiJ8F_lLtq7VvBKszS7k_VJoNw-qlk49LvNufl1Mnj1-nzALXZyTTuEvsTXIzw_eOfNOF0ToHUO52lcL-RZomzJk5kIBJCOh2o5IE6SRK8riLDlOWodEQnFUQug_umXLV8heEh7B88omQ/s320/KENYA+CLIMATE+CONCERT.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Hello there!! It has been a while since I
posted, and I have to admit I have been so busy⊠however a lot has been going
on in the environmental scene. So much to keep up with on the âRoad to Parisâ
and the expected El nino. By the way, do you think the downpour yesterday in
most parts of the country (Kenya) could be the grand entrance of the el nino?
Oh well, I got drenched, and have been thinking much about these rains and the
weather, however that is a post for another day. Otherwise I hope you are all
well and still have the environment in mind, remember every little effort
counts! Another by the way, big shout out to all candidates tackling KCPE this
week⊠and I sure do hope that soon we shall have environmental studies in the
primary school syllabus as well as in secondary school as a subject not only a
topic. Join me in that prayer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Before I go on, thank you Tess for taking
down notes at the Kenya Climate Concert, as I said, you will make a good P.A.
So, the Kenya Climate Concert took place at the Kenya National Theatre in
Nairobi on 25<sup>th</sup> September 2015. It was a beautiful Friday that had
been long awaited especially by the event organizers, the 350 Kenya team which I
am part of. As we had prepared for the event with the theme âWe Fight Climate
Changeâ through arts, music, poetry and dance, I got to the venue with my âPAâ
at about noon. There was still some setting up going on, as artists prepared
and people streamed in. In a short while all was set up and ready to start! The
introduction was made, in his words- âtell your neighbor the globe is warming!â
With this statement and some giggles from within the crowd, the crowd warmed up
and were curious to hear what next. As part of the introduction, it was made
clear that #WeFightClimateChange and that the 350 Regional Week of Action had
just begun, not only in Kenya but other countries where 350.org is set up such
as in South Africa and Jordan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The first presentation was a mix of song,
dance and poetry. The poem was on pollution and clearing of forests and the
declining of water levels, and it was clear as they said âthis generation has
made an errorâ. Other than that, the performance also touched on social issues
like marriage, which make up part of the social environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The second presentation was by the
eloquent David âReaktâ Wainaina, who was also part of the panelists who discussed
the role of an artist in the environment. He also mentioned about the similar concerts
on going in sub-Saharan Africa and the 3000 gathered petitions on climate
change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Third came in Christabel Atieno, with African
drums beating in the background- I sure did enjoy her performance- on a narrative
about the environment and a man named Obiero, who was spotted by Auma and
Otieno in Gembe village cutting down trees for firewood and burning of grass.
This narrative brought out the aspect of alternative sources of energy, and how
harmful others are to our environment leading to the dangerous climate change.
From this narrative we learned that through sharing of information and
identifying problems we can help to reduce and eradicate harmful practices in
our communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Next on line was a piece on spoken word,
which touched on various issues in the environment such as extinction, ozone
layer depletion, pollution and waste management leading to environmental
degradation. Also, ââŠenvironment has become an orphan without Wangari Maathaiâ
was a notable statement, which left many challenged to take up the late Wangariâs
mantle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">After the spoken word piece, was a duet
from the percussion discussion team, which also talked briefly on âcolored
watersâ to mean sewage and its negative effects to public health. The performers
then challenged the crowd on the destination of their waste, with an example of
plastic papers. After this, two puppets cheered the crowd with their âWelcome to
the 21<sup>st</sup> Century: Everything is Becoming Lessâ poem. According to
me, the most memorable ones were âattitude-careless, youth-jobless,
government-clueless⊠however our hopes are endless!â Do you agree?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Fred Nyaga was next with a talk on
planting ideas and read a poem on âOur Environment Our Liberationâ after which
he invited the current Miss Environment who shared on how the beauty pageant
creates more awareness on environmental issues. The percussion discussion followed
again, with songs to entertain the crowd. Vidze Kaladze performed a Giriama
folk song and tried to engage the crowd to join him. After that other music
artists entertained the crowd with their own songs, then Belinda from AYICC took
the mic and talked about personal awareness on environmental conservation.
After her talk was the song performance âcollective dutyâ which highlighted on
conservation of the environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Teardrop then dropped his crowd jolting
spoken word piece, whereby he talked about the 7 Billion Dreams and 7 Billion
heartbeats per second was related to this yearâs World Environment Day Theme: â<b>Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume
With Care.</b>â Other than that, one of his notable statements was â<i>me nikiona dumpsite me hushindwa niwapi
tulitupa sight</i>â meaning he sees dumpsites and wonders where we lost our
sightâŠ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Finally I got to speak briefly on what
350.org is, a global climate movement, and why the number 350 is so significant
to us- because its means climate safety, of 350 parts per million (ppm) or less
of CO<sub>2</sub> in the atmosphere. Currently the amount of CO2 is at 400ppm,
which is dangerous leading to global warming and finally climate change. After
that I taught the crowd a short dance move, which is basically the Kenyan âchini
kwa chiniâ which I had choreographed in April during the 350.org climate
workshop held in Nairobi, which symbolized the gradual reduction of CO<sub>2</sub>
levels in the atmosphere and maintaining safe levels. From this point I was
interviewed by some of the major media houses in Kenya, such as NTV and gave my
opinion on what climate change is, how it is affecting us and what I would like
the President of Kenya to address about climate change! I must say I was
honoured⊠As the interview was going on, fellow colleagues took their turns to
talk on the issue and also to network!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">#WeFightClimateChange<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Join us in the battle!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">ps: You can watch a brief clip of the Concert summarized on the below link, thanks to Visionaries Aloud team for making it possible!! And also a few pictures from the event...</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">https://youtu.be/iDDT_LIs5Bs</span></div>
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TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-60754299417291649992015-09-20T12:08:00.001-07:002015-09-20T12:15:06.809-07:00Climate Change Will Not Discriminate: What Next After Paris?<img class="irc_mi" height="400" src="https://yt3.ggpht.com/-YDeebLdnKD8/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAAA/ANSdw-AvBbk/s900-c-k-no/photo.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /><br />
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In just two months, the 21st Conference of Parties (COP) will take place in Paris from 30th November to 11th December 2015, with the objective focusing on a legally binding and universal agreement on climate and the goal to reduce emissions. Climate change has no boundaries, affecting regions globally in different ways. Kenya is not exempted and being located in sub-Saharan Africa which is highly vulnerable to climate change, the country is already experiencing harsh impacts leading to environmental degradation and socio-economic losses because the natural resources are climate sensitive. This in turn affects agricultural activity and water availability among others.<br />
With the ongoing climate change negotiations, Kenya has not been left out and developed the Kenya Intended Nationally Determined contribution (INDC) on 23rd July 2015 as a response to decisions adopted at the 19th and 20th COP to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Kenyaâs INDC focuses on multi-stakeholder engagement and cross-sectoral consultative processes in the formation of climate change response strategies and action plans at national and county levels.<br />
According to the Kenya INDC,the countryâs total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are relatively low, standing at 73 MtCO2eq in 2010, out of which 75% are from the land use, with land-use change, forestry and agriculture sectors suspected to be due to the reliance on wood fuel by a large proportion of the population alongside the increasing demand for agricultural land and urban development. Significant emissions are also recorded from the energy and transport sectors. Agriculture is the backbone of the Kenyan economy, and is also climate sensitive since it is mainly rain-fed. Other sectors affected include water, health, energy and tourism.<br />
Recently, droughts and floods have hit various parts of the country leading to damage and losses including fatalities. Fear and worry have also engulfed the country after the alert on the El-Nino rains expected in October this year. According to the world's leading climate scientists, we can limit global warming to 1.5 degrees and secure a climate safe future if we reduce our emissions to zero by 2050. This will only work if there is a joint and collective effort by all the countries to commit to zero emissions. Kenya could contribute to this transformation by investing in renewable energy hence focusing on long-term reforms and development in production processes. This will reduce the burden on hydro power which is a climate vulnerable resource.<br />
Kenya should also factor in the increasing population growth rate which will also increase the rate of emissions. Short term plans in reducing emissions will include encouraging a renewable energy mix from the grass root level such as energy saving bulbs, solar energy and biogas, which will also promote energy efficiency. Other than that, creating awareness on climate change and its impacts is crucial.<br />
Citizens need to understand the phenomenon and vulnerability and how to mitigate and adapt to it. Research, discussions and findings on climate change should be available publicly for all to understand why battling climate change is urgent and calls for the attention of all governments. If we do not fight climate change we interfere with securing a sustainable future!<br />
The world needs to brace itself even after Paris because climate change will not discriminate against any nation neither will it come to an end immediately after the negotiations!TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-67806398554780095222015-08-14T06:23:00.000-07:002015-08-14T06:23:23.329-07:00Renewable Energy: A Tool in Combating Climate Change.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kenya aims to transform into a newly industrializing middle income country providing a high quality of life to its citizens by the year 2030. The Kenya Vision 2030 has outlined considerations in meeting goals for medium term plans as well as meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015, however this has not come into fruition.<br />
The energy sector is one of the main drivers listed in the development plan of the Vision 2030 to focus on reforms and development in the social, economic and political strategies for the country. The energy sector remains to be a challenge in securing a clean and secure environment. Security can simply be described as being free from danger and fear. Food and environmental security in Kenya and also globally are crucial among others for human well-being to be achieved with both insecurities posing serious danger. Security is a key dimension which is largely affected by external factors such as the supply, efficiency and consumption of energy. Energy is a driver of all processes of production, therefore its demand is far and wide. The main sources of energy in Kenya have been highlighted as a pre-dominant mix of biomass, petroleum and hydro-power according to a report on a market study of the Kenyan energy sector in October 2014 by Triple E Consulting, in Netherlands. The Draft Energy Policy by the Government of Kenya highlights that traditional biomass accounts for 70%, while petroleum and hydro-power electricity account for 21% and 9%. Hydro-power is a climate vulnerable source, meaning that it depends on climatic factors such as rainfall patterns for constant supply and efficiency, explaining why the country is prone to power shortages which in turn affects functioning of industrial and manufacturing processes in the long run impacting the economy. Petroleum on the other hand is considered as an expensive and dirty source as well as a major contributor to emissions in the atmosphere as a result of combustion of the fuel. Biomass has been observed to be very common in both rural and urban settings in Kenya, as source of energy either in form of firewood, charcoal and agricultural wastes. The Energy Regulatory Commission states that biomass-based energy sources account for 90% of total rural house hold energy suspected to be due to high average generation cost of current energy sources. Compared to other countries such as Tanzania and Ethiopia, Kenya has high energy tariffs which is not adequate and affordable to all citizens resulting in application of alternative sources of energy which are not necessarily sustainable. In a study reported by the Africa ECO NEWS in March 2015, Kenya loses 5.6 million trees daily. Illegal deforestation in search of firewood is common in many parts of the country. Studies done by the World Bank show that clearing of forests for wood fuel contributes in the depletion of tree stocks as much as clearing them for other land use activities such as agriculture.<br />
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There is a growing concern on climate change, which results from emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon into the atmosphere from various sources including the use of charcoal and burning of petroleum in industrial processes, leading to the destruction of the ozone layer which causes the global warming effect. Other than that, change in land use activities such as clearing of forests for resettlement and agricultural activities for example in the Mau, has reduced the tree cover and hence increased levels of carbon (IV) oxide (<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">CO</span><sub style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 107%;">2</sub><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">)</span> in the atmosphere. Kenya is already experiencing the harsh effects of global climate change such as the recent floods and droughts and also unpredictable weather patterns affecting normal day to day activities such as farming- which is a major source of livelihoods for several families. The effects are grappling, with food insecurity being heightened as well as environmental degradation taking place. Citizens are becoming more concerned and aware, as the harsh reality of climate change hits them.<br />
According to The Kenya Population Data Sheet of 2011, the population of Kenyans during the census in 2009 increased to 38.6 million from 28.7 million during the 1999 census. Projections estimate further increase in population and economic growth due to factors such as urbanization. Due to this increase, Kenyaâs contribution to global greenhouse emissions will also increase significantly with the largest emissions resulting from energy and transport sector. Kenya also has the largest economy in the East African community market, and is therefore a major attraction to foreign investors in various sectors resulting in various business ventures increasing production and also the demand for energy.<br />
Exploring options in renewable energy is crucial in ensuring sustainable development. The Kenya Vision 2030 aims at building a strong regulatory framework, encouraging more private generators of power, separating generation from distribution and promoting new sources of energy especially renewables such as solar, wind, geothermal and biogas. Therefore it can be concluded that the Vision 2030 requires a big transformation to a renewable energy mix. Considerations have identified low-carbon options for electricity generation set to be realized by The Energy Act of 2006 and being backed up by regulations such as The Solar Energy Photovoltaic Regulation, 2012 and The Solar Water Heating Regulations, 2012. The introduction of solar PV, wind power and geothermal energy are being regulated by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).<br />
Renewable energy will support sustainable generation, exploitation, production, distribution and utilization of energy. Energy efficiency requires both industrial and household energy audits to be performed periodically. Household energy audits could also be a measure towards knowledge management to the local communities, by increasing awareness on energy and its link to climate change hence educating inspiring and moving masses to climate change action. Science technology and innovation is mentioned in the Kenya Vision 2030 as a driver towards prosperity and posterity. Scientific cooperation should be enhanced to test for new technology in the market as well as to fill the gap between knowledge and practice. Also, increasing awareness on multilateral development programmes on climate and energy such as the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) will attract investing in funds allocated towards climate projects therefore promoting sustainable development. The Government of Kenya intends to support exploration in renewable energy through existing legal, regulatory and institutional framework. The Government should also build the capacity of institutions to increase support and implement energy policies especially in diversification of renewable energy mix. However, the battle cannot be left only through reforms in the energy sector by the Government in creating adaptation and mitigation measures towards climate change and its effects. Climate change is a global phenomenon making every single person vulnerable to it. Maximum benefits in the fight against climate change are expected if everyone takes action through individual actions which when combined make a big impact epitomizing sustainable development and environmental resources conservation- a gift to future generations!<br />
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<b>References:</b><br />
Market Study to Strengthen Economic Cooperation in the Energy Sector: Final Report. Triple E Consulting â Energy, Environment & Economics, October 2014.<br />
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Study: Kenya loses 5.6 million trees daily. By AFRICA ECO NEWS, March 26, 2015 http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2015/03/study-kenya-loses-5-6-million-trees-daily/<br />
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The Kenyan Vision 2030.<br />
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TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-60663220305402759882015-07-17T03:59:00.000-07:002015-07-17T03:59:35.009-07:00Of 'High Music Area' warnings...<div style="text-align: justify;">
High music area, wear protection....</div>
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I took the above picture in a matatu a few weeks ago on my way to work, and it kept me thinking... is this a joke, a sarcastic remark, a decoration or is it just as plain a warning as it clearly is? And as warned, the matatu was blaring with music, just when I needed some peace and quiet. Who loves noisy mornings anyway? So help me God that I get my own car and/or get me a job which has a company bus, both can do, Amen!! </div>
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Nothing gets me more frustrated than a long ride in a noisy matatu, even a short one is almost unbearable! For those who do not know what a matatu is, it is the most common means of public transport in Kenya, which comprises of mini-buses and vans. So, as I was venting, I just do not get it! Is it cool or a trend, and I pray its a trend that passes by fast! So many things in my prayer requests I know...</div>
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I live in the Kenyan 'diaspora', so that tells you the number of hours I spend in traffic in a day. Mind you its both ways that I am in the traffic, and I use matatus daily. I have nothing much against 'mats/nganya/manyanga/mathree' whatever you call them; I mean they have been my mode of transport for most of my life, and I also tend to think it could be a good business venture. BUT please, most of the time the sound levels are too much for my delicate ears to handle. I am still young, I do not want a burst eardrum even before I have my own children... and if you are older, I bet you do not want to experience hypertension as a result of loud music. We all want to age gracefully with our senses still effective, don't we?</div>
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In my route, we have these 'pimped' mats, with all sorts of graffiti, and décor, its surely a booming business and also an investment, because it is said that it attracts more passengers faster, really? I once read about how "<i>Music blasts from souped-up speakers, strobe lights flash on the inside walls and seat backs and the exhaust pipe is purposely pinched to rev like a motorcycle</i>" as noted by one Gregory Warner of The Daily Life. But sadly what I am against these 'souped-up' matatus is mostly the large speakers and woofers, that even vibrate your whole body once the music is turned on. A few years back the music was not that loud in matatus, if there was any that is. However with time, technology keeps on improving and then all sorts of changes have been incorporated in order to attract more passengers who are mostly assumed to be the younger generation- who make up the larger percent of citizens in the country and thus large market- as so believed. I have even seen stickers in matatus quoted "<i>if its too loud, you are too old</i>" and if you ask the tout to do something about it, it could easily erupt into something else!</div>
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Matatus sometimes stress me, you have no idea! I have been carrying ear plugs in my bag and the day I forget them I feel doomed! The plugs do not do much anyway, I still hear the music, though I have the notion that they reduce the impact of the blaring sound to my ear drum. I am currently in the search for ear muffs, the type that look like large head phones, if you have any leads please let me know- I am that desperate! Other than my ears, I also tend to get headaches from the noise. Then you can imagine getting into a matatu at 5pm during rush hour and getting to 'diaspora' at 7pm. 2 hours of excruciatingly loud music, I normally feel like am in this survivor reality show, and sometimes I cannot take it, I alight, and get onto a slightly less louder one! Yes, it is that serious.</div>
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At times am not even in a matatu but when one passes near me I feel the same effect as if I was in it.</div>
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Many times I have wished the music player could jam in the jam as well, it rarely happens, but when it does I have a grin all the way.</div>
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My problem is not the music, it is the high sound levels. If played in moderation, safe levels to be specific, I am totally fine with it. I do not think its fair that we are subjected to such, I know many will say there are many other options like taking buses (of which I'll get to my destination the next day) or a personal car (which God will provide very soon for me, Amen!) but still if everyone understood how serious that extremely loud music is for them, this 'pump it up' non-sense would stop sooner than we think. Sounds that are not at safe levels can be harmful, even for a brief time, and even worse when they are both loud and long-lasting. Exposure to these loud sounds and when repetitive can cause hearing loss among other problems such as hypertension, head aches and increased stress levels. Other than that, noise is also a threat to both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems by upsetting wildlife.</div>
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I love myself, I love my sense of hearing and I do not want to go deaf soon!! Please keep it safe...</div>
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TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-62943401623986462452015-06-02T05:02:00.000-07:002015-06-02T05:02:11.888-07:00''Sirikal Saidia!'' - Floods of pain, water for gain?A few years ago a woman from the western part of the country made headlines with the catchy phrase 'serikal saidia' literally meaning 'government help'. This was after a heavy downpour in the area which lead to the loss of her children and husband. It was very obvious that the woman was totally distraught, blaming the floods and the government for the bad omen that visited her home. Her accent made the phrase catchy, and most people instead of pitying her, laughed at her and the statement, making all sorts of jokes. Well to say the least, it was more of a national joke, with most of us having not experienced killer floods and not knowing that a wave floods would affect some of us in years to come.<br />
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It is only a month ago that Nairobi was surprised by days and nights of floods, which caught many unaware. Okay, not that Nairobi has not been experiencing heavy rains from before, but this time round it was not the usual rain. Roads and tunnels were flooded, and houses too were not spared. motorists came to a halt, squeezing into petrol stations and road sides to pave way for the raging waters. Others tried to drive through the water, and thus exposing their cars to other threats from the furious waters. Sadly, others lost their lives, being carried away to their deaths. Many were devastated, I mean everything else seemed to obey the waters, the traffic jams, the hiked 'matatu' prices and also the amount to pollutants driven right into the fronts of our houses. Others made money out the situation, like the mkokoteni carts that ferried several to work, making a killing from business unusual! The hashtag #NairobiFloods was trending, and I admit I too was a victim of the floods and posted about the day I got home at 2.30am from Nairobi CBD after taking seven hours on the road, and having experienced a road trip in areas I've never been to.<br />
With the floods, many became aware of the weatherman and his predictions, anticipating any news on sun rays! Many admitted that some years back it never rained that much, and floods never killed as much. Others recalled the El Nino, I remember when I was younger I heard that name and it sounded fancy, not knowing the grave matters that the word carried. Anyway, with many now paying attention to the weather and thirst for more knowledge about climate, I thought it would be best to also do much more research on the issue. I watched several being interviewed on what they think about the floods. Many have blamed the 'government' as usual for the floods. Yes I mean the government calls the shots on how much it should rain and where it should flood, where the sun should shine and how intense the rays should be and all...okay, sarcasm alert, but I feel the government is partially to blame as well as we the citizens too. Corruption cases in this country are rather common, 'toa kitu kidogo' and there you go, build a complex on the drainage system! After all, who cares?? Even if In the areas that Kenya had a dense forests like in the Mau, large tracts of trees have been cut down for various purposes. This has left the land bare, and when such heavy downpour occurs, water flows downwards in high speeds also carrying away the loose top soil. Other than that, Nairobi city and other parts of Kenya are filthy dirty, I mean who has not seen huge piles of garbage and trash on the road sides? Where I live, most people with stone wall fences are unfortunate because most of wastes from the neighbouring areas are dumped at your fence at ungodly hours. I have also seen, 'waste collection trucks' and I put this in quotes because they do not serve the purpose they are intended for. Most are not roadworthy, stuck next to someone's fence, with the wastes open and emitting a foul stench; and being manned by gangs of 'chokoras' with huge sacks taking anything they find valuable to them. Also, littering has polluted and contributed so much to the blockage of drainage systems, hence not giving way to floods waters. Food waste is also a big crisis in this country I think, several markets are the source of tonnes of rotten vegetables and fruits, for example at the Muthurwa area, these rotten foods are dumped on the roadsides and in the tunnels that were placed for redirecting water and sewage. Isn't it funny how some parts of the country are experiencing severe droughts and famine with many cases reported as fatalities from starvation, and also with the loss of large herds of animals while in the other corner of the same country, food is going to waste daily? We also have seen how some milk companies pour out spoilt milk when the supply is much than the demand. Also, with the waters comes water-borne diseases such as the bout of cholera that has currently hit the city, take care my friends!! Even the Kenya Power had to switch off electricity supplies in some estates such as South 'C' (read sea) to avoid cases of electrocution caused by the interaction of water and electricity. In some other areas, houses have been toppled, such as in Mombasa, and landslides evident as well. All this as a result of blessings from above.<br />
If our systems were efficient, I believe that all this flood waters could be channelled into rain water harvesting structures and from then utilized for different other purposes, after all, water is an extremely valuable resource.<br />
So what next after the heavy rains? Are we experiencing floods of pain or water for gain? Depends on how well we assess the situation...TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-8275296900707026592015-05-14T10:46:00.001-07:002015-05-14T10:46:27.809-07:00Dinka!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have just been reading about the Dinka of Sudan, and viewing some beautiful pictures of this people.<br />
Its amazing to see and visualize how people live in different parts of
the globe, and how each one of us is adapted to our home. Back to the
Dinka, so these people are a small tribe, a nilotic group, that reside
in the southern part of Sudan and mostly grouped as one that may
disappear with time. It is evident that temporal scales have affected
and changed several things at spatial levels, that is, if we believe in
the geographical theories that we read about. </div>
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However, even with the
emerging trends and shifts, it seems like some communities are barely
affected by time or other external factors. Or maybe they just adapted
to changes? That for sure I don't know, but I still remain perplexed that
even with the several technological advances and this 'digital' world
that we live in, some still remain unaffected- living life as they have
always known it.<br />
I have been staring at these Dinka pictures! The people seem at peace,
with large herds of huge-horned cattle, pardon me, I don't know what the
name of this species of cattle is. Anyway, they are so comfortable in
their dress code as well. They seem to fancy more of these colored beads
and goat skin, and can not help but notice some have markings on their
bodies. Also, do you know that they use cow dung as a mosquito repellant?
And that cow urine could actually be of use? Well, life still goes on
in this part of the world.<br />
This however got me thinking, is "development" really a necessity?
Because others seem to do well and adjust without it in extreme. Maybe
it could be all about adapting to our surroundings, or as one famous
slogan highlights "in harmony with nature". Maybe its about time that we
actually accept that the world we live in is the only one we have got
and we need to adjust to it- definitely by being conscious about it.<br />
From the article I was reading about the Dinka, I have taken into
consideration so much. Sometimes life is just simple, but we make it
complex by trying to create solutions- of which these same solutions
create a problem, forming a continuous loop.<br />
So now as I end this post, think about it, would you like to be a Dinka?
No, am not telling you to burn all your clothes and knock off your
teeth- am simply telling you to live in harmony with nature!</div>
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PS: If you want to check out the article on the Dinka I was reading about, here is the link:<br />
<a href="http://tekey.net/b/en/dinka-nilotic-ethnic-from-sudan/" target="_blank">http://tekey.net/b/en/dinka-<wbr></wbr>nilotic-ethnic-from-sudan/</a></div>
TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161934124703850321.post-27444112415183307912015-04-27T05:44:00.001-07:002015-04-27T05:44:17.281-07:00TLC<br />
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<br />
Many have asked me before, why TLC? My response, yes that TLC you sing
about in songs or that that you mention sometimes when you want your way
but want to sugar coat the selfish words- my way!<br />
What more do we want to know about TLC? To me, its simply expounding
tenderness, loving generously and caring deeply. Another may ask, and
what does all this have to do with the environment? Well, the
environment is connected to everything and I just want to play my part
in reminding you that nature is very unforgiving, that's why we need to
pamper it! Yes, tender love and care for your environment before it
becomes mean to you... this is not a threat from me dear reader, its
just the fact as it is.<br />
<br />
Where I live, I believe is in a bad state, in fact I mean worse status.
And when I say where I live it is actually the Earth. I bet we all share
a home, so we are in this same boat, where things have already gone to
worse. Have we not heard of the floods and droughts? What about food
insecurity, because of the poor yields due to lack of water or poor
infertile soils. How about the thousands of people and livestock killed
by wild animals, or even the migration of wild animals? Well, it is
evident that conditions such as human wildlife conflict are on the rise.
Other phenomenon includes climate change which has spiraled debates
all over the world. Is climate change real, or is it just the worst hoax
ever? Away from climate change, what about poaching- with illegal trade
of trophies existing in some parts of the globe? Sad. We have all
experienced some form of pollution I believe, be it exhaust fumes, dust
and all sorts of things released into our environment.<br />
<br />
Divestment has
been a big word in 2015. All these activities linked to the environment.
Its high time we thought critically about all these issues, and how
they affect social and economic development. It is also high time that
we learn about environmental issues, how we are affected and what we can
do.<br />
So yes, back to TLC, and why it feels like the earth is crying out for
you to show some love!! There are several challenges that mother Earth
faces, and only me and you can make a difference! I actually thought it
would be a good idea to have a blog, to talk about various issues and
how we are vulnerable to them and how we can adapt and mitigate negative
impacts. Other than that, I felt I could contribute more towards
creating awareness and hopefully a ripple effect through a blog, on
matters of environmental conservation and sustainable development.<br />
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I therefore prepared this first post to introduce my ideas and
perspectives and to create a channel where I can motivate and inspire
others to join in the fight.<br />
Also, a big shout out to my best friend Enid Nzisa, for encouraging me
to start this blog, setting it up and most importantly supporting me in
my endeavors in being a servant and voice for the Earth as well as
being an environmentalist as well.<br />
Happy reading as we start this journey, and remember to TLC4Environment!!TLC4Environmenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00739008122679710954noreply@blogger.com2