HerDithy

  Looking at the presence of carbon credits in Kenya, it leads to having this conversation around the laws that are meant to be a compass as to how environmental issues are handled. The Kenyan Law Article 42 under the Bill of Rights, every person has the right to a clean and healthy environment which includes the right- (a.) to have an environment protected for the benefit of the present and future generations through legislative and other measures, particularly those contemplated in Article 69; and (b.) to have obligations relating to the environment fulfilled under Article 70. Imagine how much time, effort was taken to make your car, the clothes on your back and that phone in your hand. To some extent Kenya, as a big consumer nation, is to blame because we do not fully grasp the extent of environmental degradation it takes to produce most items or commodities that we use on a daily. In terms of employment, industries such as the textile and Juakali have employed thousands acros...

 Happy new Month! Just like that, the year is over; and today`s read is on climate change.. the result of the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels for energy and other human activities. Approximately, Kenya has a forest cover of 7.4%, mostly pushed by commercial value addition that resulted to that nice seat you are cozy on. The consumption of wood generally does not reflect the same effort to plant more trees for the same. Ways to mitigate the climate change situation have been drawn from all measures, some extending to the synergy between agriculture and technology. The whole point of having this conversation about carbon credits is because in most towns like Nairobi, there is a huge problem of sewage, sanitation. There needs to be a permanent   solution to reduce pollution by charging polluters. Industries that do not have proper mechanisms to dispose waste from the factories enhance the deterioration of the Nairobi Riv...

 Urban planning and development are factors contributing to the chaos being created by uneven distribution of resources, including water and sanitation. The issue of solid waste management in the country continues to pose a great threat to sustainable development despite poor urban governance, limited employment, and a dearth of other life enhancing opportunities foe existing and incoming dwellers. This pattern of urban growth has given rise to an increasing urbanization of poverty, with 60% of Nairobi residents living in slums or slum- like conditions characterized by overcrowding, social and economic marginalization, poor housing and environmental conditions, insecurity of life and property, violence and social unrest. The conversation is around two case studies: Mombasa and Nairobi.   Nairobi, a city that accommodates for million people, is a facing a continuous problem of water and sanitation. The normalization of under delivery of public amenities extends its effects ...

  “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second-best time is now. “- unknown Kenya is among the countries with a forest cover of less than 2% of the total land mass. We are also part of the 105 countries that promised to end and reverse deforestation by 2030. The ecological heritage of trees is Kenya has been pioneered by the GreenBelt Movement activist; Dr. Wangari Muta Maathai. She fought dearly to protect the trees most of us are basking under, but her efforts seem to be fading with the years. Charcoal and timber production, agriculture expansion, unregulated lumbering and urbanization are the common culprits for the aggravating state of tree conservation in Kenya. Did we displace trees or trees displaced us? Human beings are continually finding it problematic to co-exist with nature: finding it necessary to deplete most natural habitats and to ensure their survival. Trees help to clean the air we breathe; filter the water we drink and provide habitat to ov...

The world is covered with 71% of water. Land makes up only 29 percent of that. By 2024, global warming will see Africa facing one of its worst water crises in the century. The rich- poor gap extends to the delivery of basic services such as the supply of water. Water scarcity, rapid urbanization and over-population of towns in Kenya is a continuing crisis with the rate at which the population is rapidly growing. In Kenya, we use water to generate geothermal energy, agricultural usage, human and animal consumption. Most of this water comes from water catchment facilities, but are they adequate to sustain the country in future? From the moment you open that tap, most of us have a rough or no idea where the water comes from or where the water goes. Urban planning ensures that most basic amenities are adequately provided for in order to sustain urban developments. Maji ya Kanjo is a common phrase in the concrete city that most Nairobians use to describe the inconsistent supply of water t...

 A happy Mashujaa Day to you! Climate change will cost Kenyans 7 trillion shillings in the next ten years. That is not so far away, remembering how `close` we are to actualizing the Vision 2030 goals, we have quite the journey ahead of us. Climate change is the result of the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily from the burning of burning fossil fuels for energy and other human activities. Climate change affects how food is produced, what is consumed and how human beings respond to it. Climate change has led to more frequent extreme weather events like draughts which last longer than usual, irregular and unpredictable rainfall, flooding and increase in temperatures. These have a long-term effect extending to water and food security. Climate change triggered by global warming poses a major threat to agricultural systems globally. This process is characterized by emergence of pests and diseases, extreme weather events such as prolonged draught, high intensi...

Karibu. Nairobi is the 21 st most expensive city in Africa: the most expensive in East Africa. These might be good indicators of a strong economy, but how does it roll down to the financial contribution and power held by Wanjiku? With the constant enhancement of tech and innovation, crops and animals are being modified, cross-bred and genetically modified to feed the consumer needs of the rapidly growing population. Technology advancements have enhanced agricultural contributions to livelihoods. Transporting tomatoes from Ol Kalau has become affordable to the farmer, the broker, Mama mboga, because of working transport networks and government facilitation. Urban farming not only involves the tools of farming, but it also involves new methods of farming, improved quality of seeds and fertilizers. This is to better the quality of food we produce. Science has had a large contribution to agriculture: from identifying edible plants, pests and diseases, breaking down components and thei...