COMPANIES GOING GREEN IN
ENVIRONMENT
-how conscious
are Ghanaian companies in environment
by
Samuel Donkor
There is a global phenomenon going on among big consumer brand companies around
the World to help mitigate the effects of global warming.
Big consumer brands have immense power to either punish or reward the industries
perpetrating worst environmental practices on earth.
Recently in America, there has been a pleasant suprise, that indicate a series
of examples by these brands, already starting to pay heed to activists pressure.
Big lenders, such as Bank of America and Morgan Stanley are refusing loans to
worst coal-mining companies; Burger King has cut ties with a rain
forest-destroying Palm oil producer and the GAP company also joined a boycott of
fuel mined from Canada's tar Sand pits.
Many banks have also begun adopting greener lending standards to screen out,
reduce or cut ties with environmentally destructive companies, that are not
taking measures to protect the environment.
The question now is, what are Ghana's big consumer brand companies are doing to
help the laggards to boost the trend and cash out of environmental destruction.
Brands like GCB, NIB, STANCHART, NESTLE, UNILEVER etc.
Big Ghanaian Brands should take a cue from these examples and also find a
strategy to pressure environmentally destructive companies in the country to
adopt measures to protect the environment in which they operate.Today, Ghana's
environment protection is nothing to write home about; from deforestation,
polluted water bodies, carbon pollution to land degradation, many of which are
caused by the extractive industries and timber loggers.
In the cities, the sanitation problem is worse with encroachment on water and
emergency ways. Indiscriminate of refuse dumping is on the ascendancy and no
open space and corner of the cities are spared, especially Accra. Streams and
water bodies are choked with industrial waste and domestic solid waste, while
others are encroached upon with buildings that are supposed to have permits.
So what at all are the intensive measures being taken by government and stake
holders to protect our environments?We don't see any serious activities of
public awareness education, concerning current discussions on Climate Change and
the serious effects from Global Warming. It seems only a few educated people
have an idea, the majority of the population are ignorant and do not know the
sad events of global warming ahead of us, hence the carelessness in our behavior
towards our environment.
I write you the truth; 'Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a
man soweth, that shall he also reap.' Galatian 6:7
We are experiencing current climate change from our past and present
environmental degradation and pollutions.
Our district assemblies are toothless in dealing with this problem. They lack
the will power to enforce the laws and measures that go to protect our
environments. For reasons best known to them,loggers are left free to do what
they like, felling trees and not planting back as a regulation, burning of
bushes and forests is also not controled. In all, local administrations should
be serious with environmental protection instead of unnecessary politics
and personal interests, so that we don't regret during unforeseen global warming
disasters ahead.
Samuel Donkor mob:0242 809352 'Be Vege, Go Green 2 Save
the Planet.'
