The renewable energy is quite a priceless
tool because it eliminates greenhouse gas
emissions, use of deforestation and oil
explorations which have dangerous effects
on the environment. Sustainability is key in
business and project, and just like the name
suggests, renewable energy offers long
term solutions to water, food and power
needs without damaging the environment.
However, advocacy alone will not help
solve these environmental problems, but
structures and policies which mandate and
infuse green energy or renewable energy
into national development plans on a very
large but economical scale.
The reason many environmental
projects fail is because they fail to address
the socio-economic side of environmental
utilisation. Most of these environmentally degrading practises such as cutting
down trees for firewood and using forest
resources to build houses are cultural,
meaning they are traditional ways of life,
and means of sustenance especially in rural
economies. How do you tell or convince a
50 or 80-year-old woman to stop cutting
down trees for firewood without giving her
an alternative source of income?
Our point is that current environmental education initiatives in Botswana target people with specific messages aimed at changing their attitudes and behaviours without
an understanding of the context of their
daily lives. Such approaches to environmental awareness fail to achieve their goals as
people cannot just give up their means of
sustenance and ways of life without any
other promises of support.
BUSINESS