Earth Day is held on every April 22. It is an annual day that unites individuals focusing on protecting the planet by preventing disasters that are occurring more frequently due to climate change and environmental destruction, in other words, “saving the world”.
The day is meant to amplify the fact that human beings need the earth more than the earth needs them. Wendell Berry says that the Earth is what we all have in common. Leo Tolstoy adds that one of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.
Coming at the time the world is conscious about climate change and how to help prevent it from going to the extreme, this year’s Earth Day is about the present and the future. We do not own the earth. We have just borrowed it from future generations.
“When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.” (A Native American Saying).
As Kenya joins the world to celebrate Earth Day, Del Monte Kenya, one of the companies that have been at the forefront in championing a safer earth and natural resources, says Kenyans and the rest of the world must come together to restore the earth.
“As an agriculture company, we believe that a sustainable future for all is possible, but it requires commitment and action from everyone today. We rely on the health of our planet and the wellbeing of our people. That is why we are devoted to working towards A Better World Tomorrow – to ensure environmental protection and conservation,” said Moses Machayo; Environment, Health and Safety – Senior Departmental Head, Del Monte Kenya Ltd.
For years, Del Monte has cut a niche for itself as a company that has a clearly outlined climate change mitigation and has been working with neighbors and communities to plant more trees annually. In the past three years, Del Monte has planted more than 20,000 trees at Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park
As 2021 takes shape, Del Monte has already planted 10,000 indigenous trees within the endangered ecosystem and donated 3,000 tree seedlings to the neighboring community.
“We hope that these efforts will contribute significantly to the country’s goal of increasing its forest cover to 10 percent of the landmass,” added Moses Machayo; Environment, Health, and Safety – Senior Departmental Head, Del Monte Kenya Ltd.
Del Monte has also created a new Environmental Action Tool and database to track company-wide greenhouse gas emissions as it works to align its efforts to Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement, which aims to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 32 percent by the year 2030.
In the words of Kahlil Gibran, “and forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
Happy Earth Day.
