FUNTO ODEFEMI: GUEST WRITER, FOR THE LOVE OF TREES.

We are excited to introduce you to one of the most intelligent men in recent times; Funmito Odefemi. He was born in Oyo State, Nigeria. He acquired his primary and secondary education in Ibadan after which he proceeded to the University of Ibadan to acquire his Bachelors and Masters degree in Physics.

Funmito is exceptionally versatile and has not limited himself to Physics. His love for humanity made him delve into international development where he is serving currently and making laudable impact. In the year 2015, Funmito volunteered with the Voluntary Service Organization on the ICS program while working with a cross cultural team. Having completed his program,in 2016,  he continued with the organization and volunteered as a team leader where he remarkably led two cross cultural teams for two cycles of the program.

He proceeded to work as a Program Office Support in the organization after which he joined the IMA4P (Improving Market Access for the Poor) team where he is currently working as an ICT support personnel.

 He is an emerging leader with a strong passion for excellence and a keen enthusiasm for learning. His educational background in Physics built in him unsurpassed technical and analytical skills. In the past two years, Funmito has worked on development projects in Education and Livelihoods with the aim of helping to improve the lives of the very poor and marginalized. This has greatly improved his teamwork and collaboration skills.

Funmito is a strong advocate for the use of technology as a tool for solving the challenges that people face in their day to day affairs. His experience in Information and Technology world spans over 5 years of consulting for individuals and corporate bodies on the best use of technology. He has been part of several training that taught the basics of digital literacy and the use of several software packages. Funmito’s long term goal is to pursue a career in Education. 

Funmito is a skilled writer who has had his works published on local and international journals amongst other platforms. We are privileged to have Funmito educate us on the Importance of Trees, Forests and Renewable Energy. He has channeled his skills and competencies in Physics and International Development into the blog post; 

For the Love of Trees http://thenineteeninitiative.blogspot.com.ng/2017/04/for-love-of-trees.html

You can rest, assured that Funmito's post on the blog will educate you and impart you with knowledge that will equip you to save the world through the sustainable practices embedded in the
 post.

Thank you for taking time to read and share this post. Should you have any questions, comments or suggestions do not hesitate to use the comment box.

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FOR THE LOVE OF TREES

THIS POST TALKS ABOUT TREES, FORESTS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

IF ALL TREES DIED, WOULD HUMANS LIVE?
BY: FUNMITO ODEFEMI

Carbon dioxide is the climate’s worst enemy! It is released when oil, coal, and fossil fuels are burned for energy and even when you breathe!!! Mother Nature provided us with trees and forests to help in mitigating some of the effects of this by ensuring they soak up the carbon dioxide that would otherwise be free in the atmosphere and cause harm to our planet and by extension our lives. If we do not take proper care of our trees and forests, our planet might be in grave danger; if it is not already endangered. 

Forests are more than just a collection of trees; they are integrated ecosystems and home to some of the most diverse life on Earth. They are also major players in the carbon and water cycle that make our life possible and they play a critical role in mitigating global warming which occurs when carbon dioxide and other air pollutants collect in the atmosphere and absorb heat from the earth that normally should escape into space.

“Forests may look commonplace and ordinary, but they are responsible for our survival as humans”

Sadly, only about 30% of the land area on our planet today are forests, half of what it used to be, implying there are less forests to combat the ever increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which result from our high demand for energy – the energy we use to power our homes, cars, computers, and smartphones. According to a World Wildlife Fund report, about 48 football fields worth of trees are lost every single minute worldwide. This continuous deforestation of trees is considered one of the highest contributor to global climate change. This in my opinion is a critical emergency and we must begin to think of better and more sustainable ways of doing everything we do as humans.

“By reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, we are effectively curbing our own contribution to climate change”.

Global warming is changing our world and we all are at risk.You and I can reduce our carbon footprint by following a few easy steps and making conserving energy a part of our daily routine. I have listed Seven! I’m sure you can think of more!

o Use renewable Energy. Unlike fossil fuels which are finite, renewable energy sources regenerate naturally. Renewable energy plays an important role in reducing the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and provide cleaner sources of energy, helping to negate the effects of certain forms of pollution. When renewable energy sources are used, the demand for fossil fuels is reduced. The most commonly used renewable energy sources are biomass, hydropower, geothermal, wind, and solar.

o Plant a tree. An old Chinese proverb said “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now”. I mean this Literally. A few trees planted today could become a forest in the next few years, helping to cushion the effect of climate change for the coming generations.

 Buy Appliances with the Energy Star Sticker

o Invest in energy-efficient appliances. Whenever you shop for new appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, or dryers, look for products with the Energy Star label; they meet a higher standard for energy efficiency than the minimum federal requirements.

o Drive fuel-efficient vehicles. Buy cars with the highest gas mileage and lowest emissions. You can also reduce your emissions by taking public transportation or carpooling when possible.

o Eat the food you buy. Waste less. Many people probably don’t think much about things like this, but a lot of energy goes into growing, processing, packaging, and shipping food – about 30% of which eventually end up in the landfill. It we waste less food; we are cutting down on our energy consumption.

o Buy better bulbs and turn off the lights when not in use. LED lightbulbs can save up to 80% of energy than conventional bulbs. Use them more. Also, remember to turn off all light bulbs whenever they are not needed. A lot of energy ends up being wasted this way. 

o Speak up. Talk to your friends and family about renewable energy and sustainability. Voice your concerns – via social media or any medium available and at any time there is an opportunity. 

In conclusion, individuals, governments, corporate bodies and civil societies all have a part to play to slow down and eventually halt the upward climb of Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. By doing all that has been mentioned and becoming more conscious of the impact of the little things we do, the world we live in will not only be safer for us, it will be for the generations yet unborn.

This post is written in commemoration of the World Earth Day.
Thank you for taking time to read and share this post. Should you have any questions, comments or suggestions do not hesitate to use the comment box.

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Facebook: The Nineteen Initiative
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THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on 
this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

FOR FURTHER READING

http://www.theoec.org/campaign/global-warming?gclid=Cj0KEQjwt6fHBRDtm9O8xPPHq4gBEiQAdxotvN9ALc_0BMrLx_NwmXxkQWm7pOubj8B15trftkn9sAMaAvGI8P8HAQ

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101

http://www.climatehotmap.org/about/global-warming-causes.html

http://www.nmsea.org/Curriculum/Primer/Global_Warming/fossil_fuels_and_global_warming.htm

https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/

http://worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation

http://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html

http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i3010e/i3010e01.pdf

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=renewable_home

Uju Silver: Through the lenses of Volunteering.

Are you just like many who are confused about the reason every application asks for volunteer work experience? This was not the case in many countries until recently.

The need for charitable persons especially youths in the world today in the face of emerging and persistent global crisis has never been so profound . To this extent, organizations, schools  and even peer groups have felt the need to recruit people who are willing and ready to give back to the society.

However, many do not understand what volunteering is about, how to secure opportunities or even know what aspects of volunteering they want to engage in. The concept of volunteering stands misunderstood by many today. To this extent, the Nineteen Initiative is organizing an online Question and Answer on Volunteering session.

To kick off this innovation of the Initiative, we are privileged to have an international, renowned volunteer, Okwaraogoma Uju Silver. He will be answering questions on volunteering. The session seeks to highlight the importance of volunteering, the  benefits of volunteering and the intricacies of volunteering.

Uju Silver is no novice to volunteering as he has gained experience through local and international volunteering with organizations such as the United Nations, African Union and CIVICUS among others. He will be sharing his experience as well as answering your questions about volunteering on this platform in the month of May, 2017.

ABOUT  OKWARAOGOMA UJU SILVER

 Uju spent his years while growing up in the busy environment of Lagos State, Nigeria where he acquired his basic education. He proceeded to Babcock University, Ogun State where he acquired his undergraduate education in International Law and Diplomacy. Given his ardent belief in knowledge and skill acquisition, he proceeded to the University Of Ibadan where he had his Masters education in Peace and Conflict Studies.

Uju is well versed in global concerns as has acquired quality knowledge through the finesse of work experience he has acquired while volunteering. In 2011 to 2013, he worked with the West Africa Network for Peacebulding (WANEP) as a volunteer intern while playing the role of an assistant in research drafting, developing project initiatives among others. Upon the conclusion of his service with  WANEP, Uju moved to the GLEEHD Foundation where he worked as a Volunteer Program Associate. at GLEEHD, he helped to develeop work plan in the areas of good governance and social justice.

His strides as a global citizen took a new turn when he served as a United Nations Exchange Learning Intern with CIVICUS; World Alliance for Citizen Participation in Geneva, Switzerland. In the course of his service, he delivered an address at the Human Rights Council on the Gambian UPR
on behalf of CIVICUS.

Uju currently works at the UNESCO Liason office to the AUC and ECA as an African Youth Volunteer in Ethopia.

The fact that Uju Silver is in the best position to give information as regards volunteering admits no further arguments, to this extent we submit that we all are blessed to have him on our first Question and Answer session coming up in May.

Thank you for taking time to read and share this post

 Should you have any questions or concerns about volunteering, please leave them in the comment box or send us a message on 08143840468 or any of our social media accounts;

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Blog: www.thenineteeninitiative.blogspot.com.

CARS ARE NOT LUXURIES

The truth about cars is not far fetched! They are needed to guarantee comfort. Who wants to go cycling under the sun or wait for the bus when you can just get in your car and get to your destination real quick? Who wants to get all dressed up for an event and have to walk or get stuck in public transport with a bunch of people?

These thoughts pervade our minds a lot of times we make decisions as to what means of transportation to adopt in our journey every time there is a need or maybe not a need to be fair.

Cars have been very beneficial to the human race, in our personal lives, businesses, and our existence on a whole. However, what we would realize is that we have placed so much reliance on it that we have shut our eyes and minds from the harmful effects of misuse and alternative means of transportation that are sustainable.


The need for sustainability of actions at this point in history admits no further argument, we must think of the lasting impact of our actions and make decisions based on expediency and the lasting effect of such decisions.

 

Innumerable cars are seen on roads today, causing heavy traffic and carbon emissions into the air . The use of cars are now driven by motives of luxury than expediency, forgetting the lasting impacts of this situation.Surprisingly, there are more cars than licensed drivers in the world today! It is possible to see afamily of 3 with 5 cars. Really absurd!.

Carbon emissions from vehicles contribute largely to global warming and its effects, putting all our lives at risk of extreme weather, rising sea levels, health challenges, flooding because Increase in temperature increases rainfalls and storms, drought in some areas , risk of wildfires, reduction in food production as a result of extreme weather, disruption of our regular patterns of living as we need to change our lifestyle as the ills caused to the environment increase, endangered plants and animals, and at worst, an unpredictable climate.

I bet you are asking yourself what you could do to avoid these effects... we all have roles to play in the protection of our environment, to this extent we advise that we opt for alternative means of transportation. These include,

1. Bike

2. Walk
3. Car pool or Share-a-Car
4. Bus
5. Boat or any means on water
6. Solar powered vehicles
7. Electric cars.
This list is not exhaustive.

We have the following recommendations and benefits to share in this regard;

1. It is important that these means especially those powered by  fuel use clean fuel that is less harmful on the environment. Cleaner fuels reduce emissions in the environment. Fuel efficient vehicles should be embraced.


2. Alternative means of transportation also guarantees good health, reduces obesity and encourages  exercise in a busy world amongst others.




3. These means of transportation improve relationships as commuting together increases time spent with each other, increases the avenues to meet new people,  increases and improves networking opportunities amongst others.




4. Saves cost and increases net worth of individuals and families.
5. Improves the quality of time and relationship built with family as commuting to get as a family give you the opportunity to share daily experiences. Imagine a road trip with friends, going to work daily with work trip buddies ! Amazing right?!



6. Ultimately, the world is better and more sustainable.
We have a shared responsibility in ensuring that the world is safer and better, we must all work bearing in mind the importance of a safer world for the next generation to inherit from us.

 Before you visit the car mart or get in your car for no expedient reason or seemingly expedient
reasons, think of the long lasting harmful effects.

If we must persist in our use of cars we must plant trees! How?! Look out for the next blogpost for more information in this regard.



Thank you for taking time to read and share this post. Should you have any questions, comments or suggestions do not hesitate to use the comment box.

Please visit and follow us on our social media accounts:

Facebook: The Nineteen Initiative
Instagram: @thenineteeninitiative.
Twitter: @19_thenineteen.

THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on 
this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

6 HOURS FOR THE BWARI CHILD; A Book Reading Event.

Over the last two weeks we organized two book reading events tagged 6 Hours for the Bwari Child to encourage a reading culture among children in Bwari, Abuja, Nigeria. The events held on the 18th and 25th of March,2017 respectively at the Holy Sisters of The Needy Children's home.

The event was organized by the Nineteen Initiative and supported by Voluntary Service Overseas (International Citizens Service) Kwali team and the Bwari Child Foundation, Abuja.

A Book drive preceded the events to garner support for the event through donation of books.

The event saw a series of activities put together to encourage the children to read, show them the benefits of reading and motivate them to be ardent and consistent readers.

 Three books were read to the children who were categorized into three groups based on their ages ranging from 4-17 years. The books were carefully selected to reflect how interesting and enlightening reading can be. The books include:
1. The World we Want by UNICEF.
A publication of UNICEF to simplify and teach the Sustainable Development Goals to children. The book explains the targets of the goals and the essence of the goals to children in an exciting yet educative manner.
2. A Holiday to Remember by Ben Akponime Samuel.
The book explains the educative essence of traveling to children and teaches new words.
3. The Quiz Competition by Ben Akponime Samuel.
An apt book written to encourage children to read and the effect of reading. It encourages children to task their brain by reading and read wide not merely concentrating on the school curriculum.

The children were also taught the use of a dictionary and the importance of having one.

Volunteers took turns to read and explain the contents of the books to the children. They were given assignments which they executed excellently.

The event was colored with exciting activities, games , icebreakers, face painting and a dancing competition.

The event was attended by a total of 59 persons. A total of 48 novels, drawing books, coloring pencils, poster colors , LEGO and paint brushes were donated to the home. The books donated had attached to them quotes and personal notes from various individuals about the importance of reading and how reading has changed their lives.

The event was held in commemoration of the World Books Day and in furtherance of our earlier post on the essence of reading ( Unlock Your Mind; Read https://thenineteeninitiative.blogspot.com.ng/2017/03/unlock-your-mind-read.html?m=1 )

Finally, this blogpost is dedicated to our amazing volunteers from the Nineteen Initiative, Bwari Child Foundation and VSO ICS Kwali Team, Contributors and book donors. God bless you all.

Thank you for taking time to read and share this post. Should you have any questions, comments or suggestions do not hesitate to use the comment box.

Please visit and follow us on our social media accounts:

Facebook: The Nineteen Initiative
Instagram: @thenineteeninitiative.
Twitter: @19_thenineteen.

THIS BLOG claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to its respectful owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.