Appreciation Post

Appreciation Post💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

Compliments of the season readers! It's the end of another year and guess what guys? We are closer to the achievement of the sustainable development goals! Yes! I'm as excited as you are about the new opportunities to explore, new initiatives and a sustainable environment to live in.

The downside to this excitement is that it seems like we are not making any progress as regards climate change 😢( which is largely a result of human activities). Let's think about these things!

We will not give up, we would continue to provide you with information as regards the steps to take to ensure that we nurture a sustainable environment for everyone and generations to come to thrive.

In the next year, we would take action for the goals in phenomenal ways and as such we solicit for your engagement in numerous ways to get the goals to the next level.

Do not hesitate to tell someone about all you have learnt on this blog. We are counting on you for a more impactful 2018!

Please accept our sincere gratitude for your continued support, comments, likes and your constructive criticism. We have found these very energizing and motivating to continue even in the face of latent and obvious challenges.

May God crown the remaining part of the year with goodness and like a spring board, launch us into the amazing days ahead in the new year.

From all of us at the Nineteen Initiative, we wish you all a sustainable year ahead ❤❤❤.

HAPPY SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAYS

It's the holiday season we have all been looking forward to and everyone is excited! It's that time of the year where we get to go shopping, eat amazing food (binging is not a problem), organize parties with family and friends, go on vacation and for many; let down your hair and breathe. This scenario
is the perfect picture for humans.

For the environment on the other hand, it's that time to get pensive, discomforted, polluted and considered less; if at all. This imbalance is the conflict amidst the joys of the holiday. That is, balancing the glee of the holidays as experienced by humans with the the gloom as felt by the environment and its constituents.

Don't be hard on yourself it's tradition, what has been before even our grandparents were born and celebrated their first Christmas, its the trees, the lights, the food, the fun, the open air grills, the hymns, the treats and of course, the new items acquired as a result of Santa's benevolence. The good news is, just as we have met tradition shaped by those ahead of us, we can also create our own traditions to shape the future we want especially for our children so that we may have an indeed merry Christmas with the generations to come having laid a foundation of sustainable celebration for them.

The most heinous environmental crimes are perpetuated amidst celebrations (my opinion). Many get too carried away with the glitz and glam of the season that we forget the looming effect of our inordinate actions or adherence to traditions.

To ensure a blissful holiday for ourselves and the environment, we should do the following;
1. Prepare as much food as can be consumed (better not enough than wasted). You can get fruits to make up for the excess that would have been wasted but for your sustainable thinking.
2. The use of lights in this season can be tempting but it's fine to go easy on the lights. If you can't, shop for sustainable lights such as LED lights ...I believe this way every body is happy! I mean what is a Christmas tree without the lights?


3. Use less paper, be virtual...the truth is many of us do not need the receipts we collect from the stores, or the fliers we distribute or collect; this season, think paperless. Electronic replacements of paper forms are easier to keep and move around with.
4. Use less plastic. Resist the temptation to use straws, plastic cups, plates and whatever form of plastic that has enmeshed itself into the fabric of celebrations. In the alternative, use reusable alternatives to these products, water and drink dispensers instead of disposable plastic ones, reusable chinaware, NO STRAWS! Essentially, do away with plastic!
5. Easy on the use of water, use as much water as you need without wasting. Do not leave the tap running when not in use.
6. Dispose your waste sustainably. Divide your waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes then dispose accordingly.
7. Tis the season to be oily! La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la! This season has the highest grease and oil requirements on the history of human existence...do not dispose grease indiscriminately...do not toss grease down the drain...let your grease solidify( in a refrigerator)while in a container and throw it out in that container...grease should NEVER be disposed by itself.
8. Use less private transportation systems and opt for public or eco-friendly means of transportation such as walking, cycling, car pooling and public transportation among others.
9. Be charitable, feed the hungry, clothe the needy and create shelter for the homeless. Volunteer for a good cause towards the advancement of a better and sustainable world.
10. Show love and shun hatred in all forms!

Happy Sustainable Holidays from all of us at The Nineteen Initiative.

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Against Trafficking in Persons: Libya

Trafficking in persons has consistently remained a recalcitrant evil universally. The anomaly seems to be growing just as the world evolves, given the demands for labor in different phases of life.
Human trafficking is a serious crime and a gross violation of human rights which takes different faces given the context and location in which it is carried out.

Article 3, paragraph (a) of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs.

According to the trafficking in persons Act, there must be three elements, the Act, the Means and the Purpose. The Act refers to the movement (any form) and receipt of persons.The means entails how the trafficking is done which may involve force, threat, deceit or giving money to the person in charge or care of the victim among others. The purpose above all is the reason for which it is done.

The trafficking crisis in Libya is a cause for global alarm. There's no gain saying the fact that the world has survived even worse forms of slavery and trafficking, however, the world has come too far to be taken back by a crisis it long fought and survived. The occurrence of such heinous crimes in recent times is proof of the fact that the world is probably not progressing as we think it is. It is a pointer to the fact that there are latent situations in some parts of the world that are beginning to resonate and fizzle into the modern world. It's a call for more action by everyone, you may not be in Libya but you may adopt the instrumentality of the social media for action. It's time for everyone to speak until definite action is taken by all parties concerned.

It holds no weight to argue that many of the persons trafficked consent to the act, because some voluntarily "offer" themselves to the perpetrators. Many take such decisions given their short sighted view about life as they have given up on whatever potential they wield because of their situation.

This post admonishes everyone not to take advantage of the outlook and situation of the voluntary victim but to do what is right by the tenets of justice and human conscience.

It behoves every right thinking person regardless of your position in life to speak until something is done about this obnoxious practice while ensuring that we are not perpetrators of this same evil especially under the umbrella of hiring "maids or voluntary victims".

The labor, sweat and blood of the heroes before us who long fought the battle against slavery and trafficking in persons must not be forgotten and swept under the carpet in a hurry or at all.If someone is being auctioned at this time of the century, it's a cause for alarm for everyone that is still breathing.

This post is dedicated to my friend and sister, Oluwaseun Adesanya, who is blessed with another year today.


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:

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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.