ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability means using something carefully so that it will last for a long time.
Environmental sustainability means maintaining the physical environment in a condition that it can still
support all forms of life human beings, now and in the future. It involves the careful use of natural
resources.

ETHICAL DECISIONS THAT HUMAN BEINGS MAKE WITH RESPECT TO THE

ENVIRONMENT

We make decisions every day. Some of our decisions involve making choices between what is morally
right and wrong, good and bad, or acceptable and unacceptable. Morally right, good or acceptable decisions
are described as ethical, morally wrong, bad or unacceptable decisions are said to be unethical.

Some of the ethical decisions people make involve choosing the right ways to interact with and use natural
resources found in the environment. The table below shows examples of ethical decisions that people make
about the environment.

We can make decisions Ethical decisions

about the following
Conservation • To conserve and protect wild animals.
• To conserve and protect forests.
• To plant trees and to reforest land that has been deforested.
Waste management • To get rid of waste safely to prevent water, land and air pollution.
• To produce less waste.
Cleanliness • To keep the environment clean by throwing empty cans and waste papers
in the bin instead of on the ground.
• Picking up litter.
Farming methods • To use environmentally friendly farming methods.
Environmental Impact • To do an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before any
Assessment development takes place, for example building or mining.

a) To conserve and to protect wild animals

Some individuals, organizations and countries make ethical decisions to conserve and protect the wild
animals. They protect and conserve the animals in various ways. Below are some of the ways:

► Some individuals choose not to hunt or kill wild animals, especially endangered species.
► some governments control hunting and ban the hunting of endangered species.
► There are many non-governmental organisations that have been established by individuals who decided
to do something about conserving and protecting wild animals and their habitats. Examples of such
organisations include:

• The Khama Rhino Trust in Botswana. In 1989, residents of Serowe, Paje and Mabeleapudi decided to
establish a wildlife reserve, called The Khama Rhino Sanctuary near Serowe.
• World Society for the Protection of Animals
• The International Fund for Animal Welfare
• International Organisation for Animal Protection (OIPA)
• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
•International Primate Protection League (IPPL)
► Many countries have created wildlife protected areas such as game reserves, national parks, wildlife
sanctuaries, and transfrontier game reserves. For example,
• Botswana has set aside 17% of the country’s land as wildlife protected areas.

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• The government made laws to control hunting and make poaching a crime in order to protect wild
animals.
•Botswana and South Africa created the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Game Reserve. It was created to allow
animals to roam freely from country to another as part of their natural migration movements.

b) To conserve and protect forests

At both the national and international level, many countries have decided to protect forests.
►Individual countries have made laws protecting forests. For example, Botswana has a law
known as the Forest Act which regulates and protects forests and forest produce in Botswana.
Among other things, the law prohibits the following acts in forest reserves, unless a person has a
licence or has been exempted by the law.
No person, shall in forest reserve:
1. cut, take, burn, injure or remove any forest produce;
2. squat, reside or build any hut or other living place or livestock enclosure, or construct or re-open any
saw-pit or road;
3. set fire to any grass or undergrowth, or light or assist in lighting any fire, or leave unattended a fire
which he has lit, or caused by his negligence, before such fire has been thoroughly extinguished , or leave
any object likely to cause fire;
4. graze livestock or allow livestock to trespass;
5. clear, cultivate or break up land for cultivation or other purpose; or
6. be in possession of any implement for the cutting, taking, working or removal of forest produce

► At the international level, countries signed a United Nations agreement on 28 April 2007 to protect
forests. Although the agreement is not legally binding, it sets an international standard for forest
management.

c) To plant trees and forest land

Choosing to plant trees around our homes and in the wider environment is an ethical decision.
Trees benefit the environment in many ways for example, they help prevent soil erosion, they
provide us with shade, fruits, medicines and poles; they also provide a habitat for some animals
such as birds, monkeys and snakes. Some people have made efforts to reforest land that has been
deforested over a long time.

d) To produce less waste

Some people choose to protect the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling waste
produced in their homes and by their business activities as much as possible. For example, instead
of using plastic shopping bags, some shoppers use cloth bags which can be washed and reused.
This helps reduce the amount of plastic bag waste.

e) To get rid of waste safely

Many people choose to dispose of the waste produced in their homes, workplace or by their
business activities in ways that do not harm or damage the environment. For example:
► They do not dump their household or construction waste in any open place. Instead they ensure it is
taken to the site prepared for such waste by the district, city or town council.
► Individuals or garages that need to dispose of used engine oil do not pour it on the ground or into storm
drains. They pour the oil in a container that can be sealed such as a drum. Once the container is full it can
be taken to a used oil collection site or company where it can be prepared for recycling.

f) To keep the environment clean

Many people understand the importance of living in a clean environment and choose to throw
waste such as empty cans and papers in the bin instead of on the ground. However, there are still

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 people who litter. As a result, some people who are concerned about environmental cleanliness
often choose to do something about litter in the environment. They usually organize or take part in
litter picking campaigns. This decision helps in keeping the environment clean and protects
animals from harm.

g) To use environmentally friendly farming methods

Every kind of agriculture has an impact on the environment. However, some farming methods
have a greater negative impact on the environment than others. Some farmers choose to use
farming methods that minimize damage to the environment.
Examples of environmentally friendly farming methods include:
● Crop rotation, which reduces loss of soil fertility.
● Livestock farmers using the correct stocking rates for the size of their land to prevent
overgrazing and the risk of soil erosion.
● Rotational grazing, which involves dividing the grazing range into several sections, and then
grazing livestock in one section at a time for a certain period before moving them to the next
section. This allows the vegetation in the different sections time to grow back, thereby reducing
the risk of overgrazing and soil erosion.
● Using organic farming methods. Organic farming involves the use of eco-friendly methods such
as crop rotation and mixed cropping to maintain soil fertility and to control diseases and pests.
Composts are used to improve soil fertility. The use of artificial products such as chemical
fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, and growth hormones to grow crops is avoided. The main aim
of organic farming practices is to create a good and sustainable environment for growing crop,
while at the same time preserving the environment

h) To do an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) is an assessment of the possible impact, positive or

negative, that a proposed project may have on the environment. In Botswana, EIA is a legal
requirement. The decision to require that an EIA is done before any project takes place is an
ethical one because it can help prevent developments that can harm the environment.

THE OBLIGATIONS WE HAVE TO CONSERVE THE ENVIRONMENT

We are all part of the environment; we live in the environment and depend on natural resources to meet our
needs. Our right to use the environment comes with obligations to sustain the environment. Below are
examples of obligations we have to sustain the environment.

We have an obligation to: Examples of what we can do to meet the obligations

Respect the environment
because we depend on it for
our well-being and survival.
Conserve natural resources in
the environment so that future
generations are also able to
meet their needs.
● By keeping the environment clean and hygienic, for example, we should
put our rubbish in a bin and sweep our yards.
● By only cutting down dead trees and branches as firewood.
●By treating animals humanely for example by avoiding to abuse them.
● By not overexploiting natural resources until the resources become
depleted r extinct, for example, through over hunting and fishing, over
harvesting of phane, and cutting down too many trees.
● By reducing, reusing and recycling our household waste such as paper,
cans, glass, and water as much as possible. This can help reduce demand
for natural resources.
● By not wasting water, for example, leaking taps should be repaired as
quickly as possible; don’t leave the water running while brushing your
teeth, turn off the tap.

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Protect the natural
environment by avoiding
doing things that harm the
environment.
Obey and uphold laws that
protect the environment.
● By putting out camp fires to avoid bush fires that destroy the vegetation
and kill some animals.
● By not polluting the environment, for example dumping chemicals, used
engine oil, household waste and building rubble everywhere.
● By disposing of waste properly and safely, for example putting litter in
the bin.
● By not killing animals in protected areas such s game reserves.
● By not hunting unless one has a hunting licence.
●By not killing, buying or selling plants and animals that are on the list of
endangered species.
●By not urinating in public places.

Repair the environmental ● By planting and maintaining as many trees as possible in our
damage we have caused surroundings at home, school and in the community.
where possible. ● By picking up litter in our surroundings.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN BOTSWANA

Botswana recognizes the importance of managing the environment because good environmental
management helps to achieve sustainable development, and improve people’s standard of living and quality
of life.

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT?

Environmental management is the development of policies and strategies to allocate and conserve
resources, with the aim of regulating the impact of human activities on the surrounding environment.
WHAT IS BEING DONE TO MANAGE THE ENVIRONMENT IN BOTSWANA?

In Botswana there are strategies, policies and laws that aim to ensure that the environment is well managed.
Below are some of them.

► Waste management strategies

In Botswana there are various types of waste generated. For each type of waste there is a strategy for
managing it. Below are examples of the waste management strategies used in our country.
● The use of land fills
Land fills known as dumping sites are carefully designed structures built into or on top of the ground to
isolate waste from the surrounding environment. The government of Botswana has built land fills in
different areas for disposal of solid waste such as domestic refuge.
● Incineration of hazardous waste
In Botswana waste that is considered hazardous is incinerated. According to the Waste Management Act,
1988 hazardous waste is waste that has major effects on public health or the environment because it
contains chemicals or due to its physical characteristics. Hazardous waste includes clinical waste such as
medical drugs, swabs or dressings, syringes, needles or other sharp instruments. Incineration is the process
of burning hazardous materials to destroy harmful chemicals.
● Waste water treatment
The government of Botswana has decided to treat sewerage water and release it for agricultural use. This is
a strategy for managing the environment and responding to the scarcity of water. For example sewerage
water from Gaborone and Tlokweng is treated at the Gaborone City Council Sewerage Treatment Plant
and released it into the Notwane river for agricultural use.
● The 3 R strategy
As one of its strategies for managing waste, Botswana has adopted the 3 R strategy; Reduce, Reuse and
Recycle. People are encouraged to reduce the amount of waste that goes to the land fills by reusing or
recycling materials, such materials include plastic bags, paper, metal and glass bottles. For example, The

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Kgalagadi Breweries buys returnable glass bottles of the drinks they sell for reuse. Collect- A- Can recycles
drink cans.
● The selling of plastic bags
As one of the waste management strategies the government of Botswana has banned shops from giving
plastic bags to their customers for free. Customers are now required to buy plastic bags. Consumers are
encouraged to buy and use recyclable cloth shopping bags. The strategy has helped reduce plastic waste in
the environment.

► Conservation of wild animals and vegetation

A significant amount of land in Botswana has been allocated as game reserves, national parks, forest
reserves for the conservation of wild animals and vegetation. Hunting is not allowed in game reserves and
national parks. Hunting in wildlife management areas is allowed, but one needs to have a hunting license.
The hunting license states which type of animals and how many can be killed.
► Laws protecting the environment
Botswana has several laws that protect the environment. These laws include:
● Plant and Diseases Pests Act, 1959;: to prevent the importation of and to control the spread of plant
diseases and pests in Botswana.
● The Forest Act, 1968: to protect forests and forest produce. Activities such as cutting and burning of
trees is not allowed in forest reserves.
● The Fish Protection Act, 1976: to conserve and allow for sustainable exploitation of fish.
● Herbage Preservation ( Prevention of Fires) Act, 1978: to prevent and control fires, including bush fires.
● The Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act. 1992: provides for the conservation and management
of national parks and game reserves, and enforcement of international agreements to protect wild animals
and natural vegetation that Botswana has signed.

► Natural resource utilisation

In order to involve local communities in the management of resources in their environment, Botswana
adopted the Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) strategy. Under this strategy,
communities are given the right to use and manage natural resources such as wildlife or to collect veldt
products such as grass within an area. People are encouraged to form Community Based Organisations
(CBDs) to manage the resources.

►Environmental education and public awareness

Environmental education has successful been included in school curricula. The public is made aware of the
importance of caring for the environment through activities such as the commemoration of the World
Environment Day. They are also involved in tree planting Day and litter picking campaigns.

Non-governmental organisations such as Kalahari Conservation Society, Somarelang Tikologo, Mokolodi

Nature Reserve and Khama Rhino Sanctuary play an important role in educating people about practices that
protect and conserve the environment.

► National Conservation Strategy ( NCS )

The NCS is a policy which was approved by Parliament in 1990. The conservation strategy is implemented
through the National Conservation Strategy Advisory Board and its Coordinating Agency. The strategy
requires that policies, programmes and projects are thoroughly evaluated before they are undertaken to
identify the environmental consequences they are likely to have. This is done to promote sustainable
development and to effectively manage natural resources.

► Environmental Impact Assessment

In the past, the impact of development projects and activities on the environment was not considered when
projects were being planned. Botswana now has a law, Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 2005 which
requires that negative and positive impacts on the environment of any projects be identified before they are
carried out. If the negative impacts are serious, the project may not to be approved. If the negative impacts

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are not serious, there should be a plan of what will be done to minimise them. The law requires that damage
to the environment should be repaired by those undertaking the development.

AN EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN BOTSWANA

Botswana has some successes and challenge with regard to environmental management.

Successes

► Reduction of misuse of water

People used to get free water from stand pipes and many people did not care about the conservation of
water. For example many people did not report the leaking standpipes,
Some people watered their livestock at the standpipes and as a result the animals would break the
standpipes. In many cities, towns and villages, people now have to pay for the connection of standpipes
within their homes and pay a monthly water bill. This has reduced misuse of water.

During drought periods, regulations are put in place to conserve water, for example, people are not allowed
to water their gardens with clean piped water. Instead they are encouraged to use recycled waste water.

► Establishment of waste water treatment plants

Botswana has established waste water treatment plants which treat sewerage water. An example is the
Gaborone City Council waste water treatment plant which treats sewerage water from Gaborone and
Tlokweng. The treated water is released for use to irrigate vegetable and fruit farms.

► Reduction of plastic waste and metal waste in the environment

The selling of plastic bags has made a significant change in reducing plastic bags in the environment. When
plastic bags were provided for free in the shops, people used to leave them scattered in the environment.
The collection of metal scraps such as motor vehicles metal scraps and beverage cans for recycling has
helped in reducing metal waste in Botswana.

► Conservation of wild life

Botswana has conserved 17% of its land as National Parks and Reserves and an additional 22% as Wildlife
Management Areas. This has helped to improve wild life conservation and the tourist industry in Botswana.
Botswana is now succeeding in maintaining wildlife. This has been made possible by the change in lifestyle
of people and government wild life conservation policies and laws. Many people no longer depend on
wildlife for meat; instead many now depend on domestic animals as a source of meat.

Limitations

► Littering

Littering is still one of the challenges in Botswana. This is because many members of the public still litter
and do not dispose of waste properly. The waste management law is not enforced to discourage people
form littering.

► Inadequate waste collection facilities

Waste collection facilities are limited to urban areas and to urban villages. Due to lack of collection
facilities, waste disposal is a problem in many rural areas. This usually leaves people in the villages with no
choice but to burn waste in the open which results in air pollution.

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► Low levels of recycling of waste

Facilities to encourage people to sort their waste for recycling are limited. As a result, reusable and
recyclable waste is disposed of in household rubbish bins and landfills. In some countries, homeowners and
businesses are required to sort their waste so that whatever can be recycled is taken to recycling plants and
not to landfills.

► Depletion of Wood Resources

In Botswana, especially in rural areas, the major source of energy is wood. Since the population has
increased, the demand for wood has also increased. This has resulted in many trees being cut down of for
use as fire wood leaving large areas of land bare and without trees.

► Over-harvesting of some veldt products

The selling of mophane worms has also become a lucrative business for some people. There is concern that
the worms are being over harvested and this needs to be controlled to ensure the resource is used in a
sustainable way.

► Contamination of underground water

Many people especially in rural areas still use pit latrines. The use of pit latrines remains a challenge for the
government of Botswana because pit latrines contaminate underground water. Due to drought and the high
rate of evaporation, the country depends mainly on the underground water than on surface water. Boreholes
are therefore the main sources of drinking water in rural areas.

ENVIRONMENTAL MISMANAGEMENT

Environmental mismanagement is using the environment in ways that damage or harm it. If we damage the
environment, it means that it would not be able to support all forms of life, including that of human beings,
now and in the future.

WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE MISMANAGE THE ENVIRONMENT

► Deforestation: People cut down too many trees and leave the land bare. Bare land is easily eroded by
wind and water.
► Pollution: People pollute the environment in different ways.
● They pollute the land, for example through littering and improper disposal of waste.
● They pollute the water sources such as rivers and dams, for example through dumping waste in water.
● They pollute the air, for example through emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals into the
atmosphere.
► Overfishing: People catch such large quantities of fish that some species of fish have become depleted
in the oceans, lakes and rivers.
► Poor farming methods: Some farmers use poor farming methods which damage the soil, for example,
mono cropping which leads to loss of soil fertility and overstocking which leads to overstocking which
leads to overgrazing and soil erosion.

THE MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MISMANAGEMENT

► Mismanagement threatens the survival of all forms of life on earth, including humans. The more we
mismanage the environment, the more harm we do to ourselves because we depend on the environment for
our survival.
►Resource depletion threatens our standard of living and lifestyles, especially that of the most vulnerable
people in the society or the world such as the poor.

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► Many scientists believe that pollution caused by human activities is the main reason why the global
climate is getting warmer. Climate change puts people’s lives, livelihoods and property at risk from rising
sea levels, flooding and droughts.
► The consequences of environmental mismanagement will not only affect people now, but it will also
affect the future generations. The survival of the future generations depends on how we care for the
environment now. Mismanagement can lead to extinction of important animal and plant species. This
means future generations would not be able to enjoy and benefit from these resources.
► Environmental mismanagement can lead to the loss of the natural wilderness. Animals may become
extinct due to loss of their natural habitats. As a result, people and animals may increasingly come in to
conflict when animals enter human settlements or farms in search for food.

GLOBAL WARMING

Many scientists believe that one of the consequences of mismanagement is global warming.

What is global warming?

Global warming is the long term trend of increases in the earth’s average temperature.

The Causes of Global Warming

Human activities

Many scientists believe that global warming is caused by mainly human activities that produce greenhouse
gases. Human activities are releasing increasing amounts of heat trapping greenhouse gases into the
atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, and this is causing global warming.
What are greenhouse gases?

The atmosphere contains gases. When the sun shines, it heats up the earth and some of this heat radiates
back up into the atmosphere. Some of the gases in the atmosphere such as water vapour, carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons absorb or trap this heat and prevent it from escaping into
the atmosphere. These gases are called greenhouse gases. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide.

Examples of human activities believed to be causing an increase in green house gases in the atmosphere

► The use of fossil fuels: The use of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum oil and natural gas, is believed to
be the main reason why the level of green house gases in the atmosphere is increasing leading to global
warming. When these fuels are burned they produce carbon dioxide. The more fossil fuels we use, the more
carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere.
► Deforestation: Plants absorb carbon dioxide. Many people still burn wood as fuel and this releases
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In addition, trees are cut down to produce timber or clear land for
agriculture and settlements. This means fewer trees are left to absorb carbon dioxide and the gas goes into
the atmosphere thereby contributing to global warming.
► Agricultural activities: Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide. Rice
grown in paddies and cattle produce large quantities of methane gas. Cattle produce methane as part of
their digestive and excretory processes. The methane produced by farming activities is released into the
atmosphere and contributes to global warming.

Natural causes
According to scientists, global warming may occur as a result of natural causes. For example,
► methane, a green house gas, is released naturally into the atmosphere in tundra region and in wetland
areas.
► changes in the sun’s energy output may also lead to climate change. An increase in solar output by only
1% every hundred years may change the average temperature of the earth by between 0.5 to 1.0ْc.

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► the shape of the Earth’s orbit around the sun as well as the tilt of the Earth’s axis affect the total amount
of solar energy the planet receives. Changes in the shape of the orbit and the tilt of the planet, may lead to
the earth receiving higher amounts of solar energy, leading to an increase in the planet’s temperature.

However, it should be noted that many scientists and countries are agreed that the current global warming
that the planet is experiencing is mainly caused by human activities and not natural causes.

THE EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Increase in flooding

Scientists have observed that global warming may be the reason why some places are receiving higher
precipitation in the form of rain or snow. As a result, floods are also occurring more frequently. Floods can
result in the loss of life and damage to property.

Increase in drought

Drought affects food production and sometimes leads to hunger and famine, especially in poor countries.

The spread of diseases

Some diseases only thrive in warm temperatures, for example, malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever. As
the Earth’s temperature rises, mosquitoes that carry the parasites that spread these diseases will spread to
colder regions where it did not exist. People living in these areas would be vulnerable because of their lack
of immunity to such diseases.

Melting glaciers and polar ice caps

Glaciers and polar ice caps are melting at a faster rate than before. A glacier is a very large sheet of ice that
moves very slowly. They are found in high mountain areas in Europe, Asia, North America and South
America. Polar ice caps are large sheets of ice covering the polar regions of the earth.

Rising sea levels

Water expands as it warms up. Scientists believe that the rise in sea levels is evidence that water in the
oceans and seas is warming up and that this is due to global warming. In addition sea levels are also rising
because the melting glaciers and polar ice caps are increasing the amount of water in the oceans and seas.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted that globally the sea level rose at an average
rate between 1.3 and 2.3mm per year, between 1961 and 2003.

Increase in extreme and violent weather events

Some parts of the world are experiencing an increase in number and frequency of extreme and violent
weather conditions, such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, thunderstorms and extreme cold and hot weather.
Many scientists believe that the increase in the frequency of these extreme weather conditions, are evidence
of climate change. Every year people die from very cold or very hot weather. The hotter the Earth’s
climate, the more likely it is that more people would die.