HOW TO TAKE CARE OF BIODIVERSITY: 10 ACTIONS - ENVIRONMENT - 2024

It is important to seek actions for the care of biodiversity to avoid increased pollution, agricultural intensification, the low availability of nutrients and increased CO2 emissions, which are very harmful to planet Earth.

The term biodiversity is used to describe the variety and population of non-human life on the planet. Global biodiversity is in decline, as highlighted by a recent report by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) showing that vertebrates (birds, fish and mammals) have decreased by 50% in number since 1970. Life in freshwater has been particularly the most affected.

We need biodiversity for its invaluable ecosystem services by providing oxygen, food, clean water, fertile soil, medicine, shelter, protection from storms and floods, a stable climate, and recreation.

Individual species are being destroyed by habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, the spread of pollution and disease, climate change and the overexploitation of resources. The biodiversity crisis will only get worse as more people consume more resources.

Human beings, being part of nature, need to protect and encourage the life and habitat of biodiversity, not only for our own survival and the survival of our descendants, but also to give back what we and previous generations have taken from it. to the planet.

10 simple actions with which we can take care of biodiversity

1- Reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers

Pesticides and fertilizers have a bad impact on wildlife populations, and running as waste through water pipes has adverse effects on plants and animals.

2- Reduce, reuse and recycle

Inorganic waste recycling. Source: Gelpgim22 (Sergio Panei Pitrau) With an emphasis on reducing, buy fewer non-essentials. The damage to various habitats and the amount of energy required will be less when resources are reused or recycled to make new things, and less waste will be generated that goes to landfill.

3- Buy products that respect the environment

Use environmentally friendly personal and household cleaning products, for example distilled vinegar. This reduces chemical contamination of habitats both during manufacturing and when those chemicals go down the drain.

Buy cruelty free products to stop supporting companies that test their commercial products on animals.

4- Buy local and / or organic food and drinks

This helps reduce fertilizers and pesticides that enter the environment, which in turn reduces negative impacts on insects near your location that aid pollination and pest control, as well as the adjacent biodiversity of sweet water.

Farmers markets and community-supported agricultural cooperatives are a great, cost-effective way to buy local and organic food. Locally produced foods do not require as much fuel to transport and, as an added bonus, they taste better as they were chosen a day or two ago.

When you go to the supermarket, buy food with as little packaging as possible. Don't forget to bring your own reusable bags.

5- Buy sustainably harvested seafood

This prevents bycatch of other species. Many trawlers destroy seabed habitat by destroying mangrove forests that are important as nurseries for wild fish species.

6- Be more aware of what you consume

Take advantage of your purchasing power to help protect biodiversity by consuming products that do not harm the environment. Ecolabels allow consumers to determine which products are green, safe and environmentally sustainable.

7- Reduce your energy demand

This will reduce the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, reducing climate change and the alteration of various habitats caused by the exploration and extraction of fossil fuels.

8- Reduce the individual use of your car

Carpool, use public transportation, bike, walk. These are some of the options that you should propose to make to reduce your carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere.

You can also change your car for a fuel efficient one such as electric, hybrid or turbo diesel cars.

9- Buy or rent a house with renewable energy

Consider using sustainable landscaping and building materials. If the house contains solar panels much better.

10- Vote

Learn about the laws that affect biodiversity, contact your local political representatives, tell them how you feel, and ask them what they will do to help. Support people and groups who are acting on long-term ecological sustainability.

Other actions to take care of biodiversity to take into account

Recycling helps conserve resources like water. Image recovered from: ecoclubmalaysia.org.

Among other actions that we can take to care for biodiversity, we highlight the following:

• Help wildlife by creating bird and bat houses.
• For your gardens use trees and native vegetation of your locality. Native plants are well adapted to local conditions and provide a low maintenance garden that is resistant to drought and can prevent local flooding.
• Attract "good" insects by planting pollen and nectar plants.
• Keep dead trees in place as these provide nest cavities for many species.
• Use natural pest control products and methods such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) for caterpillar infestation.
• Use pesticides that have minimal residual effects such as pyrethrins, insecticidal soaps, and latent oil sprays.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of your pets on biodiversity. Some domestic animals, especially cats, are predators of wild animals and can devastate the local population of native species.
• Volunteer in organizations that focus on habitat conservation or restoration.
• Encourage and support local government initiatives that protect habitat and reduce threats to biodiversity.
• Use ecological products in general.
• Dispose of hazardous materials safely. Chemicals entering the sewer system can pollute fresh water and ocean ecosystems.

References

1. Castro P, Azeiteiro U, Bacelar P, Leal W, Azul A. Biodiversity and education for sustainable development (2016). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
2. Cho R. What you can do to protect (2011). Recovered from: blogs.ei.columbia.edu
3. Holdgate M. From care to action: making a sustainable world (1996). Washington DC: Taylor & Francis.
4. Karasin L. Why should you care about biodiversity? (2016). Recovered from: huffingtonpost.com.
5. Lefroy T, Bailey K, Unwin G, Norton T. Biodiversity: integrating conservation and production (2008). Csiro Publishing.
6. Markussen M, Buse R, Garrelts H, Mánez MA, Menzel S, Marggraf R. Valuation and conservation of biodiversity: interdisciplinary perspectives on the convention on biological diversity (2005). Springer.
7. Sartore J. What can I do to help the environment and endangered species? (2016) Recovered from: joelsartore.com.