Climate Action III

Declare Your Love for the Planet as Your Valentine Gift

by Tim Mugerwa - President of the African Youth Union

For the past decades it was very hard to ignore the sea of red gifts and boxes of chocolates lining the aisles in most stores during this period. Up to today it is still hard but we have to think like there is no box. Valentine's Day has come and gone and while we have pondered in February how to best surprise our loved ones, many parts of Africa are being hammered with multiple extreme weather events. With increasing malaria outbreaks in South Africa, air and waterborne diseases, increasing temperatures and droughts; all is not well with our environment. This increase in warmer weather throughout the world is becoming the new normal. Climate change is real.

While discussions of political solutions to climate change are beginning to circulate, we can continue with our own personal efforts to reduce our individual carbon footprints.

Next Valentine's Day, rather than focusing on those red and chocolate filled aisles, why not look outside the box and give a gift that will truly make a difference.

Declare Your Love for the Planet

Climate change affects the things we love most: our children's future, our hobbies, our passions, our lifestyles, our safety and wellbeing. Let's act on climate change, for the love of everything we hold dear.

Next Valentine's Day I am abstaining from buying flowers and chocolates. I am going to take pictures of things I love and fear losing due to the effects of climate change and share them on social media and with all my networks. I am asking everyone who cares about the future of our planet to do the same. You may not abstain from buying your loved ones flowers and chocolates but you can’t fail to take pictures of those things that matter to you. We need to use all possible means to show politicians and those in decision-making roles that climate change is something we all care about.

In honor of the next Valentine's Day show your love by sharing what you love and how it could be impacted by climate change. You can also wear green instead of red.

Plant a Tree in Honor of Someone You Love

Instead of giving cut flowers on Valentine's Day, why not give a tree? According to the Arbor Day Foundation, planting trees helps to fight climate change.

Through the natural process of photosynthesis, trees absorb CO2 and other pollutant particulates, then store the carbon and emit pure oxygen.

Let us always celebrate Valentine while keeping our climate safer for future generations.

Tim Mugerwa

@Tim Mugerwa

President and Researcher: African Youth Union

Read more about Tim and his view on being a futurist

Share content with FFD