Straight for the cliff

Funny thing about human nature. We see these disasters coming. Yet we do nothing to change, always hoping that we’re wrong, that it will all work itself out. The funny thing is, if we act as change agents to avert catastrophe and succeed, others will laugh at us, pointing out that the catastrophe never happened. It could very well be that the change agents prevented it.

In Malawi, the rate of deforestation is increasing. There are many parts of the country where there are very little trees. The reason that the deforestation is happening is that people use firewood to cook, to heat water, and for whatever purposes fuel is needed. The widespread deforestation is so bad that government has banned the sale of charcoal.

However, in the face of an alternative, the ban has no teeth, and people continue to use charcoal or firewood to cook. What else can they do? There is no electricity where they live, hooking up solar panels is too expensive, too complicated, and would probably not provide enough electricity to power a stove.

Eventually, Malawi will run out of trees. What then? There is a lot of talk but no action. We’re heading straight for the cliff, and we’re not even applying the brakes. I shudder to think what will happen to the family I stayed with in the village when the wood runs out.