A clean home and tidy workplace goes beyond enjoying a space that is free from dirt and grime. A clean home and working area protects our health and safety, provides innumerable mental and physical health benefits. Living in neat and attractive city greatly influences the lives of its dwellers; and even visitors.
Due to this, improving the quality of the urban environment has become the main focus of countries, which they are working determinedly to create neat, attractive vibrant and competitive cities, improve their cities’ environments, and ensure quality of life not only for this one but also for future generations.
With this same intention, Addis Ababa City Administration Cleaning Agency has been working to make the capital neat; and to improve the quality of the environment though a lot remains to be done.
Recently, the Agency joining hands with Addis Ababa Education Bureau has launched a three month campaign that targets to clean the school compound and its vicinity. The campaign which is carried out under the motto “I clean my school, I will live in a clean and beautiful city” is said involved over 2,000 schools across Addis Ababa.
Launching the program, Addis Ababa Education Bureau Head Zelalem Mulatu said that the cleaning program initiated to clean the capital is crucial; and hope the outcome will be lasting. The student will get hands-on skill and gain knowledge on how to manage waste. The school compound should be safe for all school communities.
“Schools are the places where the coming generation is nurtured and framed with a number of values, and we are trying to engrave the need for cleaning and how to dispose of waste. All schools will be part of the campaign, and all students will take part.”
Addis Ababa City General Manager with the Rank of Deputy Mayor Tiratu Beyene for his part noted that the City Administration has been working to ensure a clean city and institutions. The joint effort with schools can bring about the desired outcome because we are working with the young people.
Addis Ababa should be clean and attractive for all. Making the capital one of the best destinations and comfortable city for its residents and visitors is everyone’s responsibility.
The campaign could undo the challenges the capital is facing. “It should be noted that keeping our vicinity and school areas clean is an easy task when everyone gets involved and toil in responsible manner. It is with this ambition we have commenced the program.”
Bole Sub City Cleaning Agency Head Getnet Muhabaw for his part said that schools are the powerhouse of the coming generation and working along with the students could yield ample opportunities in many directions. The community has some form of gap with regard to how to manage wastes, how to dispose them safely and how reuse them. However, the Sub City is working to bridge the gap.
Mentioning that there are over 60 thousand school communities in the Sub City, he said all school community members will participate in the program.
“At the end of each week, we do have session and discussion platforms that deliberate on the matter. And we will send messages to families like to use reusable containers for lunches and snacks. We are also expecting students to make sure that they dispose their empty snacks packages into a garbage can. In my view we could impact many through the messages.”
According to Getnet, 70 present of wastes generated from the household could be reused for agriculture. We hope the campaign could provide residents with a new trend- how to produce compost from waste.
The three month city’s cleaning program could lessen City Administration’s financial and land resource burden and could lead to well established solid and liquid waste management trend.
“If waste is properly managed, it helps to generate income. Waste can be a resource that can serve as fertilizer, power and other renewable inputs that can generate money. Most of the waste the city generates is organic which can straightforwardly be recycled to generate power and produce fertilizers,” Getnet opined.
Addis Ababa City Administration Cleaning Agency Director Dr. Eshetu Lema for his part said that the Agency is committed to clean and beautify the capital. The main objective of the universal integrated cleaning campaign is realizing active public and private sectors involvement in creating clean, beautiful and comfortable Addis Ababa.
He stated that the City Administration has been implementing various programs to realize the objective of creating clean and beautiful Addis Ababa and the role of the public and private sector is also increasing.
Finally, he noted that the clean-up campaign is to encourage communities to take collective responsibility to improving the quality of the environment around them. The campaign has a number of returns in arresting climate change impacts.
Apparently, climate change is now affecting every country in every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow.
People are experiencing the significant impacts of climate change, which include changing weather patterns, rising sea level, and more extreme weather events. The greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are driving climate change and continue to rise.
The challenge is now at its highest levels in history. Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is projected to rise over the 21st century and is likely to surpass 3 degrees Celsius this century—with some areas of the world expected to warm even more. And the move to improving the quality of the urban environment is vital.
Including Addis Ababa City General Manager with the Rank of Deputy Mayor Tiratu Beyene, senior government officials, famous artists, influential individuals, cleanup ambassadors, schools’ principals, teachers and students across the city took part at the launching program.
BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
The Ethiopian Herald March 24/2022
