Preserving the Environment through Tree Planting

Over eight million trees have been planted in the last 13 years in Lagos State, all targeted at preserving the environment. Recently, “The Evergreen Project Lagos”, a brainchild of Miss Mahika Anmol Gupta, Arjun Gupta and Darsh Gupta kicked off the 1,000 Tree Planting Project in Lagos in support of the legacy drive, Chiemelie Ezeobi reports.

“A greener Lagos is what we aim to achieve. The building of a better future should start with me, and if not me, who? And I decided to take the first step towards building a better Lagos,” those were the words of Miss Mahika Anmol Gupta during the recent kick off the 1,000 Tree Planting Project in Lagos under “The Evergreen Project Lagos”.

On why she chose to to veer that path she said: “Sitting in my geography class, researching Lagos as my case study, the thought dawned upon me, this is my city and it is my responsibility to help shape its future.”She said.

” I strongly believe, a sustainable future is the only future. We at ASTEP aim to plant at least 1000 trees before the end of the year. We aim to create a Lagos for coming generations, with cleaner air to breathe. We aim to give back to mother earth what we have taken from it.” Darsh Gupta said.

Why Lagos one might ask? Gupta noted that “Lagos is the commercial capital of Nigeria, the giant of Africa”, however, “as proud as we are of this, we cannot overlook the resultant pollution levels. It is no secret that trees act as a carbon sponge in our atmosphere.

“By reducing the CO2 concentration and increasing the O2, we are creating a cleaner and less polluted atmosphere for ourselves and future generations. We are creating a Lagos, which we can be even prouder of. This is my goal for the beautiful state I call my home.”Arjun Gupta noted.

While thanking “all the volunteers who have kindly offered their time and efforts to help us achieve this dream,” the Guptas’ also expressed a special thank you to the state governor for honouring the event and encouraging today’s youth.

“We sincerely urge each and every one of you to do all you can. Last but not least, we wish to thank LASEPA, LASPARK, and African steel for sponsoring our cause. To today’s youth: take initiative, come forward and plant a tree,” Gupta added.

At the kick-off in Ikoyi, Sanwo-Olu tasked Lagosians on preserving the environment through tree planting, while disclosing that the state planted 8 million trees in 13 years.

He also reiterated Lagos State government’s commitment through Lagos State Parks and Gardens (LASPARK) to reduce carbon footprint in order to preserve the environment for future generations.

Stressing that the state government is committed to tree planting since 2008, he disclosed that the state government had planted over eight million trees in the last 13 years.

The governor who expressed his administration’s commitment to preserving the environment for future generations said 60,000 trees had been planted across different locations in the state during his tenure.

He also commended the Gupta family for the tree planting initiative and urged other residents of the state to join the effort for more trees to be planted in Lagos State.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who planted a tree during the event urged Lagosians to use the event as a change of mind set and ideas to preserve the environment for the children to have a greater future.

“I want to ask everyone to push and encourage laudable initiatives like this so that we can preserve our Lagos. We can preserve a place where we all call home and we can ensure that the future that is in the hands of teenagers who are here today is secured. We should plant more trees to save the environment,” he said.

At the event were chairman, African Steel Mills, Raj Gupta; Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu; Project Initiator, Mahika Anmol Gupta; Kayode Fasawe; Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello; GM LASEPA, Dr Dolapo Fasawe and the Special Adviser on Drainage and Water Resource, Mr Joe Igbokwe, and several other tree planting volunteers.