Let us stop suffocating Mother Earth

By George Ozalla

Buildings are meant to shelter us, not to suffocate the earth that shelters us all. Yet, everywhere one looks today, homes and public buildings are being sealed up from every corner — covered with concrete, tiles, and interlocking blocks that leave no room for soil to breathe.

It is as if we are at war with the very ground that gives us life. The natural earth, once soft, green, and nurturing, is now being buried alive under our own hands. And when tragedy happens, we begin to realize too late that our choices have consequences.

If late Arise News Anchor, Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu had fallen on soft soil covered with fresh grasses rather than on a hard surface, perhaps she might still be alive today. That single reality should remind us that nature was designed to protect, cushion, and heal. Grasses, soil, and trees are not mere decorations; they are the living fabric that sustains life. When we strip them away, we expose ourselves to heat, floods, pollution, and even death. We are slowly suffocating Mother Earth — and in doing so, we are suffocating ourselves.

Across cities and towns, compounds are now paved from fence to fence, no green corners, no trees, no breathing soil. We forget that the ground beneath us is alive — a living sponge that absorbs water, stores nutrients, filters air, and supports all forms of life.

Scientists have repeatedly shown that green spaces improve not just the environment but our mental and physical health. Research indicates that people who live near parks, gardens, or trees have up to 20 percent lower rates of depression and anxiety.

Spending just a few minutes a day in nature lowers stress hormones and restores calm to the human mind. Trees also cool the air through shade and evaporation; studies suggest that neighbourhoods with good tree cover can be as much as 5 to 10 degrees Celsius cooler than nearby paved areas. In addition, trees and grasses act as natural air filters — one mature tree can absorb roughly 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide each year while releasing the oxygen that sustains us. These are not poetic imaginations; they are measurable, life-saving truths.

When we pave over everything, we do not just harden the ground; we harden life itself. Rainwater that should soak into the soil now rushes uncontrollably through gutters, flooding homes and washing away streets.

The air grows hotter, the nights restless, and our electricity bills higher from endless air conditioning. Birds lose their perches, insects vanish, and what used to be a simple compound turns into a mini furnace. Even more tragic, hard surfaces increase the severity of accidents — a simple fall that might have left a bruise on grass could easily become fatal on concrete.

I was recently reminded of the joy that comes from reconnecting with the earth during a visit to Umudike in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. I was so excited to walk barefoot across to the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture school field and run freely on the soil. I felt the soil — soft, living, real. It brought back memories of my childhood, of those days when, as a little boy, I played in the sand without fear, when the earth was still a friend and not an enemy we built walls against. I paused and asked myself: Do children nowadays have this kind of experience?

Do they ever feel the joy of touching the soil, of running barefoot under the open sky? Walking barefoot in the soil is not just nostalgic; it is healthy and deeply grounding. It restores a quiet connection between man and the earth. I always look forward to walking around barefoot whenever I travel to the hinterland, especially Nibo, my beloved town.

It is now that I have come to realize why my late father often insisted on walking barefoot within the compound — he understood something we are slowly forgetting: that the human body was made to feel the earth.

Let us learn again to plant more trees. Every tree that goes down must be out of sheer necessity, and another must be planted elsewhere. A single tree can provide oxygen for up to two people and help store over 100 kilograms of carbon annually in its wood and roots. Trees protect the soil, hold rainwater, and give shade that cools both man and the environment.

They are nature’s quiet miracle workers. Have you ever planted a tree? If not, begin today. Teach your children to plant one. Teach them early to value nature — the plants, flowers, and crops that help to keep us alive. Let them know that when they water a seedling, they are nurturing life itself.

We can change this pattern. It begins with a simple decision to let nature breathe again. Leave spaces in our compounds where real soil can remain open. Plant flowers, grasses, and trees not just for beauty, but for life. Replace some of those interlocks and tiles with patches of green. Allow our children to run barefoot on living ground, not on plastic or stone.

Around public institutions, schools, and offices, we can insist on gardens and lawns instead of endless car parks and concrete courtyards. Even a small patch of green gives back more than it takes — it filters air, holds water, calms the mind, and beautifies the soul.

The truth is, loving nature is not just environmental activism; it is human wisdom. Nature was here long before us, and it will outlast us if we keep destroying it. Albert Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” And Chief Seattle wisely reminded humanity that, “The earth does not belong to us; we belong to the earth.” These are not empty words. They are calls to conscience — to remember that every paved yard without a patch of green is a wound on the skin of our planet.

Let us stop choking the very soil that sustains our breath. Let us choose compassion for the ground we walk upon. Mother Earth does not demand much — just space to breathe, to grow, and to give back. When we preserve nature, we preserve life.

When we cherish the soil, we cherish our own existence. So let us love nature, keep her close, plant trees wherever we can, and allow her to live. Because in truth, when we give the earth a chance to breathe, she gives us everything in return.

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, NEWSCOUNT