Companies a threat to workers and the communityMziwakhe Hlangani

Manganese company, Assmang is just one company that is endangering its workers and the surrounding community. But there are more.

Numsa is gravely concerned that up to a million residents in the Vaal and more than 4000 workers in the Vereeniging-based Mittal steel plant may be affected by the company's waste.

In October, the Green Scorpions, government's environmental management inspectors, closed down Arcelor Mittal's hazardous waste site in the Vaal after the company had failed to respond to their numerous requests to clean it up.

The Green Scorpions actions against Mittal followed their shocking revelations of the levels of air, ground and water pollution at another Numsa factory, Highveld Steel's Vanchem plant outside Witbank.

Numsa organised companies are responsible for air, ground and water pollution.

DVD review: An Inconvenient TruthWe may think that the health of this planet is not our responsibility, but we could not be more wrong.

After watching the DVD "An Inconvenient Truth" you will see what I mean. This DVD talks about global warming.

What is this global warming and how does it affect me? Global warming is caused by the emission of too much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

Instead of the heat of the sun's rays going out into the atmosphere at night when the earth is cooling, greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap the heat.

This causes an increase in the temperature on the earth's surface, air and oceans. The main source of CO2 is our industries – Eskom pumps out millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year; so too do Highveld Steel, Scaw Metals and all of our big Numsa-organised factories.

This DVD teaches us that we need to take care of this planet that we call home. Global warming is causing the seasons to change drastically. The hotter the planet gets, the more water the sun evaporates so the heavier the rains that fall.

You just have to look at the increasing severity of storms and floods on television. Even in our country hotter temperatures are drying up the soil and extreme droughts are the result.

The DVD shows pictures of glaciers that are melting and how our grandchildren will never see snow on Mount Kiliminjaro. Global warming will have melted it all.

The ice at the North Pole and the South Pole is unfreezing more than ever before.

But this is what keeps our planet relatively cool and liveable.Already cities that were built above the malaria line like Nairobi and Harare are seeing the influx of the malaria mosquito because the temperatures are warmer.

By watching this DVD we can make a difference and teach ourselves and our children that even if we just plant a tree, we will be helping.Charlene Moodley

How you can help reduce the effects of global warming:

At work:* ask your employers what they are doing to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, especially if you work at one of Eskom's power stations* turn off the power and lights when they are not needed* turn off computers at night – even when they are in standby mode, they consume electricity* ensure your employer installs energy-saving light bulbs and appliances in your factory.

At home:* buy energy saving appliances – less energy means less power stations and less CO2 emissions * install efficient shower heads or clean your older shower head to reduce your consumption of water* lower the temperature in your geyser * recycle cans, bottles, paper and plastic* buy products made of recycled materials* plant trees around your home to increase shade and to absorb the CO2. Trees need CO2 to grow.

Ukucabanga ngemveloUngacabanga ukuthi imvelo ayisiyo indaba yakho. Kodwa bheka i-DVD ethi “inconvenient truth” ukuze ubone ukuthi i-IS iyinkinga yethu kanjani.

I-DVD ichaza ukuthi ukufudumala komhlaba kuchazani nokuthi thina sonke sisifaka kanjani isandla – emsebenzini nasekhaya.

Izinkampani lapho amalungu e-Numsa esebenza khona zingabakhiphi abakhulu be-carbon dioxide – igesi ye-greenhouse enkulu eyenza ukufudula komhlaba wonke Kanti khona manje i-Numsa ithokoze kakhulu ngokuthi i-Green Scorpions iqinisa amabhawodi ezinkampanini ezifana ne-Highveld Steel ne-Mittal Steel engabangi nje kuphela ukufudumala komhlaba kodwa elimaza nezimpilo zalabo abasebenza kuzo kanye nabahlala eduze nazo.

Hou die omgewing in gedagteJy mag dink dat die omgewing nie jou probleem is nie. Maar kyk gerus na ‘n DVD met die titel "An inconvenient truth" om te sien tot watter mate dit wel ons probleem IS.

Die DVD verduidelik wat aardverhitting is, en hoe ons almal daartoe bydra – by die werk en by die huis. Maatskappye by wie Numsa-lede werk is vername afskeiers van koolstofdioksied – die belangrikste kweekhuisgas wat aardverhitting veroorsaak.

Intussen is Numsa verheug dat die Groen Skerpioene toeslaan op maatskappye soos Highveld Steel en Mittal Steel, wat nie net aardverhitting veroorsaak nie, maar ook skade doen aan die gesondheid van die mense wat by hulle werk en naby aan hulle bly.

Ho nahana ka tikolohoE ka nna ba o nahana hore tikoloho ha e ho ame ka letho. Empa ha o ka sheba DVD e bitswang "An inconvenient truth" o tla bona ka moo E LENG bothata ba rona ka teng.

DVD ena e hlalosa hore global warming (keketseho ya themperetjhara ya atemosfere ya lefatshe ka baka la keketseho ya dikgase moyeng) ke eng, le ka moo re kenyang letsoho ka teng ho yona – ka bobedi, mosebetsing le lapeng.

Dikhampani tseo ditho tsa Numsa di sebetsang ho tsona ke tsona tse hlahisang carbon dioxide e ngata haholo – e leng kgase e ngata haholo ya greenhouse e bakang global warming.

Ho sa le jwalo, Numsa e motlotlo hore Green Scorpions e ntse e kwala dikhampani tse jwalo ka Highveld Steel le Mittal Steel tse sa bakeng feela global warming empa hape di senya le bophelo ba bao ba sebetsang le ba phelang haufi le tsona.

Source

Numsa News