Ukuphambaniseka komkhathi kwenza ukuthi izinto ezinengi eziselwandle ziphile nzima. Abanye abezesayensi bathi izimila ezitholakala ngaphansi kolwandle okuyizo ezisekela zonke izinto eziphilayo eziselwandle zingaba sengozini yokutshabalala eminyakeni engu-30 elandelayo.

Kungenzakala ukuthi inyoni ezinengi ezidla elwandle sezadla amaplastiki. Amaplastiki abulala amamiliyoni ezidalwa eziselwandle umnyaka ngamunye.

Ngo-2022 unobhala jikelele we-United Nations u-Antonio Guterres wathi, ‘besingazihluphi kangako ngokunakekela ulwandle futhi lokho sekubangele ukuthi ulwandle lube sengozini enkulu kakhulu.’

Ulwandle kanye lakho konke okuphilayo okukulo kwadalwa ngendlela yokuthi kuyenelisa ukuhlala kuhlanzekile nxa kungazange kuphanjaniswe ngabantu. Ibhuku elithi Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation libika ukuthi aluba ‘ulwandle aluphanjaniswa ngabantu beluzaqhubeka luziklina.’ Nampu obunye ubufakazi balokhu:

• Igasi okuthiwa yi-carbon dioxide iyawuphambanisa kakhulu umkhathi. Kodwa elwandle kulezimila ezincane kakhulu esingazibona ngemitshina kuphela ezithatha i-carbon dioxide leyo ziyigcine. Izimila lezi eziselwandle zigcina i-carbon dioxide enengi kakhulu ukwedlula engagcinwa yizihlahla, utshani lezinye izimila ezitholakala emhlabeni.

• I-bacteria eselwandle iyadla inhlanzi ezifileyo futhi lokhu kuyanceda ngoba inhlanzi lezi bezingangcolisa ulwandle. I-bacteria leyo yona idliwa ngezinye izidalwa eziselwandle. Iwebhusayithi ye-Smithsonian Institution Ocean ithi ‘lokho kuyanceda ukuthi ulwandle luhlale luhlanzekile.’

• Okukhitshwa yizidalwa ezinengi eziselwandle kunceda ukuthi amanzi angabi le-acid enengi ngoba i-acid le ibingabulala ezinye inhlanzi lezimila ezitholakala khonapho.

Aluba akulangcekeza elahlelwa elwandle bekungasoze kube lesidingo sokuthi ulwandle luklinwe. Ezinye ingcitshi zikhuthaza abantu ukuthi basebenzise izinto ezihlala isikhathi eside ezingasoze zilahlwe nje ngemva kokusetshenziswa kanye.

Kodwa lokho akuluqedi uhlupho lokungcoliswa kolwandle. Ngokwesibonelo, eyinye inhlanganiso ebona ngokulondolozwa kwemvelo yadobha ingcekeza eyayikhitshwe ngamagagasi olwandle engaba ngamathani angu-9 200 emazweni angu-112. Kodwa ingcekeza le incane kakhulu nxa iqathaniswa laleyo elahlelwa elwandle umnyaka ngamunye.

Imagazini okuthiwa yi-National Geographic ithi ‘kunzima kakhulu ukuthi i-acid eselwandle iphele yonke njalo lokhu kwenza izidalwa eziselwandle zithwale nzima sibili.’

“Umhlaba ugcwele lokho okwenzileyo. Ulwandle lukhulu futhi lubanzi, lugcwele izinto eziphilayo, ezincane lezinkulu.” —IHubo 104:​24, 25.

UMdali wethu wadala ulwandle lusenelisa ukuziklina. Nxa ekwazi konke okumayelana lolwandle lezinto eziphila kulo, kambe angehlulwa kuyini ukuthi alungise umonakalo obangelwe ngabantu? Bala isihloko esisekhasini 15 esithi “UNkulunkulu Uthi Umhlaba Awusoze Utshabalale.”