October 03, 2016, is World Habitat Day, which will be celebrated under the theme “Housing at the Centre”. This day was first observed30 years ago, when the UN designated the 1st Monday of October, as World Habitat Day. It is a day set aside to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all, to adequate shelter. World Habitat Day serves to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. It is a day that brings focus to the reality that there is a global housing crisis, where approximately 1.6 billion people worldwide are living in the substandard housing, and almost 100 million people are homeless.

Here in Guyana, our housing industry is booming as we continue to make steady progress towards improving the living conditions for all. However, at this juncture, it is useful to reflect on this year’s World Habitat Day theme, especially in terms of the relationship between development activities such as housing and its effects on the environment.

Housing and Our Environment
Housing is more than having four walls and a roof over our heads. The quality of our housing and surroundings are equally important to our health and that of the environment. If we live in a poor housing environment, it may expose our children to pollutants which pose a risk to health.

The quality of our surroundings is also vital to our social and economic well-being.In recognition of this, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is implementing a number of Regulations and an Environmental Authorisation processes to protect our health and environment. This may apply to projects that are in proximity of housing developments which may have potential to affect people’s well-being in some way. As such projects such as roads, factories, lumber processing, spray-painting, poultry and pig rearing etc. are required to include measures to reduce impacts on people and settlements. Further, the EPA collaborates with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) which is responsible for housing development to safeguard housing areas from noise, dust, and other forms of pollution.

What you need to know
Do a quick analysis of where you live, what are some things which affect you? Is it noise, dust, poor water quality or litter? Now think about how these things became a problem and how much stress they cause to you and the environment. You would agree that our housing conditions and how we care for our surroundings sometimes contribute to these stressors. By putting stress on ourenvironment we create a chain reaction of problems such as flooding and outbreak of vector and waterborne diseases.
At the EPA, our Environmental Protection Regulations on Air Quality, Noise, Water Quality, Hazardous Wastes Management and Litter Prevention are enforced for your protection. We encourage you to pay attentionto issues of air and water pollution, noise,the building materials used in the construction and maintenance of your home and your waste disposal methods. It is also essential to knowabout issues linked to crowding in homes and adjacent land uses in the community; this will better enable you to protect the Environment and maintain adequate housing conditions. Also ensure you adhere to the codes of practice governing housing development.

The United Nations recognize the importance of housing and adequate living conditions. Consequently, World Habitat Day will continue to advocate the need for better shelter all over the world and to share the priority of affordable and adequate housing. It also seeks to bring positive changes through the development and implementation of policies, programs and plans to better housing and living conditions around the world. At the same time, it will continue to change attitudes and pay attention to the basic human rights for adequate shelter while increasing awareness worldwide for the future generation’s habitat.
Remember the change begins with you! Work with your local government authority to improve you living standards. You can also notify the EPA if you are affected by environmental pollution.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com