Link between mental health and green spaces: Go Green

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Proponents of environmental sustainability, Go Green, on 9 December 2023 made use of a sports tournament held at the First Capital Bank Sports Club in Harare to raise awareness of the benefits of planting trees.

Speaking at the tree planting event, Tinotenda Warambwa, the Chairman of the Go Green Association of Zimbabwe paid tribute to one of the departed advocates of planting indigenous trees, Lorna Cruger, who sadly passed away due to cancer last week.

Warambwa thanked Cruger for being a passionate champion of environmental preservation.

“Ever since I knew Lora, she came across to me as a very passionate and loving advocate of environmental conservation who touched many people’s lives and encouraged most of those manning modern-day nurseries to set up individual businesses and grow them.

“In my interaction with her, she presided over the planting of more than 1 million trees in both urban and rural areas. She did not just make sure that trees were planted but ensured their sustainability, a main focus of Go Green. I dedicate myself to ensuring that her legacy lives beyond present generations and will be used in the future to ensure sustainable development,” Warambwa said.

The event was a success thanks to a tripartite arrangement among the Go Green Association of Zimbabwe, First Capital Bank, and Rotaract Club of Avondale.

Trees have many functions. These include carbon sequestration; air quality improvement; water cycle regulation; biodiversity conservation; soil protection and restoration; climate regulation; water quality enhancement; disaster risk reduction; social and cultural benefits; and economic benefits.

“As the Rotaract Club of Avondale, we are committed to sustainability and environmental conservation. Trees play a vital role in our communities, and we are dedicated to ensuring that future generations will have a healthy environment. We are grateful to Go Green for providing us with the Acacia Fever tree, which is this year’s Tree of the Year.

“We would also like to thank First Capital Bank Sports Club for allowing us to plant trees during their Chairman’s Tournament. We look forward to building partnerships that will bring hope to the world through sustainability initiatives,” Nobubele Sihlola, the Community Services Director for the Rotaract Club of Avondale said.