“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19
Disharmony in the minds among our 7.9 billion fellow humans is the scourge of modern society. We need help in stabilizing these minds in the interest of the earth’s sustainability.

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) was an American psychologist best known for his self-actualization theory which presents five hierarchical needs of the human being – physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, self-actualization.

What can we learn from Abraham Maslow? Is it too late?

We shall look today at our physiological needs delineated as food and water, sufficient rest, clothing and shelter, overall health, and sustainability.

World Food Day 2021 was celebrated just over a week ago with the theme “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow”. My father, Charles, often reminded me of the management system which was used to feed Barbadians in World War II based on the mantra “Produce what you eat”.  We survived.

Now, another world war (COVID-19) has devastated us, the full extent of which we are yet fully aware. What we do know is that we must regroup and cultivate all the arable land lying fallow, coupled with appropriate technology, to reduce our food import bill.

This is the same land that produced green gold, albeit with slave labor, for our European colonial masters. A mindset change is required for this land to do the same thing for us.

Whatever happened to the concept “Guyana – the food basket of the Caribbean?” Learn from Mabaruma, Guyana – an informative glimpse of how CARICOM could feed itself in the future.

The strategy to get potable water to consumers is not profound. Capture and recycle rainwater and grey water, desalinate, chlorinate, reduce leaks in the distribution system and improve its network.

Machines can function over a 24-hour period once there is access to fuel, lubrication, maintenance, a shift system for manpower and management. Humans, however, must manage their time to sleep and get sufficient rest to recharge their batteries, work and earn a living to satisfy family needs, socialize, and help others less fortunate than we are.

The human body comes with its own basic protection (skin, hair, nails, and immune system). Because humans live in a contiguous air environment, we are prone to spreading airborne diseases. Our body is robust but the vagaries of weather and climate change force us to convert fabrics into comfortable and protective clothing.

The demand for shelter ranges from the homeless and vulnerable persons to self-contained underground bunkers in case of nuclear war.

World Polio Day was celebrated on Oct. 24, 2021. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent since the first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979.

Now we are faced with the impact on COVID-19 on lives and livelihoods. The solution – vaccinate, vaccinate, and vaccinate!

In general, to improve our overall health I have found personally that preventive health is most important. Do not wait until a symptom appears, see your general practitioner regularly, say every six months. As our parents taught us – prevention is better than cure.

Finally, the sustainability of Planet Earth requires that humans must engage our minds to sensibly protect our environment and commit to the outcomes of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) which takes place in Glasgow in a few days.

We know what to do to meet our physiological needs. Let us adjust our mindsets and do it!

(Dr. Basil Springer GCM is a Change-Engine Consultant. His email address is basilgf@marketplaceexcellence.com. His columns may be found at www.nothingbeatsbusiness.com)