Local Companies Partner with R4 Initiative for World Environment Day 2009

The R4 Organization is a not-for-profit body whose mission is to encourage the responsible use of resources by promoting Waste Reduction, Re-Use and Recycling in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. One of their recycling initiatives involved the placement of an 18 foot long wrought iron Plastics Collection Receptacle in the shape of a bottle in Port-of-Spain, in February 2008.

This was done in an attempt to complement the recycling efforts demonstrated in the city including a few businesses that already sorted and collected their plastic bottles. The service was offered free of charge, and utilizing Piranha International’s recycling services, R4 Initiative was able to divert over half of a million PETE plastic bottles from the local landfill. However, in December 2008 the bin was removed due to lack of funding and misuse.

Ms. Esther Pierre – Marketing Manager, DIRECTV Trinidad Limited, was an avid supporter of the bin and collected and deposited her plastic bottles on a weekly basis. Upon realizing the prolonged absence of the bin Esther made a few enquiries which eventually lead to her meeting with Ms. Nadine Lakatoo – Environmental Projects Manager of R4 Initiative and the various challenges were discussed.

DIRECTV agreed to sponsor the R4 Initiative towards the re-installation of the Plastics Collection Receptacle, and went a step further and invited some of their corporate partners; PSTG Caribbean, The Edge Advertising & Design Limited, Hott 93 & JTZ Publishing to sponsor a month of bin maintenance. In addition to a companywide recycling programme, DIRECTV is also making efforts to assist R4 Initiative with the placement of bins in Chaguanas and San Fernando.

PSTG Caribbean, is following in the footsteps of its Canadian head office as far as environmental awareness. PSTG Caribbean has set up its own recycling programme and encourages staff members to bring in their plastic containers and place in a special bin at the office. The company also continues to recycle their office paper and glass bottles.

The Edge Advertising is also concerned about the environment, and has been recycling paper and plastics for quite some time with the help of their staff members. Having moved into the Woodbrook district, Hott 93 is rallying to support this programme in their neighbourhood by educating their listeners about the importance of recycling in Trinidad & Tobago.

The support of these green advocates will allow the provision of the 18 foot receptacle to be reinstated at Augustus Williams Park in Port-of-Spain. Sponsorship accommodates the receptacle being emptied and cleaned twice weekly, signage advising the public of what can be put in the receptacle, educational programmes on recycling, and an online tracking system for waste volumes and reports.

The return of the bin in Port-of-Spain is being highly anticipated and would be done in time for World Environment Day (WED) celebrated annually on 5th June. WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The 2009 theme is ‘Your Planet Needs You - Unite to Combat Climate Change’. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen later in the year, and links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.

R4 Initiative is seeking assistance from the business community to sponsor bin maintenance and educational awareness initiatives. The organization also hopes to get businesses and communities more involved in recycling, as this will go a long way to reducing waste sent to our landfill. Anyone interested can go to the organization’s website for further information: www.r4initiative.org

Earth Day is Every Day

Earth day is celebrated on April 22 every year. The event first began in the US in 1970 and today more than 1 billion people the world over recognize it as a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. People around the world will take the opportunity to engage in activities to celebrate Earth Day 2009. These activities range from planting trees, to beach clean-ups to Environmental Educational Seminars and Green Fairs.

In Trinidad & Tobago though we anticipate it will be business as usual. Trinbagonians are expected to treat their surroundings with the same scant regard as any other day. The reality of this situation angers the few among us that dare to have a bigger wish than seeing the CEPEP gangs hard at work everyday picking up the refuse that is so thoughtlessly strewn out of car windows. What if we woke up tomorrow and everyone felt responsible for keeping T&T clean? What if we took the initiative to find out more about recycling? What if we were conscious of how much energy we consumed everyday and switched to more energy efficient bulbs? What if we didn’t waste water and instead thought of all those who had to go without? What if?

We might all remember back when we were children refusing to eat what was in front of us and our mothers seemingly rote response “think of the starving children in Africa!” Well the underlying principle there was to show appreciation for what you were fortunate enough to have. As adults, we might be using the same old lines with our own children, but do we practice what we preach? Do we show an appreciation for our environment, or have we become what we once scorned… adults who think rules are for children? What are we teaching our young ones about caring for our shared spaces and our impact on the earth?

Much has been said about the benefits of recycling and the importance of not littering, but maybe what is needed is a return to good old fashioned logic. Appreciate what you have. Trinidad and Tobago has been blessed with a diverse array of flora and fauna. From the renowned Asa Wright Nature Center to the Caroni Bird Sanctuary and Wild Fowl Trust, nature calls out to be admired. The Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool in Tobago are ours to enjoy. The Argyle Waterfall also in Tobago is yet another beautiful and exciting site of natural beauty. The Queen’s Park Savannah and the Devil’s Woodyard are ours to protect.

We urge all Trinbagonians to take some time out to enjoy natural beauty. By rekindling that fierce sense of ownership of this land we call our own hopefully we will feel compelled to protect it. We must take the game controls and remote controls out of our children’s hands and ensure they experience what our country has to offer. By creating a sense of connectivity to the environment, preserving it becomes second nature. So for Earth Day 2009 let us all commit to opening our eyes to what has been placed under our care and realize that mother knows best… mother nature best of all.


by Natalia Jones