Global Environmental Health Solutions (GEHS), Abuja joined other participants globally in celebrating this year’s World Environment Day (WED) with week-long activities from Tuesday, 5th June to Friday, 8th June, 2018. The World Environment Day is a day set aside by the United Nations to draw world attention to issues of the environment that are critical to the survival and wellbeing of mankind, stimulate awareness of environmental challenges, inspire political attention and public action in safeguarding the environment. The theme for WED 2018 was “Beat Plastic Pollution: If You Can’t Reuse It, Refuse It”.
Activities carried out by the organization comprised of a Litter Collection Competition; Environmental Talk in secondary schools; Symposium for the government and private sector; and an Excursion to a Recycling Center.
· Litter Collection Competition
On Tuesday, 5th June, 2018, GEHS collaborated with Novum Agric Industries (NAI), Panda, Nasarawa State (Producers of Supreme Feeds), to organize a ‘Litter Collection Competition’ for three secondary schools within the Panda Community in Nasarawa State. Through the competition, GEHS sensitized students and members of the community on the effects of plastic pollution and practical ways to curb it. The competition also served as an avenue to clean up the environment and rid it of plastic waste.
At the end of the competition, a total plastic litter of about 929.17kg weight was cleared from off the roads, streets, markets and hospitals in the Panda community. Ziklag International Secondary School, Panda won the competition, having collected a total litter of 335.55kg. Government Secondary School, Panda and UBE Junior Secondary School, Panda emerged as the 1st and 2nd runners up, with total litter weights of 319.63kg and 273.99kg, respectively. The winning school and the 1st runner up received cash prizes of N20,000 and N10,000, respectively, as well as three branded T-shirts each.
· Environmental Talk In Three Secondary Schools
On Wednesday, 6th June, 2018, an Environmental Sensitization/Awareness Program was carried out in the three secondary schools that participated in the Litter Collection Competition, in collaboration with NAI. Students of the three schools were educated on the need to rid the environment of single-use plastics. Topics covered included Single-use plastics and plastic pollution; Harmful effects of plastic pollution; Roles of the government, private sector and individuals in curbing plastic pollution in Nigeria; and the three R’s of plastic waste management.
· GEHS WED 2018 Symposium
On Thursday, 7th June, 2018, a Symposium was held at the GEHS Learning Arena in Abuja, to sensitize the government and private sector organizations within the office locality on the theme of this year’s WED. The topic of the symposium was “Beat Plastic Pollution: A Collective Responsibility”. A total of twenty-two (22) persons attended the symposium. Participants resolved to reduce the use of single-use plastics and to spread the message to their colleagues, neighbours, family and friends. They were also presented with re-usable water bottles by the GEHS management, to encourage their resolve.
· GEHS Visit To A Recycling Plant
In continuation of the celebration of WED, the management and staff of GEHS undertook an excursion visit to Chanja Datti Co. Ltd., a recycling plant in Durumi, Abuja on Friday, 8th June, 2018. The purpose of the excursion was to understudy the process of plastic waste recycling in the Federal Capital Territory and explore opportunities for the promotion of plastic waste recycling amongst her clients. The recycling process, as seen in the plant, comprises of collection, sorting, crushing, melting and pelleting. The process has also been a source of employment to the youth and women micro-entrepreneurs.
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