Green Generation Guyana campaign launched

–to help children make proper solid-waste management a lifestyle

THE Ministry of Communities, on Wednesday at Camp Wesleyana on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, launched Green Generation Guyana (#GreenGenerationGy), a public education campaign designed to promote improved solid-waste management in the home and community.Green Generation (#GreenGenerationGy) is a multimedia campaign directed at young children with the aim of developing a new generation of citizens in Guyana who grow up with an environmental consciousness and with habits that are green and sustainable.

Through the initiative, it is hoped that the next generation of Guyanese would embrace good solid waste management practices as a natural way of life.
Minister within the Ministry of Communities, Dawn Hastings-Williams, referred to the assembled children as “leaders of today” and told them: “If you can start leading now with keeping Guyana clean, I know that I can look ahead and see that Guyana would have an exemplary culture of solid waste management.”

Minister Hastings-Williams said her ministry wants to partner with children to create an environment for the growth of a healthy society.
“I hope that you would take what you have learned back to your homes and schools and churches to share with those who were not here,” she admonished.

The Leader’s Guide for the #GreenGenerationGuyana Campaign states that “Children are a powerful (and under-utilised) force in the family, who often fight for what they have been taught formally. This power must be unleashed to tackle the issue of solid waste management -– one of the most critical issues of our time.

“Children are the perfect vehicle for counter-culture movements, which good solid waste management practices are in Guyana -– counter culture. Also, with children, we get to train behaviour rather than try to change behaviour.”

Alex Graham, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tagman Media, the consultant on the project, said, “The campaign hopes to achieve five things: Restarting public education with children in the hope of building a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens; shifting the role of central Government away from education and advocacy to providing technical assistance and other resources; developing a grass-roots, community-based approach to solid waste management education; utilising existing programmes instead of creating new ones; and assisting organisations to see where effective SWM practised fit with their doctrine, principles and values.”

The launch took place during a session at the Young Teens Camp being conducted by The Wesleyan Church in Guyana. Later in the day, a visit was made to the Kuru Kuru Training Centre, where a camp was being conducted by the New Testament Church of God.

Other camps and programmes being conducted by faith-based and other organisations will be engaged during the August holiday period, when many children attend summer educational programmes at various institutions, vacation Bible schools, other religious programmes, religious camps, youth camps, sports programmes etcetera.

Children are being urged to Think-Separate-Store the waste generated by their various activities.
Each organisation is receiving the #GreenGenerationGuyana Toolkit, and each camp site is receiving bags of two different colours for separating solid waste into organic and inorganic waste, and mobile bins to assist with storage in the camping area.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.