MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Source: Future Centre Trust (FCT)
Contact: Ms Nicole Garofano +1 246 256 8837
futurecentretrust@gmail.com

Bridgetown, Barbados (September 3, 2010)

PLANNING FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT IS A MUST
Events are being left behind in dealing with waste management

“Who needs to teach who about the need to reduce littering and illegal dumping?” is a question from

Nicole Garofano, Administrative Director of the Future Centre Trust as they head into the final weeks of

preparation for the Nationwide Clean Up Barbados Campaign taking place on Saturday, September 18.

“Teaching children in schools of the need to properly manage our waste is one area that must continue”,

says Garofano, “but what about adults?” “Five days after a recent public information event undertaken in

Haggatt Hall, St Michael, plastic cups and general crowd waste is still on the ground!” Ms Garofano noted.

“As adults, we must set the example for our young people to take forward with them throughout their lives,

an understanding of why we need to put our waste in the right place – in the trash can!

She urged those who organise events to include in their planning the provision for waste recepticles

which will be emptied or taken away at the conclusion of the gathering. “Planning for waste should become

part of the norm at all events. To take it to the next step and include recycling is another way that some of the

cost of dealing with waste can be offset, with payments made for many types of plastic containers and glass

bottles of course” explained Ms Garofano.

This year’s Clean Up Barbados event has adopted the affiliated Clean Up the World focus of preserving our

Biodiversity. The United Nations has sanctioned 2010 as the International Year of BioDiversity, and through

this linkage, Clean Up Barbados is encouraging Barbadians to ‘Care for Nature’. Many of the registered locations

take into account the natural biodiversity of the area, however the organisers would like to see more of the

gully areas included in the focus this year.

Ms Garofano highlighted the need to reduce dumping and littering to preserve our community’s health –

“Illegal dumping impacts the natural environment and in turn our water and, in some cases, our food

supplies. When we dump in areas which are designated water catchment areas, those chemicals can leach

down and affect the water supply. This compunded with the waste that is trapped in our drains can create

human health hazards, particuarly when the rain falls”.

“Children learn from what they see. Adults need to take an active role in educating their own children,

and those who they interact with on a daily basis of the importance of not only keeping their bedroom

tidy, but to take this attitude into the wider environs. Just because they are leaving their front door to go

out, either for a school day or on the weekends, doesn’t mean their respect for their surroundings should be

forgotten”, says Garofano.

Clean Up Barbados is an annual event which encourages action to clean up areas, but also highlghts the

impacts to our local surroundings of mismanaged waste. It promotes activity within community groups to

keep Barbados clean. Ms Garofano noted that keeping the surroundings clean should not just be a one day

thing, it should happen every day – not just for tourists, but so residents can live in a healthy environment

always. “If Clean Up Barbados can create that interest and awareness, and hopefully a change of habit, it has

achieved its purpose,” she added.

Registrations are still being accepted for groups and sponsorships for the September 18 event, with those

interested encouraged to call the Future Centre Trust on 625 2020, email to info@cleanupbarbados.org or

visit the website at www.cleanupbarbados.org.

ENDS

About Clean up Barbados
The Clean Up Barbados event will take place September, 18, 2010. Many of our open spaces, beaches, gullies and roadways need attention. Clean Up Barbados is linked by the membership to the Clean Up The World weekend, held the third weekend of September every year. The event gives groups and individuals the chance to get out and get involved with cleaning an area that needs attention and that the community shares a passion in maintaining. www.cleanupbarbados.org

About Clean up the World
The Clean Up the World campaign originated in Australia and was the brainchild of Ian Kiernan who organized a clean up of Sydney harbour in 1989. In 1993, with support and funding from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the California based EGBAR foundation, Clean Up the World was launched with 30 million people from 80 countries participating in the first clean-up. Since then it has been held every year and has not stopped growing. In 2001, 37.5 million people from 128 countries demonstrated their commitment to a healthy environment through various clean ups throughout the world. www.cleanuptheworld.org

About Future Centre Trust
The Future Centre Trust is an environmental Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) and registered charity providing environmental education to the public of Barbados. Its mission is “To stimulate awareness and encourage responsible management of the vital relationship between people and nature leading to a sustainable future for all”. This is achieved through various programmes, activities and presentations to the community which are included and highlighted at www.futurecentretrust.org

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Tags: Barbados, Clean Up Barbados, Clean Up The World, environment, Future Centre Trust, Ministry of Environment, Recycling, Waste Management