South African industry and retail companies lagging behind in hazardous chemical compliance
Toxic and reactive substances can cause great harm if not dealt with properly. These hazardous chemicals and products must be managed in compliance with global standards to reduce the potential of human injury and environmental degradation. The Responsible Packaging Management Association of South Africa (RPMASA), an industry body dedicated to compliance throughout the supply chain, is concerned by the large number of South African companies who do not comply with the global requirements when dealing with hazardous chemicals throughout the supply chain.
When dealing with hazardous materials, companies should adhere to the latest global regulations. “We are aware of a lot of companies who deal with hazardous chemicals that are currently not aware or compliant with the latest regulations in the supply chain. Anything from implementing the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labeling of chemicals (GHS) to having a designated 24/7/365 helpline are requirements not being met,” says Liz Anderson, Executive Director at RPMASA.
The GHS is the new global requirement for chemical classification, Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and product labels aimed at protecting and informing people. Anderson mentions that the requirements are global standards and South African industry and retail companies that export their products are missing out on trade opportunities due to non-compliance. Another consequence of non-compliance is that companies bear the financial responsibility if an accident or incident occurs.
“A lot of companies, particularly in the retail industry where staffing is tight, have no designated person to keep up to date with new regulations and drive compliance. Many organisations are unaware that the products they produce, pack, label and transport need to comply with strict regulations throughout the supply chain,” says Anderson. ”There are many products with a chemical component such as pool chemicals, aerosols, personal products, paints, household cleaning products etc. The chemical components need to be classified into one of the nine transport classes as well as the GHS classes and be clearly marked on all labels and packaging, as well as on the transport vehicle. Companies also need to produce a SDS for products, and distribute it to all parties involved in the supply chain, from the factory workers and packers of the products, to the drivers of the delivery vehicles,” warns Anderson.
Another regulation that is currently not well implemented, is a designated 24/7/365 helpline that all companies who use chemical components in their products, must document in their SDS, and product labels. The helpline is intended to offer assistance to those, who have been involved in or witnessed a chemical spill or have been exposed to chemical products. “The staffing alone for such a helpline is expensive, which forces companies to use a general office hour’s customer service number as an alternative. This often results in inadequate assistance when a major problem occurs,” adds Anderson.
RPMASA’s services include chemical management supply chain solutions for companies dealing with hazardous chemicals. The Association offers basic and advanced training in GHS, and they have set up a 24/7/365 call centre hosted by TrenStar, and Toll free number that companies can use on their product packaging, labelling and transport vehicles. This is available to members and non-members. The company’s SDS is uploaded and updated seamlessly onto the cloud-based REACH Delivery UK system which is accessed by the call centre, and provides up-to-date product and transport information. The REACH Delivery system produces a receipt for the uploaded SDS, which is then used as proof of compliance.
“We urge all organisations, big and small, to participate in RPMASA’s GHS training programmes and Supply Chain Services to assist them comply with the global standards. These programmes are offered throughout the country,” concludes Anderson.
The next GHS training dates are 05 – 07 November 2014 in Durban. For more information about RPMASA contact 032 947 1145 | 032 947 1956, or visit www.rpmasa.org.za.
About RPMASA
RPMASA is an industry association providing a focal point for organisations (industry and retail) involved in the llife cycle and supply chain of chemicals, chemical products and hazardous articles, which are regulated. It provides members with supply chain compliance solutions tailored to their company needs, and is a registered Non-Profit Organisation so subscriptions etc. are tax deductible.
The Association provides members with information, specialist knowledge, training, audit and consultancy opportunities, as well as new services to aid compliance in the supply chain. Information on chemical classification, packaging and labelling, handling, storage and transport, including Risk Assessments. RPMASA participates in various government fora for new Legislation and Regulations as well as International and National Standards.
It is the only Industry Association from Africa with a seat on the UN Committee of Experts for transport of dangerous goods and the UN GHS - Globally Harmonised System of classification and labeling of chemicals. It is thus uniquely placed to provide members with up to date international information, as well as new, and coming legislation for local and export markets, to assist them be pro-active with timeous compliance.
Easy tips to ‘extinguish’ the Cape Town fire season
As Cape Town’s dry season approaches, Mustadafin Foundation urges all residents to be fire-conscious. Capetonians are urged to do their bit in reducing the number of fires and help keep their community safe. Mustadafin Foundation, a local disaster relief non-profit organisation, actively helps communities in need when disaster strike and provides easy tips for preventing fires this season.
“Fires in Cape Town have become a major risk especially in informal settlements. The strong winds associated with summer can cause great havoc when citizens are careless and don’t monitor flammable objects. Heat-based objects should always be attended to and properly monitored. Residents in these communities should be properly informed on what to look out for and how they can prevent a fire from starting in the first place,” explains Ghairunisa Johnstone, Director at Mustadafin Foundation.
Mustadafin Foundation offers these fires prevention tips this summer:
- Check flammables - Monitor all flammable objects carefully. Candles, cigarettes, matches, lighters and appliances can all cause great harm if left unattended. Also ensure that no curtains or flammable textiles are near an open flame. “Fires can be extinguished by pouring water over it or by covering it with sand or clothing. However, the best advice is to not to leave these objects unattended or in the hands of children. Make sure candles are blown out before going to bed and that heating devices are properly switched off. Also, don’t throw cigarette stumps out of vehicles or windows as this can cause fires,” says Johnstone.
- Monitor electrical equipment - If you have electrical devices in your home, make sure that they are properly serviced to ensure there are no faults. Do not overload your electrical extension with more than four plugs in one unit. “It is also advisable that you switch off all appliances on the wall when you are leaving your home,” advises Johnstone.
- Be informed about the dangers of paraffin - “Paraffin appliances are the most commonly used heating devices in our community and also one of the most dangerous if not handled correctly. Keep children away from paraffin and use with caution, even when unlit. Make sure paraffin appliances are on a clean, dry and firm surface with no blankets, clothes or cloths nearby. Especially for those using paraffin appliances a lot, it is highly recommended that you have a bucket of sand nearby to extinguish a fire quickly,” recommends Johnstone.
- Build firebreaks around your dwelling - If you live near the bush or open fields, make sure you have firebreaks around your home to minimise the probability of veld fires entering your property. “Small precautions can save your home and maybe even your loved ones. Pick up all leaves, twigs and litter around your home that can potentially fuel fires,” guides Johnstone.
- Invest in a fire extinguisher - Keep a fire extinguisher in your house and know how to use it. A good alternative is to have a garden hose in close proximity for in case a fire occurs.
- Educate your children about fires - Fire spreads very quickly and can cause destruction within minutes. It is very important that children are not left alone with open fires, but they should be educated on what to do should a fire occur when they are alone.
Mustadafin Foundation is actively involved in destitute communities. If you would like to give your time or donate please contact them on 021 633 0010 or visit their website at www.mustadafin.org.za.
Ecco Network Presents International Survey on Readers' Comments
Businesses have to monitor readers’ comments carefully - early warning systems are a must.
Readers’ comments need to be taken very seriously by all organisations, especially those responsible for fostering reputations. This was confirmed in a recent international survey completed by ECCO, one of the leading international Public Relations (PR) networks. Specialists in reputation management asked journalists in seven countries globally, including South Africa, about their opinion on readers’ comments. How, if at all, they influence what journalists write? ECCO obtained responses from approximately 750 professional writers.
The main finding confirmed that readers’ comments on an article can have a serious impact on the reputation of entities. Opinions expressed in the comments sections of the media are discussed and taken seriously by at least two thirds of the journalists who responded; 65.6% confirmed that comments, at least on occasion, “influence future articles on a given subject”.
COMMENTATORS ARE AN INFLUENTIAL MINORITY
The ECCO research confirmed that journalists pay attention to readers’ comments; commentators therefore have the potential to become an influential minority.
The survey established that journalists are aware of this. The majority of the respondents (74.1%) don’t believe that they represent the majority of their readers. The same percentage agrees to the statement: “There is only a small group of regular commentators who are usually writing for the benefit of each other”.
Only 12.3% of the respondents agreed that the comments received are deemed offensive. Very few respondents (17.4%) indicated that comments get deleted because of inappropriate or offensive content and 18.8% have never experienced the need to delete comments.
More than three quarters (77.8%) agreed that readers’ comments often provide useful improvements and corrections to an article in question.
“We are very pleased to have been able to include South African journalists in this international study,” says Regine le Roux, Managing Director of Reputation Matters, a member of the ECCO PR international network. “Our results were very closely aligned to the responses received globally. The research shows that an early warning system analysing readers’ comments is a must for every company, as this potentially has a big impact on an organisation’s reputation. Clearly the opinions and facts voiced in this forum by readers are on the express lane to editors,” concludes le Roux.
Journalists are taking readers’ comments very serious. Therefore communicators have to monitor and react to them. This is one of the results of an international survey by the ECCO agency network.
ABOUT THE SURVEY
ECCO agencies in France, Germany, Hungary, India, South Africa and Switzerland used their media contacts to start an online survey between March and April 2014. A centrally developed questionnaire was distributed in the respective local language and answered by approximately 750 journalists representing all types of media and all functions from editor-in-chief to freelance writer.
The complete survey report can be downloaded at: http://www.ecco-network.com/survey/
ABOUT ECCO
ECCO is a network of independent PR and marketing communications agencies located in over 40 countries around the world and headquartered in London. ECCO member agencies are successful in their own business and are owner-managed by senior executives with extensive agency/big client experience. ECCO’s objective is to offer the best services to their clients, taking advantage of its international presence and of the full independence of its partners. ECCO clients include Interface , Xerox, Easy Voyage, Zagg, Butchers’ Pet Care and Photobo.
One Million Lights for Brighter Futures
With 1.45-million people, representing 11% of South African households, living without electricity and a further 3.6% of households accessing electricity informally*, light is a scarce commodity for many, often disrupting daily life and education due to limited study time.
Energizer® South Africa and USA registered nonprofit, One Million Lights are teaming up to improve the daily lives of children and adults in poor rural villages around the world, by providing clean and healthy lighting.
As the makers of the world’s longest lasting battery, Energizer® South Africa is committed to also making light last longer for a bright and healthy future. The One Million Lights partnership forms part of Energizer’s That’s Positivenergy campaign, a campaign focused on what people can do together to make the world a more positive place.
During July and August 2014, primary school learners in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal will be receiving 7,000 solar and kinetic lights in areas without electricity.
“This the first time since the initiative’s inception in 2008 that we are sharing our healthy glow with the people of South Africa”, says Anna Sidana, Founder and CEO of One Million Lights. “We believe that all children should have access to a clean and eco-friendly solution to light, which enables them to study at night and add value to the time they spend with their families.”
The One Million Lights campaign has distributed over 50,000 safe, rechargeable solar lights around the world, replacing dangerous and polluting kerosene lamps.
“As a clean, healthy, renewable resource, solar lighting is such a natural fit,” says Rashmi Vadivelu, senior brand manager for Energizer® South Africa. “It is a wonderful opportunity to offer lighting to communities that will ultimately brighten their entire lives by extending study and play time, while eliminating carbon emissions, improving household health, and greatly increasing income savings.”
The campaign aims to ultimately distribute one million solar lights and replace dangerous and polluting kerosene lamps in communities where people are dependent on non-renewable and toxic fuels for their lighting needs.
For more information on One Million Lights, please visit www.onemillionlights.org, www.facebook.com/onemillionlights and http://twitter.com/millionlights.
For more information about Energizer® and its That’s Positivenergy activities, please visit the website at www.energizer.co.za.
* According to Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey (GHS) conducted in 2012.
About One Million Lights
One Million Lights is a USA registered nonprofit with a mission to improve the daily lives of children and adults by providing clean and healthy solar lighting. Its goal is to distribute one million solar lights and replace dangerous and polluting kerosene lamps in communities where people are dependent on non-renewable and toxic fuels for their lighting needs. These solar lights enable children to study at night and adults to extend their workday, all while eliminating carbon emissions, improving household health, and greatly increasing income savings.
About Energizer®:
As part of the of their That’s Positivenergy campaign and as the makers of the world longest lasting battery, Energizer South Africa have partnered with One Million Lights to make the learning last longer in areas without electricity.
Proactive Cape Town businesses are taking ACTION!
Photo Caption: Cape Town business owners were in for a treat last week (17 July 2014) when the Founder and Chairman of ActionCOACH - the world’s number one business coaching franchise - Brad Sugars (standing fifth from the left), visited South Africa. Through an inspired session, Sugars helped business owners understand how to take action to grow effectively, simply, practically and cost-effectively in spite of the times. International award winning owner of Building Best Business and a certified ActionCOACH, Kathi Clarke (standing sixth from the left), invited all her clients and their clients to the educational seminar.
International ActionCOACH Founder and Chairman, Brad Sugars, who is also a bestselling author and successful entrepreneur himself, is currently visiting South Africa to share his knowledge. During an interactive three hour seminar at the Southern Sun Hotel in Cape Town on 17 July 2014, over 400 business owners took in Sugars’ extensive know-how, which yielded outstanding feedback from the audience.
During the seminar, business owners were reminded about the importance and ‘how to’ of identifying the right leads and investing wisely into the right marketing strategies. Most importantly, attendees learnt to test and measure these continuously to ensure that it’s generating both life-time customers and repeat business.
“I’m very privileged to have had 150 of my clients and their clients attend what was a hugely informative and practical seminar and to hear their feedback that it was a truly valuable evening. We are delighted to have hosted Brad who is world-class at what he does and resonates so with entrepreneurial owners because he speaks from hands-on experience,” says Kathi Clarke, owner of Building Best Business and certified ActionCOACH Business Coach in Cape Town.
Sugars talked about his latest book ‘Buying Customers’, which urges business owners to think of marketing efforts as an investment and not an expense. ‘Buying Customers’ is now on shelves – a must read for all business owners!
Currently placed in the top 100 ActionCOACH Business Coaches in the world, Kathi Clarke is an Industrial Psychologist, with over 25 years’ experience in growing businesses in five African countries. Since returning to Cape Town in 2010 she has successfully helped more than 50 entrepreneurs to significantly grow their profits, develop entrepreneurial muscle and enjoy the lifestyle which prompted them to start their own business in the first place. Contact her on 021 423 9514 or www.actioncoach.com/kathiclarke if you’re an entrepreneurial business wanting to get bigger or a bigger business wanting to get better. Kathi Clarke is also on Facebook http://facebook.com/buildingbestbusiness
Sustainability Week 17 – 19 June 2014, CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria A more sustainable future awaits South Africans
Caption: Another stellar line-up of conferences, seminars and public lectures took place at this year’s Sustainability Week (17 to 19 June 2014), at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria. The Tshwane Green Outreach Programme was launched on Tuesday, 17 June 2014 as Councillor Kgosientso Ramokgopa (left), Executive Mayor of Tshwane, explained the city’s vision for 2055. Strategic Executive Director and Head of the Mayoral Sustainability Office, Dorah Nteo, (right) introduced TUKI, the programme’s mascot, at the Youth and Green Economy event held on Friday, 20 June 2014 at the Community Centre in Ga-Rankuwa.
The City of Tshwane was this year’s host city for Sustainability Week and on Tuesday, 17 June 2014, the city launched Tshwane’s Green Outreach Programme which forms part of the greater Tshwane Green Economy Strategic Framework. This hard hitting campaign is a two year awareness and educational programme aimed towards city residents. Councillor Ramokgopa introduced the city’s vision to be a low carbon, resource efficient and climate resilient city as well as the game-changing plans that are being put in place to realise this.
The City of Tshwane’s Green Economy Strategic Framework was approved by a Mayoral Committee in September 2013. The City Sustainability Unit realised the need for an awareness programme to communicate the framework to the community in a captivating way, so the Tshwane Green Outreach Programme was developed. The programme’s aim is to encourage residents to change their behaviours and lead sustainable lives. TUKI (short for ‘toekoms’, the Afrikaans word for future) was introduced as the official mascot for this awareness programme at the Mayoral Event and made a special surprise appearance at the Youth and Green Economy event at the end of the week.
“Green is the new gold”, said Dorah Nteo, Strategic Executive Director at the City of Tshwane, when introducing TUKI. “The flower that TUKI holds has different colour petals, each representing an aspect of our outreach and educational programme. The dark green petal stands for service delivery by the government to help make Tshwane a green city. The red petal represents communities; the light green, homes; the dark blue, business; the light blue, schools and the yellow represents ‘soul’ or individual actions that can be taken to help make the city of Tshwane sustainable. We aim to reach out to each petal to ensure that our city is well aware and equipped with the knowledge and information needed to make green decisions.”
The youth event welcomed speakers from the South African Weather Services, Green Talent, Green Peace and many others. Audience members were made aware of the causes and effects of global warming as well as what careers can now be pursued in green industries.
Speaking about the highlights of Sustainability Week, conference organiser and director at alive2green, Gordon Brown, comments, “This year’s Sustainability Week proved to be a wonderful platform for debate and sharing of new concepts and innovation. The calibre of speakers and exhibitors attested the high level of political will, expertise, technologies, products, and funding available for the advancement of the green economy in South Africa.”
For more information about the speakers at Sustainability Week please visit: http://sustainabilityweek.co.za/sustainability-week-2014-presentations/ or contact e-mail: info@alive2green.com Tel: 021 447 4733
Mustadafin Foundation warms bellies and hearts at Cape Town’s Grand Parade
Caption: Mustadafin Foundation in partnership with Pick n Pay filled the bellies of 1200 street dwellers this past weekend in Cape Town’s CBD in celebration of the longest night. A hot meal of chicken, potatoes and rice was served with coffee and a warm blanket. The homeless enjoyed the festivities so much, there was even dancing involved!
Spirits were high last Friday evening, 20 June 2014, when Mustadafin Foundation and Pick n Pay set up food and blanket distribution marques at Cape Town’s Grand Parade. Over a period of two hours, approximately 1200 hungry street dwellers were treated to a hot meal with coffee and a warm blanket through the “longest night” partnership initiative.
“Mustadafin Foundation recognises the need of those without homes in the community especially in the cold winter season and believes that all of us can make a difference in someone else’s life. We would like to thank Pick n Pay for partnering with us yet again and making the night memorable for all those that are less fortunate,” says Ghairunisa Johnstone, Director at Mustadafin Foundation.
For more information contact Mustadafin on 021-633-0010 or visit www.mustadafin.org.za. Join their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MustadafinFoundation
ABOUT MUSTADAFIN FOUNDATION
The Mustadafin Foundation was established in 1986 as a result of political unrest and violence in the Crossroads Township. Crossroads, at that time was isolated and violence that erupted was due to faction fighting. It had a devastating effect on the local community, particularly women and children.
In order to support the community, a group of professionals offered their expertise, skills and resources. They provided medical care, trauma counselling, accommodation, food and clothing. This group encompassed such a wide range of people working constructively towards a common goal that it was decided to formalise the situation in the hope that this initiative could be maintained – this saw the birth of the Mustadafin Foundation.
Seven top tips to transform a crisis into an opportunity
Crises could strike an organisation at any time. If managed correctly, an organisation can use the event as an opportunity to sustain or build a positive reputation. It is crucial for all organisations to be prepared for any crisis or disaster in order to manage the effect thereof.
Lara de Stadler and Zydelia Kleinhans, Account Co-ordinators at Reputation Matters (PRISA PRISM Award Winners and TopSEO for 2012) who have recently completed their BCom Communication Management Honours degrees Cum Laude at the University of Pretoria, specialising in Crisis Communication, explain that each crises needs to be managed in a unique way but one aspect is always essential during a crisis, namely the need for effective communication.
Why is effective Crisis Communication so important?
The business landscape is changing and organisations are progressively moving towards better corporate governance and increased stakeholder inclusivity. The emergence of active consumers (accentuated by social media), who hold an organisation accountable for its actions, as well as the speed at which news travels via online platforms has increased the need for a timely response when an organisation finds itself experiencing a crisis.
De Stadler and Kleinhans share the top seven tips for effective crisis communication, invaluable to any proactive organisation, to transform a crisis into an opportunity:
1) PLAN AHEAD, BE PREPARED for the unexpected.
It’s Murphy’s Law, “whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way”, especially if you’re not prepared.
It is highly recommended for an organisation to identify any possible crises that could occur in the future. Strategic thinking and planning is essential and should be applied to all spheres of decision-making as all future outcomes need to be taken into account. Chaos reigns when a crisis unfolds, all affected stakeholders want answers and it is therefore imperative to be prepared and have a comprehensive crisis communication strategy in place before the crisis occurs. This will enable all internal stakeholders to know exactly who should communicate what to whom and at what time. The effectiveness of the plan should be tested. This can be done by practicing potential future crisis situations consisting of real-life scenarios and interviews with journalists in order to identify potential adjustments to be made to the plan.
When questions are asked, the best informed person about the crisis situation should be the one to communicate it. It is not necessary for every internal stakeholder to communicate about the crisis; there should be only one or two dedicated people who deal with the media so as not to relay a different message. It is, however, important to ensure that all internal stakeholders are able to communicate effectively with the media should a crisis within their field of expertise occur. Media training is a great investment in crisis communication planning as it helps equip the team with media management skills, giving them credibility and authority. If a person of authority speaks to the media, it is a good indication of confidence, that the organisation does not have any hidden agendas and that it is taking the situation seriously by taking ownership. Never ‘mud sling’ or shift the blame - this will lead to more negative coverage and cause unnecessary arguments.
2) BE RESPONSIVE AND TIMELY -.Keep your stakeholders in the loop. Tell them all that you know and do it quickly - before they have an opportunity to jump to conclusions or search for other sources that may have incorrect information. Never keep quiet but don’t speculate or give unverified facts either. ‘No comment’ is a big no-no, and is in fact a comment! Rather state that you are investigating the situation and will provide information as soon as it is made available.
3) KEEP YOUR STAKEHOLDERS UPDATED - Be honest, open and transparent. Keep stakeholders informed about the crisis that is taking place and the various actions that are being taken. Engaging with stakeholders, especially during a crisis, could lead to positive long-term relationships with them. As far as possible, include stakeholders (especially employees) in the organisation’s decisions and the way forward - ask them for their inputs, and it will become a shared problem that they feel they need to help your organisation solve.
If used correctly, social media can be a great tool too, when engaging with stakeholders. However, one needs to be mindful that with the emergence of social media and the instantaneous power of online news platforms, a timely response is key. Active consumers weigh up an organisation’s reputation before making purchasing decisions. Should the organisation not respond in a timely manner, this could influence the buying behaviour or loyalty of these consumers.
4) STICK TO YOUR GUNS - Stay true to the company’s’ values, and vision and mission, especially when communicating during a crisis. Reiterate your corporate values, if these have been compromised during a crisis.
5) BE EMPATHETIC - Be sure to communicate that your organisation is invested in the correction and alleviation of the problem. The organisation needs to acknowledge that it is empathetic towards all stakeholders influenced negatively by the crisis and should apologise where relevant to gain trust back. Accordingly, stakeholders will be more open to accepting apologies from the organisation.
6) KEEP IT SIMPLE - The spokesperson for the organisation should not analyse or incessantly explain the situation. Using complicated terms and industry related jargon can confuse stakeholders and it will give the impression that the organisation is trying to hide the truth by being overly vague or complicated. Simple messages get the main points across and provide the best opportunity for being understood. It is also important to choose the right communication channels and adapt messages according to each stakeholder group in order to properly communicate with the stakeholders.
7) TAKE ACTION and make sure that the stakeholders know about it. An organisation should communicate their efforts to alleviate the problem and follow through. The same crisis should never occur in an organisation twice. It is important for an organisation to communicate to its stakeholders that it has learnt from the mistakes and is taking the necessary steps to prevent the same issue from occurring again.
For more in-depth tips and pointers about Crisis Communication, Reputation Matters is able to assist your organisation to develop a detailed crisis communication strategy. Reputation Matters also offers media training to equip organisations with the necessary tools to weather the unpredictable strike of a crisis storm and seize it as an opportunity.
For more information on managing and investing in your reputation, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or call 021 790 0208. We are also on Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters and Twitter @ReputationIsKey
About Reputation Matters
Reputation Matters is not just another PR company, we are so much more! We measure five core dimensions of the organisation using our unique RepudometerTM research tool to understand what is building or breaking down the reputation. We have been looking after reputations for the past nine years, with at least a threefold return on investment for our clients. Reputation Matters joined ECCO International Communications Network in 2012 and represents the network in South Africa.
Wells Estate Beach left spotless after World Environment Day clean-up
Approximately 230 learners from 15 schools in and around Port Elizabeth joined the World Environment Day beach clean-up festivities at Well Estate Beach. The educational initiative was part of The Go Green Climate Change Advocacy Programme - Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s (NMBM) environmental education initiative co-funded by the Department of Environment Affairs and the NMBM.
Squeals of excitement could be heard for miles as learners in the Nelson Mandela Bay were treated to a morning of fun, laughter and environmental education for World Environment Day. Leaners made their way to Wells Estate Beach where they were met by the Go Green roadshow and facilitator teams.
An informative talk about the Go Green campaign and the importance of looking after the environment was given by the Go Green team and after the educational session, learners were invited to hit the beach for the clean-up. Around 80 bags of litter were collected in an hour, leaving the beach spotless for residents and the public alike. The learners were provided with Go Green t-shirts, backpacks as well as a healthy lunch pack. There were also prizes from the roadshow crew for the team that collected the most waste and also for those that could answer questions on the environmental messages that were relayed on the day. The learners were very enthusiastic throughout the proceedings and the song item rendered by Loyiso High school - Enviro Day song as well as the poem rendered by Ndyebo High school enthralled all present at the Environmental Day celebrations as it reflected on the state of the environment and the key role each and every one has to play. The message from Portfolio Councillor Ndlovu. “On this World Environment Day – we as the NMBM will ensure that we continue to play our role in raising our voices about climate change and thereby ensuring that we do not further contribute to the rising sea levels as per the theme of World Environment Day 2014 – “Raise your voice – not the sea level”. The messages of the Go Green campaign are directly aligned to this theme and we need to ensure that we continue advocating these messages. By involving you the youth / learners in this World Environment Day programme today we are hoping to empower young people and their communities to develop programmes and actions to address these serious socio-economic and environmental issues. If we all take action today – we will ensure that we leave a positive legacy for our future generations.”
The schools that participated in the Wells Estate Beach clean-up were Littleflower Primary school, Uitenhage; Steven Nkomo Primary school, Uitenhage; Coega Primary School, Wells Estate; Ndyebo high school, Motherwell; Ikhwezelihle Primary school, Motherwell; Mzimhlophe Primary school, Zwide; Isaac Booi Primary school, Zwide; Mnqophiso Primary school, Zwide; Loyiso high school, Zwide; Chubekile high school, Kwa – zakhele; Qaphelani high school, Kwa – zakhele; Seyisi Primary school, Kwa – zakhele; Kwa – Ford Primary, New Brighton; Kleinskool Primary school, Kleinskool; and Triomf Primary school, Northern Areas.
For more information about the Go Green Climate Change Advocacy Programme, members of the public are invited to contact NMBM Communications.
About the Go Green Climate Change Advocacy Programme:
The programme seeks to:
- Raise awareness about climate change and service delivery issues related to water, energy, waste, hygiene, environmental well-being and sustainable transport;
- To enhance non-formal education programs through media, networking and partnerships;
- Build awareness of the causes and effects of climate change;
- Mobilize NMBM businesses, households and stakeholders to take action and change behaviour;
- Unite the Municipality with civil society to save the future by taking action of their behaviour now; and
- To mobilize NMBM residents to be the eyes and ears of the Municipality when illegal activities occur that impact communities and surroundings.
The campaign focusses on five key action themes:
- POWER WISE - Conserving Energy – emissions from coal-fired power stations and transport are the leading sources of greenhouse gas emissions in this country. Conserving electricity and switching to public transport is critical to achieving our mitigation goals.
- WATER WISE - Conserving Water – South Africa is a water scarce country, and our fresh water resources are under stress. Climate Change will exacerbate this situation and conserving water is a vital tactic for making the country more climates resilient.
- WASTE WISE - Reduce, reuse and recycle waste – minimization and proper management of our wastes both reduces greenhouse gas emissions and conserves forests, which absorb carbon dioxide.
- POLLUTION WISE – Air and water pollution management – We need to ensure clean air / water and to maintain the air / water quality for future generations. This is done by monitoring the environment, controlling the release of air / water pollutants, giving advice and taking action against those who pollute.
- CONSERVATION WISE - Plant indigenous trees, start a vegetable garden – food gardens promote food security and poverty alleviation. Planting indigenous trees and clearing alien invader plants restores natural eco-systems and conserves water. Consume Responsibly – goods and services that are environmentally friendly and locally produced will usually have a lower carbon footprint than imported, and buying locally creates jobs.
