Earth Today | WISYNCO to launch national recycling competition for schools
Published:Wednesday | September 5, 2018 | 12:00 AM
THE CURTAINS will shortly go up on this year's WISYNCO Eco Club Schools' Recycling Competition, with its official launch set for September 11 in Kingston promising the bold ambition of years past.
"We want to help students build habits around better recycling practices. Each year, we want to increase the number of bottles removed from landfills, gullies and waterways," said Shelly Dunkley, WISYNCO's environment communication officer.
"Wisynco is heavily invested in supporting the youth. This program is just one way we are working to build habits for a sustainable future," she added.
Over the last two years, the annual competition has sought to inspire a shift in the public perception of and attitude towards recycling through direct engagement with young people at their schools and in their homes.
In year one of the programme (2016/17), 15 schools participated and collected one million bottles. In year two (2017/18), 33 schools participated and collected 1.3 million bottles.
This year, the goal is to collect 3,000,000 bottles over the nine months of the new school year.
The Eco team is confident this goal can be met through the collaborative efforts of schools and private- and public-sector organisations islandwide.
"We ask civil society and corporate Jamaica to support the schools. Visit a school near you and drop off your plastics for recycling," said Dunkley.
"The level of energy and excitement we get from the schools is amazing and very encouraging. We're gearing up for another incredible round of fun and friendly competition that will move recycling from a trend to a lifestyle and eventually second nature in Jamaica," she added.
In addition to the increased number of participating schools, a number of private- and public-sector organisations have already pledged their commitment to the competition and the cause.
They include I Love Mobay, the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation, BREDS Treasure Beach Foundation, and One Love Jamaica Foundation.
Personalities, including Yendi Phillips and Kerry-Ann Clarke, Wisynco Eco said, have also endorsed the effort on their respective social media platforms.
WISYNCO Eco Club is also supported by government agencies, including Recycling Partners of Jamaica.