Landfill sites run out of space
JOBURG – Miss Earth contestants hold clean-ups around the country as part of the #WasteStopsWithMe programme.
One hundred street and park clean-ups formed part of the World Environment Day celebrations for the Miss Earth South Africa Leadership programme in partnership with the City of Joburg and Pikitup.
From the 1 to 5 June, 100 Miss Earth SA regional finalists were hard at work connecting with their communities across the country. The focus on connecting people with nature was a perfect fit to roll out community clean-ups as part of the 2017 #WasteStopsWithMe programme.
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The Miss Earth South Africa team used the theme ‘Connect with Nature’ and encouraged communities and local community leaders to take up the responsibility to enjoy and take care of the natural environment and public spaces in their areas.
The 100th clean-up was held at Mshenguville Park in Soweto and the Mayor of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba gave a keynote address where he said the City generates 1.6 million tonnes of waste per year, which is deposited at landfill sites.
He said,”Unfortunately we have reached a point where our landfill sites are running out of airspace, and for this reason, responsible waste management is crucial. It is for this reason that I am particularly happy about the partnership between the City’s waste management service provider, Pikitup and Miss Earth South Africa. Through this partnership, the City aims to mobilise our communities and stakeholders to protect and preserve the environment by applying basic principles of waste minimisation. Residents and stakeholder alike must learn to reduce, reuse and recycle.”
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This partnership will also enable Miss Earth South Africa to activate school, community and educational programmes which will support the strategic goals of Pikitup, and by extension, the City.”
Pikitup has a programme called separation@source which encourages residents to divert waste away from landfill sites by providing residents, who form part of the programme with a regular black bin, a reusable bag for paper and a clear bag for other types of recyclables. This effectively means that only waste that is not recyclable ends up in black bins. Pikitup is set to roll out the project to all residents of the City of Johannesburg in the near future in an effort to divert waste away from landfill sites.
Educational programme director for Miss Earth, Ella Bella Leite said, “When you connect with nature and give of your time to preserve, interact and nurture this gift, it has the ability to build communities and in turn contribute to building a better South Africa. Our focus is to celebrate the month of June this year, by building a better earth for all and it is up to each and every one, as active citizens, to play a part.”
Tell us what you think of the #WasteStopsWithMe programme on WhatsApp 079 439 5345.
