The will to make a difference to the world

Children of the Soil took the Makana Community Award at the Rhodes University Environmental Awards 2016 and the university’s Amina Cachalia Residence was announced winner of the Student Society/ Residence award for initiatives that included a campaign to reduce the use of environmentally harmful plastic bags.

Criteria for the annual awards, presented at the university this week, are good sustainability practice, track record, participation, inspiration and empowerment, innovation and continuity.

This year’s individual award was unusually shared by two people – postgraduate researcher Louw Claassens and retired professor Brian Allanson.

According to a media release from Rhodes University's Environmental Commit- tee, Claassens and Allanson have through voluntary activities developed the Knysna Basin Project, which was initiated by Allanson 21 years ago, Claassens as a PhD student has since 2013 provided additional momentum.

“The pair’s practices are informed by a social-ecological interpretation of sustainability – recognising the integral relationship between human well-being and environmental health, and promoting practices and actions that benefit both the social sphere and the biophysical environment,” the Committee said.

A main aim of the project has been to identify threats to estuaries and wetlands, draw in the local and wider community in conducting regular environmental monitoring programmes, and promoting sustainable utilisation of natural resources while protecting a national biodiversity treasure.

Re-useable bags

In the student organisation/ residence category, Amina Cachalia Residence had consistently shown a heart for promoting sustainability, the Committee noted, and has undertaken environmentally friendly activities “for many years”.

The res had been consistent supporters of the RMR Makana Green Fun Run.

Within the residence, a number of environmental initiatives this year included ‘Rethink the Bag’ to make people aware of how litter in South Africa could be reduced by avoiding the supply and use of plastic bags.

Re-usable bags were made freely available in the res for students to take shopping and return afterwards.

A Ted Talk by Hayley McLellan was shared on the res Facebook page to explain why this was important. Student feedback indicated that they found it easy to change a small part of their lifestyle, with the satisfaction of making a big difference.

The res also conducts a weekly recycling collection.

Bottles

The res has also made a significant contribution to reducing the amount of waste created by single-use plastic bottles through a weekly water collection service: the residents hand in their re-usable water bottles and pay a small fee to cover the cost of transport – the remainder going towards the purchase of low-flow shower heads for the res (to help reduce water usage).

The res also promotes the importance of clean, green spaces.

Children of the Soil (COTS) is a non-profit organisation, comprised of volunteers from various walks of life.

COTS was launched at the beginning of 2015. Their aim is to create awareness regarding environmental issues, and contribute to mitigating the impact of climate change by focusing on those who are most likely to be affected – the youth in vulnerable communities.

COTS promotes environmental sustainability and resilience by engaging school children in vegetable gardening, recycling, environmental awareness lessons and physical education.

Food security

By planting and growing vegetable gardens, they are empowering children, showing them how to reduce their dependence on buying vegetables, and at the same time reducing their ecological footprint.

They have also worked on improving pupils’ understanding of the links between environmental sustainability and food and water security, and raising awareness about the importance of using resources wisely.

Innovative approaches have been used to engage with the pupils, including educational trips, puppet dialogues, drama and debates, sports, street painting, using old tyres for artworks, and developing child- and youth-friendly radio and newspaper publications. They have also initiated arbour projects, and water conservation and waste projects... and egg farms are on the way... in addition to setting up vegetable gardens in free urban spaces.

They have established Environmental Clubs in the schools and were also involved in closing down some illegal dump sites.

COTS are also the winners of the 2016 Community Partner of the Year Award.

The full citations for the winners can be found at www. ru. ac. za/ environment/ awards/2016awards