Cayman Earth Month

This year the Cayman Islands, in association with The Cayman Islands National Trust are dedicating the entire month of April to celebrate Earth Day. The Cayman Earth Month website is your one-stop-shop to The Cayman Islands Earth Month events and news. If you have an event you’d like to promote on this website or would like more information on Cayman Earth Month, please send details to edaniel@nationaltrust.org.ky

FirstCaribbean promotes a clean Cayman on Earth Day

Sunday, March 28, 2010
Cayman Net News

The Earth Day celebration in Cayman will include a roadside clean-up sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce on 17 April, from 7am to 11am.

The first 1,000 volunteers will receive a free Earth Day T-shirt from FirstCaribbean International Bank, which supports the effort to promote environmental responsibility and “help make Cayman cleaner.”

David Gordon, mortgage manager with FirstCaribbean International Bank, says that the Bank takes its environmental and social responsibilities extremely seriously and is the reason they volunteered to sponsor the Roadside Clean Up.

“Earth Day, and indeed Earth Week, gives us all the chance to focus on this important issue,” says Mr Gordon, “and help make Cayman a more environmentally friendly and therefore more pleasing place to live.”

Read full story...

Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) Newsletter Issue 7

Issue 7 of the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) Newsletter published by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment is now available to download.

This issue focuses on partnerships for sustainable development, including the partnership between the DOE and Deloitte for sustainability initiatives. The concept of sustainable development is one that speaks to community action and working together to achieve our aims. The issue also features participation of the Cayman Islands in the 2009 International Coastal Clean Up and the 350.org climate change campaign.

The Battle Over Bottled Water

March 24, 2010, 3:02 pm
By SINDYA N. BHANOO
Green Inc., The New York Times

Published in recognition of World Water Day, a video called The Story of Bottled Water made its debut on YouTube this week, using animation and snappy narration to convey what its makers consider to be the evils of bottled water. (It comes from the same folks who produced ”The Story of Stuff” — an eco-themed viral video sensation from last year.)

Not missing a beat, the International Bottled Water Association, declared the new video to be sensational, and quickly posted its own minifilm, highlighting the sustainability practices of its members, which include major brands like Nestlé...read full story.

March 22 is World Water Day

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is coordinating the organization of the World Water Day 2010 campaign to:

• Raise awareness about sustaining healthy ecosystems and human well-being through addressing the increasing water quality challenges in water management and
  
  
• Raise the profile of water quality by encouraging governments, organizations, communities, and individuals around the world to actively engage in proactively addressing water quality e.g. in pollution prevention, clean up and restoration.

More...

Water Board signs up for Earth Day sponsorship

Cayman Net News

Signing on again to support the Earth Day Roadside Clean Up, sponsored by the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, is the Water Authority Board.

At a recent Water Authority Board meeting, a donation of $1,000 was approved to support environmental awareness in the Cayman Islands with Earth Week activities, which help raise environmental awareness among the public.

“The Authority is acutely aware of its social and environmental responsibility to the larger community,” said Water Authority Board Chairman Mr Jonathan Piercy, “and we believe that this initiative provides an opportunity for us to play our part in keeping our Islands clean and attractive...read full story.

Trashing the marine environment

Eugene Bonthuys | eugene@cfp.ky
The Observer

Cayman’s environment suffers from many maladies. Whether destruction of habitat through development or pressure on ecosystems through food demands, many species face an uphill battle as they struggle to survive.

Unfortunately, discarded items like plastic bags and fishing line are causing many injuries and deaths in Cayman’s environment, affecting animals, birds and fish.

Not even Cayman’s iconic turtles are immune. Although some are taken intentionally during poaching, many others are injured or killed unintentionally.

“Turtles and other marine animals need a healthy marine environment and many careless actions such as anchoring in coral or dumping garbage have severe consequences. Even the seafood we choose off a menu has an impact,” says Janice Blumenthal of the Department of Environment...read full story.

Port-au-Prince Could Be Recycled and Rebuilt From Itself

by Bridgette Meinhold
Inhabit

What if the crumbled remains of Haiti could be recycled and used to repair and rebuild a brand new city? That’s what one company, Independence Recycling of Florida, is proposing as a reconstruction process. Economically, it makes sense to use the existing material on site rather than having to import material to the island nation, and there are also significant environmental benefits to not sending all that waste to the landfill or using virgin materials to rebuild Haiti.

Read the full story here.