Sustainable Development Unit Newsletter available online

The Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) at the Cayman Islands Department of Environment has started producing a newsletter – “SDU News” – to promote the work of the SDU, and make as many people as possible aware of the sustainable development issues facing the Cayman Islands.

The fourth issue (and all previous issues) of SDU News can be downloaded at http://www.doe.ky/about/sustainable-development-unit/

Private recycling effort a success

Monday 3rd August, 2009 Posted: 15:39 CIT (20:39 GMT)
Caymanian Compass

In an effort to aid the collection of waste aluminium and metal on Grand Cayman, Clinton Nicholson decided to act.

The long–term employee of the Department of Environment and The Marine Park Enforcement Division had been conscious of the massive amount of waste on the Island and had been looking for a way to assist with the problem.

He developed a programme dedicated to purchasing bins to collect the empty cans of patrons after they finish their drinks in the many bars and restaurants around Grand Cayman. Customers are being encouraged to dispose of the cans in the recycling bins, which are provided out of the fundraising...see full article.

Planting the seed for better health - The Cayman edible schoolyard project

Lyneth Monteith, Acting Campus Manager for George Hicks High School and Maureen Cubbon, Marketing and Health & Wellness Manager at Generali Worldwide, pictured at the GHHS school garden, the site for “Project Grow”.

By: Maureen Cubbon
Published on Sunday, August 2, The Observer

Taking inspiration from overseas edible schoolyard projects, Generali Worldwide has partnered with George Hicks Campus to launch a schoolyard garden initiative for the coming 2009-2010 school year called “Project Grow”. The project will help develop a sustainable schoolyard garden where students help plan and execute the garden and have hands on experience learning about healthy eating and the importance of nutritional choices.

“We are excited to partner with George Hicks for our pilot project”, states Maureen Cubbon, Marketing and Health & Wellness Manager for Generali Worldwide. “This program uses food through sustainable agriculture as the vehicle to learn about healthy foods and nutrition and for bringing about personal growth and transformation. This project is something we have been working on for some time now, so it is really satisfying to see that it is coming to life.”...see full article.

CCRIF Assists AOSIS Climate Change Negotiating Strategy Preparation

July 30, 2009
Insurance Journal

The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) announced that it is "assisting the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) climate change negotiating team in finalizing the AOSIS position leading up to the Copenhagen United Nations Climate Change Conference in December.

"CCRIF, through staff from the Facility Supervisor, Caribbean Risk Managers Ltd, participated in a Negotiators Preparatory Meeting held in Grenada from 22 to 25 July 2009. This meeting formed part of the ongoing and intensive work of AOSIS in lobbying for enhanced global action on climate change." ...see full article.

Coral reef warning system installed

Sunday 2nd August, 2009 Posted: 21:20 CIT (02:20 +1 GMT)
Caymanian Compass

The Central Caribbean Marine Institute, in partnership with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory has moved a step closer toward understanding the signals of global climate change and the resulting stressors to Cayman’s coral reefs.

They recently announced the completion of the final stage of implementation and operation of a new coral reef early warning system station, as part of the Integrated Coral Observing Network just north of CCMI’s Little Cayman Research Centre near icon Reef. Located directly off shore from the LCRC, the 40–ft pylon is standing in seven meters of water and is securely mounted to hardpan bedrock to withstand a major hurricane...see full article.

Man powers three homes from rooftop panels in South Sound

By Tad Stoner
tad@caymannetnews.com

Monday’s first 90-day homeowner reading of average electricity generation at the solar-powered South Sound house of the late Frank Banks suggests its 84 rooftop panels are creating enough power to operate three regular homes.

At the same time, authorities are pondering a change to the Caribbean Utilities Company (CUC) scheme by which the firm charges home-based electricity generators for both the power they consume on their own premises and any excess power they send back into the CUC grid.

“For a 90-day period, we are producing an average of 79.43 kilowatt hours (KwH) per day,” said Lindsay Scott, owner of custom homebuilder and solar-power installer LAS Development...see full article.