Public responds well to recyclable bags

Basseterre, St. Kitts, March 26, 2010 (SKNIS): The Recyclable Bag activity undertaken by the Department of Physical Planning and Environment has been met with much appreciation by shoppers at the selected supermarkets.
 
In discussion with the St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service, Environment Education Officer Mr. Derionne Edmeade revealed that the Recyclable Bag exercise which took place from March 16 to 26 was greeted with much enthusiasm on the part of the owners and staff at Best Buy, B’s Enterprises, Horsfords Valu Mart, Rams - Bird Rock branch and C & C - Bay Road Branch supermarkets.  
 
“The activity in a sense created a synergy between the Department of Environment and the supermarkets,” Edmeade said.  “One, specifically requested information on how to order their own recyclable bags for distribution, while another, invited the [Environment] Department to sensitize its employees on conservation matters.  The staff, themselves, at all the enterprises, was very helpful.”
 
Mr. Edmeade further informed that Environment Staff walked through several communities, including St. Paul’s, Newton Ground and Sandy Point where they distributed bags as well.  He said that the reception was also welcoming.  The Environment Education Officer enthused that the attitude of the persons accepting the bags was so refreshing that his Department was investigating repeating the recyclable bag distribution exercise.
 
The distribution of the recyclable shopping bag activity also included an interview segment to gather the opinions of shoppers. 
 
“Most shoppers expressed pleasure at the Recyclable Bag activity,” Edmeade said. “In fact, many of them requested more bags to carry all of their shopping for that day.  We had to disappoint them because of the limited number of bags for distribution, at the present exercise.”
 
Prior to the distribution exercise, Mr. Edmeade revealed that a previous session had prepared him.  Entitled “Training Workshop in Communication Skills for the Central Forest Reserve,” he said, he felt empowered to appropriately conduct the videotaped interviews.  He elaborated that the March 10 – 12 workshop taught him to brief the interviewees before the session and to wear camera-friendly clothing.  Overall, Edmeade informed that he received much guidance on how to relate information to the general public.  The workshop had been conducted by Tecla Fontenard and Melissa McLawrence of the OECS Secretariat.
 
The Recyclable Bag activity falls under the “3 Rs Recycling Initiative” which has the objective of encouraging greater emphasis on reducing, reusing and recycling.  Other activities include education workshops, training and awareness on recycling initiatives; as well as the distribution of public education and awareness material.  There will also be sessions on the best practices for waste management by means of exchange of experiences.  The media has also been invited to assist in promoting the Three Rs principle.