Cadets from the Grace Christian Academy organised a bake sale to raise funds for persons suffering after the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti. The group was able to raise $522.11. These cadets are to be commended for their humanitarian efforts.

Watch the following video and post your thoughts and comments.

ALERT :: YUNGA :: ALERT :: YUNGA :: ALERT :: YUNGA :: ALERT

Biodiversity art competition

Recent developments from YUNGA, 29 January 2010

This is the International Year of Biodiversity and on the 12 August it will also be the International Year of Youth. So……………

You have no excuse get involved, be active, create the change )

This year will be packed with activities and we will keep you up to date on all of them.

The first initiative is the biodiversity art competition -> take part and you could see your artwork all over the world )

For more information go to: www.fao.org/climatechange/youth/en/

So what are you waiting for, its your year lets go )

Teachers at Cades Bay

On Friday 22nd January forty-five (45) Environment Cadet teachers from across Antigua and Barbuda took part in a workshop designed to teach them about Biodiversity. The workshop was planned by Environment Education Officer, Arica Hill.

Hill stated “Today was the start of an important part of the Environment Cadet Programme. The cadet programme for the year involves discussions and field trips on biodiversity and ecosystems. However, many of the teachers that administer the programme are not science teachers, and often know very little about specific environmental issues. So, the Environment Division took this opportunity to train the teachers. We cannot expect them to teach without giving them the necessary tools, so today was a very important step in that direction.”

The first part of the workshop was held at the Heritage Hotel where Project Coordinator of the Sustainable Island Resource Management Mechanism (SIRMM), Ruleta Camacho, gave a presentation on biodiversity.

“SIRMM is pleased to be a part of this endeavour to sensitise teachers about important environment issues. We intend to continue to work with the Environment Cadet programme on similar projects”. SIRMM is also a sponsor of the workshop and the Environment Cadet Programme.

The second part of the workshop was a field trip to the Cades Bay area. There, Senior Fisheries Officer, Tricia Lovell, gave the teachers in-depth information on biodiversity as it relates to mangroves. The teachers were able to relate what they had learned in the ‘classroom’ with what exists in nature.

At the end of the day Hill stated that she was pleased with the overall workshop since she believes that teachers are more equipped to run the Environment Cadet programmes in their schools. She further stated that she looks forward to organising similar workshops throughout the year.

This is a not-for-profit film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The film seeks to bring awareness to environmental issues by providing background on how planet earth developed into what it is now. It is an interesting film which highlights the interconnectedness of all things on earth. Enjoy!

Here is an interesting video on ocean acidification and the effects on marine life. Take some time to watch it, and if you have any comments, please feel free to do so.

The Environment Division Education Unit, in close collaboration with the Antigua and Barbuda Waste Recycling Company, embarked upon an ambitious project of waste recycling in the 2009-2010 school year. Environment Education Officer Arica Hill stated that the project entailed encouraging all of the schools that are a part of the Environment Cadet program to bring in recyclables throughout the year. Hill said that at the end of the school year, in July, the schools that were able to collect the most recyclables would receive a considerable prize.

So far the cadets have collected a total of 6,897 pounds of recyclables. Golden Grove Primary School is presently the most enthusiastic Primary school having collected 837 pounds in three months; while the Antigua State College outranks the other schools in its division (secondary and tertiary institutions) after collecting 445 pounds.

Hill states that she wishes to encourage all the schools to continue to recycle within the coming terms and to look forward to incentives throughout the year.

ABWREC manager, Carol-Faye George, has stated that the facility in Coolidge is able to recycle even more materials. These materials are: plastic bottles (PET & HDPE/1&2), aluminium cans, steel tins, vehicular batteries, UPS batteries, PVC cuttings, galvanize cuttings, scrap metals and toner cartridges. Schools are encouraged to bring in any of these materials, particularly the steel tins which are easily accessible.

Cadets at Body Ponds

Arbour Day was a significant success this year. Over 500 Environment Cadets, along with their teachers, planted 1,200 trees in the Body Ponds Watershed.

The Body Ponds Watershed is an important resource providing food for humans and animals. It is the largest watershed in Antigua.

Trees were planted at Body Ponds this year in commemoration of Arbour Day in order to eradicate the invasive lemon grass which covers a large area of the watershed. Shady trees will cause the lemon grass to be stifled and eventually die.

Planting trees at the Body Ponds is a very important exercise. Any persons interested in taking part in this activity can contact the Forestry Division or the Environment Division.

See pictures below!

Message from the Environment Education Officer
Hi Environment Cadets, Teachers and environmental enthusiasts! Welcome to this exciting website that was designed for you and is about you! Take the time to read the articles and make comments. Expand your mind through the quizzes and puzzles. Keep track of all Environment Cadet events and competitions. Enjoy all that this site has to offer!

Arica Hill
Environment Education Officer

This is a very special picture, which just arrived from Papua New Guinea–from the community where some of the world’s first climae refugees, driven from the Carteret Islands by rising waters, have resettled. Here’s the report:

Greetings Olgeta (all of you in local pidgin)… A beautiful day dawned here in Tinputz Community, the centre of the regions Climate Action Day in partnership with 350.org on 24′th October 2009.

Ursula Rakova, event organiser and director of Tulele Peisa, led the day’s actions which included the planting of mangroves and garden drops for food security, the ringing of the Church Bell 350 times and the formation of 350 by the school children of the community. She then addressed the larger community about the significance of the number 350 in relation to climate change. From there, lunch and live bands and traditional dances, to continue to welcome the Carteret’s Islanders into the Tinputz and build and strengthen the community spirit to support the tough transition facing the worlds first climate change refugees.