COMMUNITY GREEN RADIO CELEBRATES BELATED WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL DAY WITH A COMMUNITY CLEANING EXERCISE

Thursday, August 31st, 2023 | By

Community Green Radio organized a cleanup exercise in Kibiga town in its host district- Kiboga to create public awareness on proper disposal of wastes in commemoration of belated World Environmental Day celebrated on 5^th June each year.

The event was led by the radio staff and joined by local leaders and the radio listeners on 27^th August.

It involved waste collection, sorting and sensitizing the members of the community on the dangers of poor waste disposal. The day was crowned with a friendly football match between the radio staff and the listeners which saw the radio winning 1-0.

The radio listeners appreciated the role the radio has played in raising awareness on environmental conservation.

The female district councilor for Kiboga town council, Ms. Sarah Nakitende said the radio’s education programs have supported the leaders’ efforts in raising awareness on environmental conservation.

Julius Kyamanywa, the station manager said plastics have become part of our daily lives due to their convenience but have been disposed carelessly leading to massive pollution. He explained that the drainage channels and soils are choking on plastics leading to floods, soil infertility and blockage of drainage channels.

He said the solution to reversing pollution starts with living as responsible citizens urging the public to desist from the behavior of indiscipline littering.

This year’s theme for World Environmental Day was Beat Plastic pollution.  In Uganda, the celebrations ran under the theme, “Stop Plastic Pollution today.”

According to the National Environmental Management Authority, Uganda has produced over 12,330 metric tons of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastics since 2018. Of this, 42%is uncollected, 15% collected through value chain approach and 43% collected by the service providers.  About 21,728 tons of plastic is burned, 47,457 tons is landfilled or dumped, 160 tons retained and 13,580tons finds its way into water systems.

NEMA also affirms that as a result of plastic pollution, the country has seen increased unexplained cancers, floods, poor air quality, decreased soil fertility, siltation of water bodies, death of livestock, fish and wildlife through ingestion and entanglement and enhanced greenhouse gas emissions.