Miss Earth is connecting with nature

ONE hundred Miss Earth SA regional finalists, from June 1 to 5, have been hard at work connecting with their communities across the country. Under the banner of the international theme for this year’s celebrations, the focus of connecting people with nature was a perfect fit to roll out community clean-ups as part of the 2017 programme.

One hundred street and park clean-ups formed part of the World Environment Day celebrations for the Miss Earth South Africa Leadership programme in partnership with the City of Joburg and Pikitup.

The 100th clean-up was held at Mshenguville Park in Soweto with the MMC for Environment and Infrastructure, Councillor Nico De Jager, The High Commissioner of Canada to South Africa, Ms Sandra McCardell and the Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Mr Herman Mashaba.

The Miss Earth South Africa team took the theme of ‘Connect with Nature’ and encouraged communities and local community leaders to take up their responsibility to enjoy and take care of the natural environment and public spaces in their areas, to reconnect with their neighbours and those they share spaces with – and use this environmental day of importance to kindle social cohesion through community involvement in clean-ups.

Joining Miss Earth South Africa clean-ups around South Africa were hundreds of volunteers from long-time partners to the programme, Tsogo Sun, Brand SA, Fry Family Food, Newsclip Media Monitoring and the South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

The Executive Mayor of Johannesburg, Mr Herman Mashaba, delivered the key-note address, saying that the City generates 1.6 million tons of waste per annum, which is deposited at landfill sites.

He continued, saying, “Unfortunately we have reached a point where our landfill sites are running out of airspace, and for this reason, responsible waste management is crucial. It is for this reason that I am particularly happy about the partnership between the City’s waste management service provider, Pikitup, and Miss Earth South Africa. Through this partnership, the City aims to mobilise our communities and stakeholders to protect and preserve the environment by applying basic principles of waste minimisation. Residents and stakeholders alike must learn to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“This partnership will also enable Miss Earth South Africa to activate school, community and educational programmes which will support the strategic goals of Pikitup, and by extension, the City.”

The Miss Earth South Africa organisation believes that #WasteStopsWithME is an active engagement opportunity for them to instill the behaviour change that is desperately needed to address the waste challenge we see unfolding, not only in South Africa but across the world. The campaign successfully launched in 2016 and has seen significant work being done from both a practical community engagement, education and awareness level across South Africa.

Educational Programme Director Ella Bella Leite said; “When you connect with nature and give of your time to preserve, interact and nurture this gift, it has the ability to build communities and in turn contribute to building a better South Africa. Our focus is to celebrate the month of June this year, by building a better earth for all and it is up to each and every one, as active citizens, to play your part.”

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