WESSA plants 100 trees for Environmental Day
World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment.
ONE hundred trees planted by a hundred learners. This is how WESSA Treasure Beach ushered in World Environment Day on Friday, 7 June. The indigenous trees were planted in and around the Bluff.
The global event is observed annually and is organised around a theme that draws attention to a particularly pressing environmental concern. The theme for this year was air pollution and learners were empowered with practical skills to save the environment by engaging in various outdoor activities.
“As part of the day’s activities, we conducted an educational programme to neighbouring schools where learners part took in this event and engaged in hands-on knowledge about the effects of air pollution and what they can do to mitigate such causes,” said Taryn Van Neel of WESSA Treasure Beach.
The event was in line with the United Nations’ Special Environmental days which promotes Sustainable Development Goals that highlights good health and well-being, quality education, life on land and partnerships for the goals.
“It is critical to understand the link between the environment and health. While we can’t see air, it is an important part of our health because it affects it. We have to teach our children as early as possible so that they realise this link and do something about it,” said the World Health Organisation’s Brian Chirombo.
He added that the day’s event was to highlight the importance of regulating and monitoring air pollution to government as well as for awareness to civil society.
Charmaine Du Toit of Toyota Boshoku South Africa said their involvement with the programme is tied in with Toyota Boshoku Group (Japan) Forestation Activities towards the achievement of the company’s 2050 Environmental Action Plan. This includes the planting of 1.32 million trees globally. “The annual target for our South African affiliate Company is 140 trees to be planted annually. In our drive to become environmentally compliant we have, among other initiatives, donated 80 trees to be planted through a partnership with WESSA,” she said
Ward 66, JP Prinsloo said, “As a community and as a city we need to ensure that we protect and preserve the sensitive environment we call home. The planting of these trees is our community’s way of making a small contribution to ensure that our home is preserved for future generations. We also strive to make the Bluff a leader in environmental protection and climate change interventions.”
“We are thankful to have been able to partner with organisations like WESSA Toyota Boshoku South Africa and the dedicated officials in the eThekwini Municipality to ensure that we reach these goals,” Prinsloo added.
World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment. Since it began in 1974, the event has grown to become a global platform for public outreach that is widely celebrated in more than 100 countries. Above all, World Environment Day is the people’s day for doing something to take care of the Earth. That something can be local, national or global. It can be a solo action or involve a crowd.
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