World Cup Eco-Tips

Cricket World Cup 2007 is expected to bring thousands of visitors to the island, and there are environmental impacts that will result from this short term boom in Grenada’s population.

First, there is the amount of solid waste that will be generated: The local organizing committee (LOC) has estimated that 13,000 tonnes of garbage will be produced per (game) day in the Stadium alone. The LOC and Grenada’s Solid Waste Management Authority are prepared to remove waste at night so Grenada and the Stadium look clean and fresh every morning, but there is much more to consider than that. Once removed, where does all the garbage go?

The waste will go to the landfill, but any landfill, anywhere, can only take a finite amount of waste; and for a small island state like Grenada, any effort to reduce the ammount of waste generated is a better course than producing too much of it. You can do a lot to help:

1. If you are heading out on a day trip, you can pack reusable containers in your bag and ask persons serving you food to put it in the containers instead of in a disposable one.
2. You can carry a reusable cup or mug, which will also help prevent unnecessary litter from ending up in the landfill. You can carry shopping bags with you if you intend to do some shopping.
3. If you do make garbage, don’t throw it away in the street or into the ocean. Extra waste bins, and extra waste service pick ups will be provided, so use the bins available.

Try to do what you can at home, in your hotel or in your workplace to minimize waste that is not directly related to Cricket World Cup. You can recycle office paper by stapling them together and using them as your note pads. You can turn off lights when you leave the room. If you are using air conditioning, raise the temperature so you are not using as much energy to run the machine, or if possible, turn it off altogether and open a window instead.

Traffic congestion will impact the local air quality in some areas and you can do your part to help out by leaving using the bus, or carpooling with neighbours. Try not to use your car if you will be the only person in it.

Grenada is paradise, so let’s keep it clean while we enjoy Cricket World Cup.