Little ways to help the environment

Personal decisions that are made by individuals every day can go a long way in reducing Green House Gas Emissions.{{more}}

This observation was made by Marbek Resources consultant Sigbert Seaton, facilitator at the National Stakeholder Green House Gas (GHG) Emission Inventoy workshop, which was held on Wednesday at the Methodist Church Hall in Kingstown.

Seaton was Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT following the workshop in which he disclosed to the various stakeholders present, his findings after eight months of inventory and research.

He indicated that the findings will be part of a final report which will be presented to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines which will make up a part of its climate change policy.

According to Seaton, the final report or mitigation, as it is called, will, among other things, suggest ways in which GHG emissions can be reduced. Some of these, he said, would not need policy to implement, but would depend on individual’s behavioral patterns.

“When Vincentians make decisions in their daily lives about how much they drive instead of walking or taking public transportation as well as other options, that will help reduce emissions in the country,” Seaton said.

“There are lots of little things we talked about; some of the smallest things can be important to the environment.”

“For example, the environment department was handing out eco bags, cloth bags that people would take shopping, and instead of getting a plastic bag at the grocery store they can take this reusable bag and use it…. It seems like a very small thing for people to do, but it reduces the amount of waste that goes to the landfill which reduces our GHG emissions from there.”

Research conducted by Marbek and other sources indicates that the majority of GHG emissions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is generated by transportation, power generation, industry, agriculture and land a forestry use.

“We were able to quantify the emissions from those sources, and what we came out with in the end is that in 2004, the emissions were 3.6 tonnes per person in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Per capita, that’s lower than most developed countries and it’s on par with other developing countries, and that’s encouraging because it means that there is lot less work to do in the future.”

Seaton commended the Stakeholders for working along with his agency on the gathering of data, which he said was at times difficult to do.

According to Seaton, the stakeholders which ranged from government departments to the business community and community groups, lamented that the lack of resources, training and capacity hampered the collection of information, but nevertheless did their best to provide the data, which he said was instumental to the final report.

The final report is expected to be completed by the end of May.(JJ)