Earth Day: FABE, Horlag Recycling, Bonnie Bio Sanitize Lagos Coastal Community

• Sensitises Residents on Environmental Sustainability.

By Babatunde Kaka.

Leading NGO in the fight against Climate crises and environmental degradation in Nigeria, For a Better Environment, FABE, in collaboration with Horlag Recycling and Bonnie Bio, yesterday, Thursday 22nd April 2021, organized a beach clean up exercise in Okun Ajah Coastal Community, Eti-Osa, Lagos Nigeria.

As celebrated all around the world with billions of people taking up responsibilities to save the earth, the exercises tagged, ” Restore our Earth”, was organized to celebrate the year 2021 Earth Day.

In a group of 5 volunteers, over 200Kg PET bottles and also a sizeable number of pure water sachets were retrieved.

Speaking with Ekohotblog during the exercise, the Founder of FABE International Foundation, Mrs Temitope Okunnu described the exercise as necessary having discovered that the beach shoreline was polluted.

She noted that it was pertinent to also sensitize the community as they did not have enough knowledge about the climate crises and also on sustainable environmental practices such as recycling and upcycling.

” We found out that they do not have enough understanding of of the environmental impact of pollution on their health and the environment.
Because we understand that there’s a lot of challenges in their community, we’ve come to show them alternatives and ways they can be a part of the solution and not the pollution. We will introduce to them how they can clean up the ocean through recycling and upcycling.

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“We’ve cleaned up for 10 minutes and we’ve realized over 200kg of plastic debris alone and that tells a lot of messages. They need to be proactive and put in place strategies when we talk about environmental protection in this particular community. We believe that with continuous sensitization, and education, communities would know about the way they manage their environment “, she stated.

The volunteers proceeded with waste sorting, waste audit and brand audit to find out the number of waste and the brand generating more pollution in Nigeria.

During the sensitization exercise and training held for residents, the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Horlag Recycling, Mr Oladimeji Makanjuola while addressing the gathering described the cleanliness culture of Nigerians as incomparable to top African countries. He enlightened the gathering on the need to recycle wastes which has immense benefits for humanity and the environment.

” Recycling has a lot of benefits, PET bottles when recycled can be used to produce T-shirts, nose mask, stay and so on. After shredding the PET bottles, they all have quality standard determines what will be produced. ”

In the same vein, Miss Oritsemi Jemide, the representative of Bonnie Bio, a biodegradable manufacturer and supply hub, while addressing the gathering, highlighted the importance of protecting the ocean and why plastic alternatives are needed. In her message to Nigerians, she noted that people should not only do the talking but also take steps, no matter how small to protect the planet.

In her address to members of the community, Mrs Olumeko, United Nations representative, urged residents to cultivate the habit of environmental cleanliness for the benefit of all. She called on women to desist from waiting for the stipulated sanitation day in Lagos, Thursdays before they clean up. She urged them to take up the responsibility of sanitizing the beach as it can become the cleanest in the State.

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The Baale of Okun Ajah Community, Chief Sikiru Olukosi, lamented the effects of ocean surge on the community, stating that in years past, getting to the beach shore was over 5km and lasts for close to an hour. He, therefore, thanked organisers for sensitizing the locals on the need to care for the beach. He promised to step up the Cleanup at regular intervals.

He however appealed to Government to check the activities of dredgers and support the infrastructural development of the community.

The exercise rounded up as youths, women, and adults of the Okun Ajah community were trained in Ottoman production, using waste materials like PET bottles, carton, used fabric, flat board, and foam. The highly interactive and fun training delighted the locals as they promised to pass on the knowledge.

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