WILDTRUST partners with Nedbank creating meaningful opportunities for youth in the green economy

Following the launch of the Nedbank supported Youth Employment Services (YES) programme in March, which saw over 1700 youth employed at the WILDTRUST under various disciplines, the Nedbank Group Chief Executive, Mike Brown recently visited the WILDTRUST to get first-hand experience of the work being done to tackle environmental issues.

“We realise for too long business has been too quiet, we know we need to go beyond business as usual and create meaningful job opportunities for our youth,” Brown said. “Sustainable development is impossible without sustaining our people, as unemployment continues to plague our nation, we have committed to making a difference by contributing to YES.”

According to a SARS recycling report, a record 2.15 billion plastic bottles, weighing 93 235 tonnes were recycled by the South African recycling industry in 2018 – saving 578 000m3 going to landfill. This is boosted by the recycling efforts of WILDTRUST’s Recycling initiatives which collect waste from a network of Waste-preneurs, businesses, schools and charitable organisations and beneficiates it, through world first innovations, into Green Bricks and Plastic Fuel.

WILDTRUST CEO, Dr Andrew Venter said the organization is encouraged by the difference the YES youth are beginning to have both environmentally and from a socio-economic development perspective. “We believe it can change the lives of so many young people and in so doing shift the course of history. In working together with Nedbank and the YES programme, we have the enhanced ability to not only unblock the challenges to employment that our youth encounter, but also to address and make an impact on our environment.” Venter said.

In the past three months alone, the YES youth that have been placed across WILDTRUST projects and partners have enabled the following: 1 802 570 kilograms of waste has been collected from land, coastlines, riverbanks, schools and recycling villages; they have established 180 vegetable gardens in communities, schools and ECD centres; they’ve planted over 3 000 indigenous trees and cleared 25 hectares of land of alien plants; they’ve engaged with almost 250 schools and ECD centres reaching 20 000 children; and they’ve provided guided tours to over 3 000 people.

These recycling efforts are further amplified by the WILDOCEANS programme which focuses on marine conservation, research and advocacy and awareness. The programme includes the “Blue Port” project, a team of 50 local YES youth,  who hope to address the environmental and social challenges linked to waste accumulating along our coastline. These ambassadors clean up the Kwa-Zulu Natal coast daily and inspire others to do the same.

“There is not a person in our WILDTRUST team, or the communities where we serve, that hasn’t been touched in some way by the YES youth and the impact that they’re making,” Venter added.

‘GIVE IT UP’ FOR A NEW WASTE MOVEMENT

The 3rd of July 2019 will see the launch of a new social media campaign called waste_UPRISING. The campaign will be accessible on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and the goal is that it will become the go-to platform for credible waste facts and stats in South Africa. At the heart of this movement is the objective of raising awareness to ultimately bring about a change in behaviour.

The WILDTRUST, a leading environmental non-profit organisation, are behind this new campaign as they recognised the need to have legitimate, myth-busting and interesting waste information (including information about clean-up operations and issues which the public could assist with) in one place.

“There are lots of organisations doing interesting, innovative and positive things in the waste space,” said WILDLANDS’ Recycling Operations Manager, Hanno Langenhoven. “However, one of the challenges is knowing where to go for a ‘summary’ of all the local waste activities, environmentally friendly stores and stats relevant for South Africans. Considering our organisation is based in KwaZulu-Natal, a chunk of the ‘news’ featured initially will be focused in this province – but the hope is to expand, and quickly, to ensure we provide information relevant across the country. The platforms will also highlight the good, the bad and the ugly in the waste space, to make it easier for you, the consumer, to make informed choices going forward.”

The resource-packed, educational and credible platform, waste_UPRISING will bring to light the depth and reach of the waste crisis, as well as highlight innovations and solutions around waste.

It is predicted that an environmental and societal collapse is set to take place in around 11 years if no environmental action is taken, including acting against waste. It is becoming more apparent that there is a need for consumer and producer behaviour change, as well as a massive shift required in how and what we produce and consume.

“We are concerned that much like the rhino poaching crisis, the general public have become indifferent to the waste issue. The reduce, reuse, recycle conversation is seemingly expected and perhaps the long-term solution is legislation change – a compulsory EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) fee or a blanket limited-use, unnecessary plastic ban, needs to take place to force behaviour shifts.”

The waste_UPRISING campaign will educate the public providing unbiased, non-sensationalist and credible information about waste in South Africa. The platforms will also provide practical, short and long-term ways in which you, the public, can make a difference.

The waste_UPRISING campaign will provide useful information and will be controversial at times- drawing attention to big companies and their production processes, which often result in waste that could be avoided. The platforms will also highlight innovative projects/products as well as individuals and companies that have taken heed of the crisis and are doing something about it.

How can you make a difference? Firstly, refuse. Refuse to use single-use items such as disposable coffee cups or plastic packets at the supermarket. Then reduce, reuse, rehome and recycle. Remember, the cost of action is high, but the cost of inaction is even higher. Join the movement by following waste_UPRISING on Social Media.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waste_UPRISING

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/waste_UPRISING/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waste_UPRISING