Day focuses on saving the environment
By Tabisa Mntengwana
June 04, 2009
BUFFALO City kicked off Environmental Week on 2 June with an educational tour to various environmental organisations in the area. A series of events are being held through the week.
The tour began with a tree-planting at Mfundo Primary School in Mdantsane’s NU2. It was organised by the City’s integrated environmental and sustainable development department, and other municipal departments, government departments and non-governmental organisations lent their support.
During the week, people are encouraged to take action towards a cleaner and healthier environment.
Learners from the school were then ferried to the Nahoon Treatment Works, which is managed by Amatola Water. Here they were given a lesson on how the water treatment plant works, and company officials spoke about how the water is purified for drinking.
Bongo Noncembu, from the provincial department of economic affairs, also spoke about World Environment Day, which is marked on 5 June, around the globe.
The day was one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulated awareness about the environment and the impact of humanity on it. “We need to give communities a reason to pay attention to environmental issues and how to manage energy and environment saving tips.”
His words were echoed by Siphiwo Mhle, from the Department Of Water Affairs And Forestry, who said, “We should preserve water and take care of the trees … We should manage and preserve the water that we have because we use water for both drinking and household chores.”
According to the
United Nations’ Environmental Programme website, the theme of World Environment Day this year is Your planet needs you - unite to combat climate change.
Lindelwa Ngcaba from Eskom, the national electricity supplier, emphasised the importance of saving electricity. “Our initiative as Eskom is to bring better services to our consumers.”
She added that the energy institution was working tirelessly to find solutions that would have a positive effect on climate change.
The day concluded with a tour of the East London Aquarium and the East London Zoo. In closing, Noncembu said that learners in uniform would have free access to the aquarium, zoo and all Buffalo City nature reserves during the first week of June.
Contact us:
