VEPA News: Environment Week

Environment Week was a success, with the local community and schools getting involved throughout the whole week. Winnie and the team at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) did a great job of pulling it all together. However, none of the activities could of happened without the support of local organisations, such as VEPA. Thankyou very much to the following sponsors; Fatima Hair Studio, Tropical Tease, VEPA, Kart Safari's, Profilio Tangitau, TCC, Cafe Tropicana, Tonga Development Bank, Dive Vava'u, Hakau Adventures, Veisiale Construction, Isis Bakery, Digicel and Mounu Island Resort.

Below is a brief outline of the weeks activities.

Sunday 3rd of June: The official opening of Environment Week with a special Church service at Tonga Konsistutone Church, in Neiafu. Winnie, Sataita and Yosuke did a great job of speaking.

Photo 1: Winnie (VEPA board member) doing a reading at the Tonga Konsistutone Church.

Saturday 2nd and Monday 4th of June: village clean up inspection.
MECC members drove around Vava'u inspecting the village Saturday clean ups. A member of the local radio station came with us and was making live radio comments on village clean ups, including any illegal dumping. We were also filming the inspection, to be played later on the local television channel (when its working again).

It was a great way for me to see the island and think about how VEPA can work with the local communities. There are some villages that are doing a much better job of waste management and others could learn from these examples.

Photo 2: Village Officer talking to live on the radio about is clean up

Tuesday 5th June: World Environment Day - "Going Green" day.
It was great to see all the schools leaving their uniforms at home and wearing green to support world environment day. We delivered over a 200 plants to local schools and sponsors as well as having a tree planting afternoon in Pouono Park, Neiafu. The Vava'u Governor came down to plant a native Heilala plant, which has beautiful scented red flowers.

Photo 3: Winner of the best dressed individual

Photo 4: students at Mailafihi College planting a tree

Wednesday 6th June: School Drama competition

Four secondary Schools were selected to compete in a school drama competition by creating a short drama with the theme of Green Economy. Mailefihi Siuiliku Tabu College, Vava'u High School, Mizpah Secondary School and Saineha Secondary School all did a fantastic job with costumes made out of recycled materials and everyone working on different themes. Themes included The 3 R's (reduce, reuse and recycle), the pig problem in Vava'u, marine ecosystems and more. Although all drama skits were very good Vava'u High school was the winner with their clear message of recycling and cleaning up the rubbish in Vava'u. Thank you to Hakau Adventures who donated a field trip to a coral reef as the prize for the students who won.

Photo 5: Vava'u High School performing their drama skit with costumes made from recyclables.

Thursday 7th June: Neiafu Town Clean up, sponsored by VEPA.
Primary and secondary schools were allocated a section of town to clean up. Students walked along the streets between 2-4pm picking up rubbish and segregating it into recyclables and non recyclables. We are yet to tally up the exact amount of sacks collected but we know it was over 150. Well done to everyone and thanks to VEPA for sponsoring this event.

Photo 6: Students cleaning up town using recycled flour sacks

Photo 7: Liviela Primary cleaned the old harbour

Friday 8th of June: Environment Week closing exhibition.

An exhibition was held at Mailefihi Siuiliku Tabu College Hall between 12-3:30pm. There were display tables from NGOs, Government, businesses, community groups and schools. Schools displayed cakes and items made from recyclables, the Youth Congress had organic vegetables for sale and MAFF had seedlings for sale. You could also buy local handcrafts. I was very pleased with myself when Saineha Secondary School students sold me a compost welded together from scrap metal.

The Governor came and presented awards to all the winners from the various activities throughout the week. These included the school drama competition, cleanest small, medium and large village and best dressed school and individual.