JCI Organises 1st Plastic-free Retreat For Environmental Sustainability
The Junior Chamber International, JCI, Southwest Nigeria Zone, in promotion of environmental sustainability, is set to organise its first plastic-free retreat.
The Executive Vice-President, Southwest Nigeria, JCI, Mr Gafar Odubote, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Lagos.
Odubote said that the retreat, which would hold from Nov. 2 to Nov. 5 was designed in such a way that no single-use plastic would be used throughout the course of the programme.
He said that the retreat had the goal of training young people on environmental protection and single-use plastic.
According to him, the retreat is going to be the first sustainable and plastic-free event hosted by JCI.
“We designed the template of the retreat to ensure that no single-use plastic is adopted throughout the course of the programme.
“Our goal is to use the event to train people on proper waste management and sustainability lifestyle practices.
“We have discovered that at social gatherings in Nigeria, the rate of plastic pollution is usually very massive.
“Yet, we do not have an effective recycling industry in Nigeria. Hence, a lot of these plastics end in the landfill, thereby increasing pollution and carbon emissions,” Odubote said.
In addition, he said the reason for the adoption of a green event was because of the rate of plastic pollution in Nigeria.
According to the JCI vice-president, the decision to host a green plastic-free event this year is its contribution to the reduction of plastic pollution.
“If we can successfully have a plastic-free event, it will serve as a template for other organisers of social gatherings to adopt it.
“If we can replicate plastic-free events across Nigeria, it will help curb the pollution rates,” he said.
On her part, Ms Kafayat Amoo, President, JCI Oluyole, and Chairperson, local organising committee, said the retreat was set to reduce plastic pollution.
“The retreat is going to be a sustainable one because when we have gatherings of people, we tend to generate more waste that cause havoc to the environment.
“So, we thought of having a green retreat such that from feeding to vehicular movement (we are reducing the number of cars that will have access to the venue), everything to be used would be environmentally friendly.
“The bonfire night will be environmentally friendly as we will not use wood that will contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer.
“No food will be served in plastic or disposable plates, and delegates are encouraged to come with their single-use water bottles as we will be drinking from the water fountain.
“Points and awards will be given to delegates for compliance to sustainable lifestyles and single-use plastic,” Amoo said.
JCI Southwest Nigeria organises annual training retreats, where young people from ages 18 years to 40 years are trained on value addition across all sectors.
The trainings range from business, leadership, community action, and international relations. This year’s retreat will be held at JCI Oluyole in Oyo State.
NAN/Shakirat Sadiq
