Published on:
29 April 2010

By: Norma Connolly and Basia McGuire Pioro| norma@cfp.ky, basia@cfp.ky

Caymanian Compass

“The scrap is being loaded on a barge, and we anticipate that all the scrap will be loaded and ready to be shipped by Friday,” said Ministry of Works Chief Officer Kearney Gomez. During the day, operators are hard at work baling loose metal and crushing cars in preparation for shipment. “Looking around, it’s really striking how much of the scrap that was here has now been taken away,” said Mr. Gomez. “But this is only the first step in the plans we have for dealing with Cayman’s solid waste from now on.” Read the full story...

April 22, 2010
GIS Marketing & Communications

The Minister for Environment the Hon. Mark Scotland showed his support for Cayman BECOME by joining Green Team Network members as they launched the campaign in stores on Earth Day, April 22, 2010: “Most people don’t think twice about the plastic bags that hold their groceries, but the fact is, they add significantly to our already overflowing landfill. Charging for plastic bags is a strategy that is successfully used elsewhere. What is more, the plastic bag charge will be used for local environmental initiatives and finding more environmentally-responsible options to other supermarket packaging,” the Minister said….read the full story.

The Cayman BECOME campaign was featured on April 14th on Cayman 27 news channel. Earth Day is just around the corner and to celebrate, several organizations have come together to launch a new plastic bag reduction campaign. Many will agree that plastic shopping bags are a great invention to help people when they go shopping for the family groceries. But unfortunately they are not good for the environment. The three major supermarkets in Cayman use an average of 1 million bags per month and those bags go to the Cayman Islands Landfill, better known as Mount Trashmore, which is well over capacity. The full broadcast may be seen at Cayman 27's website.

Issue 7 of the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) Newsletter published by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment is now available to download.

This issue focuses on partnerships for sustainable development, including the partnership between the DOE and Deloitte for sustainability initiatives. The concept of sustainable development is one that speaks to community action and working together to achieve our aims. The issue also features participation of the Cayman Islands in the 2009 International Coastal Clean Up and the 350.org climate change campaign.

The Central Caribbean Marine Institute has published its second "Green Guide" discussing climate change and the sea around us. To download a copy, visit the CCMI website.

By: Basia McGuire Pioro
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Observer

The state of conservation in the Cayman Islands has been in flux in recent years, as government after government has made promises to enact a comprehensive conservation law that would protect Cayman’s natural areas.

In the most recent development, MLA Ellio Solomon announced on January 14 that the minister responsible for the Environment portfolio, Mark Scotland, hoped to revive the law and get it passed as soon as possible.

The Minister explained that he hopes to set in motion a process that will allow him to table a new version of the bill in the June session of the Legislative Assembly.

“Right now, we intend to start a public consultation process with key stakeholders like the tourism association, real estate association, and the National Trust, then move on to coordinating meetings with the general public.”

Read the full story...

By: Basia Pioro basia@cfp.ky
The Observer on Sunday

St Ignatius Year 13 student Madalena Alves and year 12 student Kelly Su, both studying for A-levels, are getting an unusual chance to connect with students around the world interested in the Copenhagen climate summit.

They have been participating in an international online forum called the Global Youth Panel after learning about it from their Geography teacher.

But as only two students on an island of many hundreds who could have taken part, they feel pretty lonely.

The girls are concerned that kids in Cayman aren’t learning enough about climate change or environmental topics in general...read full story.

By Joe Shooman, Caymanian Compass joe@cfp.ky 
Tuesday 15th December, 2009   Posted: 13:10 CIT (18:10 GMT)

The Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman met 10 December and granted a retail liquor license and music and dancing license to Bernie Bush for the new operation. Mr. Bush explained that the idea had been well–received by the tourism industry in general.

“In talking to the tourism department and various members within the tourism establishment, a lot of people felt that this would be a product that would enhance Stingray City operations.”

Read the whole story here.

Issue 6 of the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) Newsletter published by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment is now available online. All issues can be downloaded from the Sustainable Development Unit website.

This issue looks at environmental management and its contribution to sustainable development with a focus on what's happening at the DOE. Also included is a feature on what Cayman Islands Youth think about sustainability and how Alphasoft are doing their bit for the environment.

Published on Friday, November 20, 2009
Cayman Net News

Thanks to everyone who got up at the crack of dawn this gorgeous morning to show their concern about climate change.  We had a great turn-out despite the very short notice.  And a special thank you to Hew's Janitorial who composed the entire "0" in this shot!

350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that science and justice demand.

The Science of 350

Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity. Learn more about 350 – what it means, where it came from, and how to get there. Read More »

The new issue of the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Review, available online, focuses on the environment including the development of a National Energy Policy that addresses carbon emissions and bio-fuels, waste-to-energy, and strategies pertaining to renewable energy. This issue also includes a directory of green products and service providers. 

By: Basia Pioro McGuire basia@cfp.ky
Published on 6 September 2009
The Observer

In a small place like Cayman it can often seem obvious what needs to be done when faced with certain situations.

Take disposing of scrap metal for example. Since the George Town dump, affectionately known as Mt. Trashmore, takes in waste metal, it’s the first place you might think to take your demolition waste, an old water heater or broken down stove.

But not all of the Island’s scrap is headed to the dump. National Recycling, a local business with East End roots has an alternative, and it seems to be working. Since the February, the company has succeeded in sending four containers full of steel, copper, brass and aluminium off Island to Miami.

It’s definitely a case of thinking locally, and acting globally...read full story.

Lyneth Monteith, Acting Campus Manager for George Hicks High School and Maureen Cubbon, Marketing and Health & Wellness Manager at Generali Worldwide, pictured at the GHHS school garden, the site for “Project Grow”.

Taking inspiration from overseas edible schoolyard projects, Generali Worldwide has partnered with George Hicks Campus to launch a schoolyard garden initiative for the coming 2009-2010 school year called “Project Grow”. The project will help develop a sustainable schoolyard garden where students help plan and execute the garden and have hands on experience learning about healthy eating and the importance of nutritional choices.

Read the whole story here.

By Norma Connolly, norma@cfp.ky
Monday 24th August, 2009
Caymanian Compass

A Cayman car dealership has sold the islands’ first solar-powered car.

Androgroup’s Alan Roffey bought the vehicle, a Zenn (Zero Emission, No Noise) car, from Cayman Automotive on Thursday, but cannot drive it on public roads until a new Traffic Law is enacted.

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has a litter collection team that cleans up central George Town daily and tackles public roads on a monthly basis, throughout the districts. Despite their efforts, littering remains a big problem. "It is everyone's responsibility to keep the environment clean," said DEH Director Roydell Carter. "We are therefore asking the public's cooperation in keeping our country clean."...see full story.

The "field to table" trend is fast becoming part of a sustainable lifestyle, emphasizing local connections to the food we eat every day. Island economies such as Grand Cayman are ideal proving grounds for this trend with the ever-increasing costs of importing fresh produce and meat.

Market at The Grounds, held each Saturday morning between 7:00 and 12:00 noon in Lower Valley, is celebrating its two year anniversary this month. An initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture, the market is designed to provide "an outlet for all things Caymanian" with seasonal local produce and specialty meats...see full story.

By: Basia Pioro
The Observer
Published on August 16, 2009

Crawling around in a hot and dirty attic - it’s not the kind of detective work a film noir buff might deem terribly exciting.

And while it may lack the glamour of rescuing a stolen relic from the clutches of some celluloid villain, when the ripped up insulation, cracked ducts, mouldy bathrooms, and hidden air leaks that he’s hunting are revealed, Jorge Vera’s eureka moment is just as satisfying.

After all, he’s the Sam Spade of homes in Cayman.

Vera’s company, Smart Energy Management, conducts home energy audits to uncover small problems that, once resolved, can go a long way toward energy cost savings and reducing a home’s carbon footprint...see full story.

Nancy and Jay Easterbrook Owners of DiveTech have installed a wind turbine at its dive shop and new condo development in West Bay.
 

By: Shurna Robbins shurna@cfp.ky
Published on Sunday, August 9, The Observer

For more than two decades, Paul Bodden has been working on getting his businesses and family completely off the power company’s grid.

A couple years ago, he spotted five used commercial wind turbines for sale from an established vendor’s Internet site he uses. He snapped them up and brought them on island.

Then about eight months ago, he moved into the house he built in Lower Valley. Still determined to be independent from the utilities company, the new house is not connected to CUC’s grid at all. Instead it is powered by diesel generators while he works on getting planning approval to hook up one wind turbine to his home...see full article.