Zero waste through the spirit of our youth

We will be blogging individual articles from The League Line, our quarterly newsletter

Spring 2020 issue: http://bredl.org/theleagueline/Spring2020.pdf
Index to this and other issues: http://bredl.org/theleagueline/index.htm

~By Associate Director Rev. Charles Utley

What impact does the COVID-19 coronavirus have on our Zero Waste Projects? As we strive to move
forward to improve the environment through the use of renewable energy and clean-living conditions,
we now face new challenges.

With the closing of many facilities there is a great need to seek other means of communication and mobility. Therefore, we are opening the doors to take a closer look at our Zero Waste Program in Augusta, Georgia. Now that schools have closed, students are now faced with idle time. Although class
work is still in process this is a good opportunity to reach out to students and invite them to participate in recycling. Recycling bins are something that our youth can assist with, determining what they will “look like,” because there are more than 32 million Americans who are confused about which bin to use
for what item. Youth can assist in thinking of new innovative ideas for our goals, 2030 intermediate and 2050 100% clean renewable energy.

With the fight against the COVID-19 coronavirus, it makes me wonder what people have been listening to. When it comes to protecting our environment, people have been speaking about taking care of our world and safe living conditions for centuries. Now, the fight against COVID-19 coronavirus should strengthen our recommendations for Renewable Energy, Recycling, and Climate Change Remediation for the future.

It has been an uphill fight to get people to support stopping polluting industries, nuclear construction, and intrusive pipelines in our communities. Environmentalists have been speaking about contamination that you could not see but that had an effect on everyone in its pathway, regardless of race, creed, color and ethnicity. But too often the plea fell on deaf ears. So the fight continues.

Now that the COVID -19 is sweeping our world and lives are being lost, gloves and masks are being put on for protection. All of this is being done because people are afraid of something that cannot be seen. Before the COVID-19 came
into existence, we faced many arguments and challenges about contamination being produced in our atmosphere. What seemed to be farfetched, impossible and unthinkable is present and is threatening everyone in the world today.

I hope that this pandemic will stimulate our youth to get involved with renewable, safe living conditions wrapped into climate justice and Zero Waste by 2050. And as our youth seek new ways of communication and mobilization, each can also serve as an eyewitness to this present struggle. As our youth gain knowledge, becoming inspired through their participation in their own future, this will provide them with the needed tools for the future goal: 2050 Zero Waste.

Therefore, it is my desire to incorporate within our own Internship Program with Paine College ways to continue our Zero Waste Program with young people’s participation.