International School Suva’s head of school Thomas Van Der Wielen has stressed the urgent need to control Fiji’s worsening waste problem.
Speaking to The Fiji Times yesterday at the Veivueti Kids Ocean conference, which the school hosted for 10 schools from around Fiji, Mr Van Der Wielen spoke of the carelessness with which rubbish has been treated, particularly after public gatherings in popular spots like the My Suva Picnic Park.
“It’s so much fun during a Sunday picnic,” Mr Van Der Wielen said.
“But then come to (My)Suva (Picnic) Park at night, and the word ’embarrassing’ comes to mind.
“We leave behind our stuff like McDonald’s takeaway packs, plastic wrappers, all of it.
“Even the smallest items, like the wrapper from a lollipop, can remain in the environment for generations if not properly disposed of.
“That piece of plastic will still be there when you are a grandmother, and even when your children are grandmothers.”
Mr Van Der Wielen said the school encouraged students and families to bring in plastic bottles for recycling as part of their broader environmental awareness efforts.
“We each have a role to play. However small your impact is, it is still an impact.
“There is no such thing as throwing rubbish away. It’s still on our globe.”
He said the school was also rethinking its own practices, including how lunches are packaged, striving for options that reduce waste without compromising food quality.
“We want to find that balance, what can we reuse, and what can we dispose of without causing harm.
“It takes an effort from all of us, including the heads of school, to reduce our footprint. The easiest step is to ask yourself, what do I consume? What do I throw away?
“We often point fingers elsewhere, but we need to look at our own homes, our own communities.
“Here in Fiji, we have our own problems with rubbish, with pollution, with dumping waste in the bush.
“We need to reflect on our own deeds in order to improve our shared world,” he said.
