AN environmental awareness organisation is promoting recycling and solid waste management in Cyprus by taking its information services to the streets.
Non-profit and non-governmental AKTI Project and Research Centre has launched its new project, ‘Recycling on Cycles’, a part of the activities of the Cyprus Environmental Stakeholder Forum.
It is supported by the UNDP’s Action for Co-operation and Trust initiative.
The campaign involves a mobile information centre travelling to towns and villages across the island – including the occupied north – to raise public interest in recycling, and offering information and training to interested Cypriots.
The caravan – carrying trained scientists – is targeting students, farmers, businesses, tourists and authorities alike and is distributing educational materials, leaflets, posters and videos.
Starting this month, the mobile centre will park in town squares for several days, as well as visit schools, hotels, companies and participate in fairs and festivals, such as the International Cyprus Fair and the Kyrenia Olive Festival.
The caravan will also function as a ‘Help Desk’ to provide practical information regarding how to participate in the decision-making process and how to obtain information regarding recycling and waste management.
The project is part of a more general campaign to raise awareness of more environmentally-friendly practices and encourage Cypriots to adopt them.
“By visiting towns and villages across the entire island, AKTI will spread awareness about the importance of recycling, helping Cyprus take one step closer to realising the vision of a more sustainable and inclusive global economy,” said a press release.
The project is based on the principles set forth by the United Nations Global Compact and the Aarhus Convention, which Cyprus ratified in 2001. The Convention set forth principles regarding public participation in environmental decision-making and access to environmental information. The UN Global Compact, meanwhile, promotes environmental responsibility in businesses as well as the economic benefits of ‘going green’. Through both, AKTI hopes to encourage recycling among Cypriots, as well as more efficient practices in solid waste management.
“It also aims to show how co-operation between the communities of Cyprus can bring benefits to all the island’s people,” read the press release.
“Unfortunately, most Cypriots are not properly informed on the exceptional rights they have under the Convention and consequently are fairly inactive.”
