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ENVIRONMENT

EPA on Beat Plastic Pollution awareness

World Environmental Day is celebrated every year to create awareness on environmental management. It is a day set aside by UN and it is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach. Each year, the world Environment Day comes with a particular thematic area. This year is no exemption as the celebration focuses on plastic pollution. Thus, the global theme for World Environment Day 2023 is captioned, Beat plastic pollution.

Date Created : 6/9/2023 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Ghanadistricts.com /Samuel Owusu

Environmental management is the responsibility of individuals, institutions, governments and NGO’s as well as communities. The day falls on June 5 each year as a global date. At our local level, Tarkwa Regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with environmental health and selected basic schools in the Prestea Huni-valley Municipality of the Western Region embarked on an awareness raising campaign on 8th June 2023. At Bogoso.

The Environmental Protection Agency has been working relentlessly to promote environmental conservation in our communities; one of the critical issues they addressed during the program is plastic pollution. The beating plastic pollution was organized to raise awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and to also educate the public on the ways to mitigate it. As an information officer, I had an opportunity to participate in the program and observed it crucial aspects. This report highlights the key findings from the program.

Also raise awareness about possible alternatives. The program had three segments such as float with clean up exercise, and education on how to use reusable bags to the public, speeches and poems on the impacts of plastic pollution on health.

The outline for the program includes

Procession by selected schools at Bogoso, Door-to- door education of shop owners on plastic waste management, poetry recitals, drama and presentations by Environmental Club members.

The speeches were delivered by experienced environmentalists and conservationists who highlighted the effects of plastic pollution, the important of adopting reusable materials, and the waste management policies of the Environmental Protection Agency. Two basics schools participated in this program of which they recited poems and drama on waste management and beating of plastic pollution.

Previously, participants had moved along the street of the town for the cleanup exercise and educate the public such as market women, shop keepers and many of them on how to minimize plastic waste and the alternatives to use to benefit the environment. We are all charged to work towards championing this course together by scaling up measures to reduce plastics pollution and hence reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The final session which was the speeches and drama was widely interactive, and the participant were engaged in watching a documentary of various waste mismanagement and its effect on the environment. The program was included with an outline of several solutions by the Environmental Protection Agency on how to reduce plastic waste and pollution.

Key Observations made during the program, throughout the program, several key observations were notified and these include:

Education: The program provided vital education to the public on environmental conservation and plastic pollution. The display materials, speeches, and demonstration were particularly effective and helped raise awareness about the issue.

Impacts of plastic pollution: The video documentary section was impactful, and the displays exhibited how plastic pollution affects the environment, agriculture and fisheries. Participants were able to visualize the extent of the damage caused by plastic waste on the environment and wildlife.

The “Beating plastic pollution” program was a great initiative by the environmental protection Agency to raise awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution and promote plastic alternatives, by gaining insights into the impacts of plastic waste and the alternatives to the problem, participants were encouraged to take important steps in reducing plastic use.

It is hoped that this program will motivate individuals and communities to adopt more eco- friendly practices and help conserve the environment.