Celebrating Earth Day, April 22, 2010
"A l'ecoute de la terre nourriciere pour une Haiti viable et prospere en harmonie avec son environnement et sa culture."
—Jean Marie Claude Germain, Minister of Environment, Government of Haiti
"On the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, it is vital for us to not lose sight of how we can rebuild Haiti in an environmentally sustainable way. We must accompany the people of Haiti and their government in generating smart,innovative solutions to Haiti's environmental challenges, not as a stand-alone issue, but as an integral component of the recovery process. New environmental initiatives will create sustainable employment, improve Haiti's emergency preparedness, mitigate deforestation and soil degradation while supporting Haiti in its effort to be a "green" leader in the Caribbean and Latin America. When we listen to the Haitian people and build on their creativity and commitment, we can generate interventions that are effective, efficient, sustainable, profitable, and environmentally responsible. By focusing on the environment Haiti will recover from the devastation caused by the January 12th earthquake and will emerge as a leader in environmental awareness and innovation. The projects below are examples of "building back better" by incorporating environmental sustainability in the recovery effort.”
—Dr. Paul Farmer, Deputy Special Envoy for Haiti
Haitian Green Partners Launched on 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
On the occasion of Earth Day, Advanced Environmental Recycling Technologies, Inc. (AERT), James Lee Witt Associates, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and Haiti Recycling launched Haitian Green Partners, an environmental initiative focused on recycling and waste processing in Haiti. The initiative, which builds off of AERT’s twenty-five years of recycling experience in the United States and Haiti Recycling’s knowledge of Haitian markets, will support and significantly expand current waste management initiatives in Haiti. The innovative plan calls for the establishment of logistics, recycling and collection centers in strategic areas throughout the country. AERT, in conjunction with other large-volume manufacturers, will then purchase the materials and convert them into value-added, green end-products. The project also has the capability to recycle used sandals and other PVC products in order to produce new sturdy sandals for men, women and children.
Regarding this new venture, Stephan Sajous, President of Haiti Recycling, said “For the first time in the Caribbean a concerted effort will be orchestrated in order to eliminate the very big problem of plastic contamination of the environment. Through this initiative Haiti in very little time will return to being known as "The Pearl of the Antilles" for its natural beauty.” This initiative will create hundreds of sustainable jobs while helping to clean up trash from Port-Au-Prince, other urban centers, and in all ten departments. Recycling and waste management will be key components to the recovery process and this venture is an example of a for-profit solution that will promote environmental responsibility, and take important steps to providing a waste management infrastructure that reduces pollution across the country.
Love’N Haiti Project
In collaboration with local municipalities and community members of Carrefour Feuilles, Port-Au-Prince, the United Nations Development Programme is coordinating a waste processing and recycling program that coordinates collection teams in 70 percent of the neighborhood. Upon cleaning the streets, the paid workers use a press to convert the paper waste into cooking briquettes, and sell the plastics and metals at market rates. Roughly 30 percent of waste is recycled, more than 385 residents of Carrefour Feuilles earn an income in the program, and the majority of the community is serviced by waste collection teams. Using recycled paper, the briquettes are manufactured locally, which provide an environmentally responsible, affordable fuel source for home cooking – an alternative to wood-based charcoal that, on average, is 78 percent of the cost.
In response to the earthquake on January 12, the World Food Programme agreed to purchase the entire supply of briquettes as a fuel source for preparing meals in schools and temporary relocation sites. This proven model, which was underway before the earthquake, can be replicated in urban centers throughout Haiti. In order to combat the effects of deforestation in Haiti, this initiative can be scaled to reduce and recycle waste, generate an important “green” alternative to charcoal, and ease the unsustainable burden on the ecosystem to produce fuel.
Listen to President Clinton speak about the Love N’ Haiti Project.
High Efficiency, Clean Burning Cook Stoves
WorldStove has spent the past two months in Haiti building high-efficiency cook stoves for use in the recovery efforts after the January 12 earthquake. In conjunction with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World Food Programme (WFP), WorldStove is working on a pilot project to introduce these stoves for household use in temporary settlements. For many of the families, this will be the first time they are able to prepare their own food since the earthquake. This project will provide important information on how best to introduce and scale the use of efficient stoves in the recovery efforts for affected populations, and throughout Haiti. Efficient stoves can provide the expected heat output with less fuel, easing the financial strains on individual families and the overuse of wood-based charcoal. Additionally, this technology has significantly lower emissions compared to cooking over an open fire. With widespread use, the technology of efficient cook stoves can provide a safer cooking environment and lower the demand for fuel at the household level.
WorldStove' s stoves provide other environmental advantages such as biochar which can be used to sequester carbon, build low cost latrines, improve soil fertility and aid reforestation efforts. WorldStove is committed to building a manufacturing facility for high efficiency stoves in Haiti. This facility will create jobs, offer clean technologies with multiple social impacts, and promote sustainable development.
Solar Electric Light Fund (S.E.L.F)
As part of the recovery effort in response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January, 12, S.E.L.F is expanding its work to provide solar technology for health clinics throughout the Central Plateau. In 2009, S.E.L.F worked closely with Partners in Health to install a 10 kW solar unit at a large health facility in Boucan Carré, reducing the monthly fuel consumption from 11 barrels to four barrels. With a successful track record in over 20 countries throughout the world, including the use of solar panels and solar-powered drip irrigation, S.E.L.F is committed to expanding its work in Haiti and applying its knowledge of innovative solar solutions to the recovery efforts. Next month, S.E.L.F will install two new solar units at medical clinics in Hinche and Cerca la Source, and accelerate the planning and implementation of five additional solar installations.
Prior to the earthquake, only 10 percent of Haitian households were hooked up to the national grid. Most households either went without power or relied on small diesel generators. Solar power provides a reliable, high-output, clean, power source that can greatly reduce the expense and environmental footprint of providing consistent power to a facility. Throughout Haiti, and in rural areas in particular, there is an opportunity to use solar power to provide clean, consistent energy supply to households and industries through the use of compact fluorescent and LED lights, solar energy supplies, drip irrigation, and increased telecommunications connectivity.