Organised by Environmental Solutions Limited (ESL), the march took place in New Kingston, Jamaica, on the evening of October 24. The climate walk was the first of its kind in Jamaica, and was attended by students, prominent stakeholders, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government agencies.
The day’s events involved a march throughout New Kingston, and an Eco-Village, organised by E.C.C.O. Magazine (Environmentally Conscious Consumer Operations), which hosted the event’s exhibition booths. GWP Caribbean, the CYEN-Ja and the WRA collaborated to have a RWH themed booth at the Eco-Village. The booth was manned by two members, each from the CYEN-Ja and the WRA, and supplemented with the CYEN-Ja members who participated in the march.
A life-sized rainwater harvesting model of the WRA was the main item on display at the booth. Brochures produced by GWP Caribbean and other water related material supplied by the WRA complemented the showcase. The booth was well-received, generating a substantial volume of traffic, with some quipping it was “the most pertinent booth on display.”
Many were familiar with the simple concept of making use of rainwater. However, when enlightened on the issue of climate change and the stress on our water resources, they expressed concern on how imperative rainwater harvesting is, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Jamaica. The life-sized RWH model allowed for live demonstrations on how rain could be harnessed for daily usage, which iterated the practicability of visitors to the booth investing in a system of their own.
Even as the event reached its twilight, the booth attracted many visitors. The outreach proved to be a great collaboration between GWP Caribbean, CYEN-Jamaica and the WRA, and it prompted a lot of interest among various stakeholders about the benefits of rainwater harvesting.
Top photo: The Rainwater Harvesting booth by GWP-C, CYEN-Jamaica and the WRA of Jamaica at the Jamaica Climate Walk 2015.