Sustainable
CURACAO.COM
MAGAZINE November 2016
SEEKING INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE REUSE OF WASTEWATER
EYE ON CURAÇAO WHERE THERE
IS WATER, THERE IS LIFE.
Life is mostly water. The average person is about 70 percent water. Some vegetables also contain a large proportion of water. In fact, growing vegetables and the production of other foods depends on water. Curaçao faces an increasing shortage of this important resource for agriculture. Much actual or potential water shortages can be relieved if rainwater harvesting is practiced more widely.
EYE ON CURAÇAO
SEEKING INTELLIGENT SOLUTIONS FOR THE REUS OF WASTEWATER
‘Our economy and health depend on it,’ Tim van den Brink, secretary to the Busin Council. ‘Taking responsibility for wastew ter is the sustainable way to go.’
SE
says ness wa-
The Government of Curaรงao wants to put an end to the discharge of wastewater into the sea. Together with the Curacao Business Council for Sustainable Development the country is hosting a conference on wastewater management, to seek intelligent solutions to safeguard coastal waters and marine life.
The conference will take place on Novem Curacao Resort & Casino, and is preceded at the University of Curaรงao on Novembe awareness and knowledge of wastewate Curacao faces and entails a jont effort to visit a Reverse Osmosis Plant and witness tion, the system that provides the country sea.
mber 18th and 19th. in the Renaissance d by workshops and training sessions er 14 – 16. This training aims at raising er treating systems, the challenges that find potential solutions. Participants will s the presentation on water desalinay with tap water from the surrounding
Pédzi Girigori, member of the organizing Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning, as to protect coastal waters. ‘That is why th discharge of wastewater into the sea. We the marine outfalls, the pipelines or tunn al wastewater.’ Her colleague and team m Works, Reginald Bomberg, shares picture cilities, one in Seru Fortuna and another c
team, representing the Department of ssures there is no doubt about the need he government has decided to end the e are planning to close or remove all nels that discharge municipal or industrimember from the Department of Public es of two new wastewater treatment facomplex in Klein Kwartier.
‘After different stages of cleaning, wastew irrigation in agriculture,’ says Bomberg. ‘W country; when we recycle this water, we ca the health of our community, marine life a
water can serve several purposes, like Wastewater can actually benefit the an relieve water shortages and protect and other wild life.’
‘He points at a picture of the new facility go’s gathering near the water basins. I se good sign, a clear indication of the presen feed on algae, diatoms, larval and adult f
at Klein Kwartier. ‘Look at these flaminee them every morning, which is a very nce of sufficient nutrients.’ Flamingos forms of small insects.
For the Curaçao Business Council for Susta coastal waters and marine life is the main secretary to the Council Tim van den Brink get our drinking water from the sea, our h ter. The cleaner, the healthier our reefs an community, and for the tourist industry w economy.’ Van den Brink emphasizes that policy in place for the treatment of wastew ‘It is crucial that we explore all the opport able solutions to preserve our ocean.’
ainable Development the protection of n reason to host the conference, says k. ‘Our future depends on it, really: we health depends on the quality of the wand mangroves are, the better it is for the which represents a significant part of our t several other Caribbean already have water and protection of coastal waters. tunities available to us to find sustain-
facebook.com/marquisagencies
THE LIBERATING PROC DECLUTTERING
Do you want to organize and clean home before the holidays?
CESS OF
n up your
Excessive clutter is often a symptom and a cause of stress and can affect every facet of your life. Clutter can distract you, weigh you down, and in general it invites chaos into your life. Often times, however, tackling the clutter can seem an insurmountable task if you don’t know where or how to start. On our blog we share decluttering secrets from professional organizers to help you invite peace into your home.
Read more? Go to our blog:
http://www.sustainablecuracao.com/blog/2016/11/8/ibonwnx75wy6t93q792egw068bnfmv
We
fa
e Develop Content..
acebook.com/publicimagenv
GET CASH FOR SC BATTERIES If you have a damaged or dead car battery, don’t just throw it away, or leave it wasting away in your yard. Batteries contain hazardous fluids and materials. What’s better than to keep the environment clean and get some money for it? Zap Batteries at Zeelandia, located next to Napa Autoparts, acts as collection center for Green Force Curaçao that will have the batteries shipped to Europe for recycling. That is, after the acid is removed from the battery. Each car battery contains around 2-3 litres of sulfuric acid, as well as lead, and lead compounds, all of which are toxic.
CRAP
Lead-acid batteries also include batteries in motorcycles, boats, emergency lighting and air conditioners. ‘The plastic of the batteries will be re-used as fuel for the melting and recycling process of the lead, and the lead will be recycled,’ says Timo Brouwer, owner of Green Force Curaçao. ‘This will happen under strong environmental restrictions imposed by the European Union.’ For location and contact: http://www.facebook.com/zap.caribbean/ or http://www.zap.cw For questions about recycling other materials: http://www.greenforcecuracao.com/
KEEP THE ENVIRONM CLEAN, AND YOUR BA TOO If you started using reusable bags exclusively starting at age 25, you could save more than 21,000 plastic bags in your lifetime. A single change can make a difference. You may want to reconsider using reusable bags sold in supermarkets, though, for risk of contamination.
MENT AGS
If you have carried products from the frozen food section in the supermarket, cuts of meat or fish, or certain produce like spinach in your bags, you’d better not directly store them after unpacking at home. It is recommendable to wash and disinfect your bags before storing and using them again. A study by the University of Arizona showed that 50 percent of all reusable bags contained foodborne bacteria like salmonella, and 12 percent contained E. coli, indicating the presence of fecal matter and other pathogens. A Canadian study found bacteria build-up on reusable bags was 300 percent higher than what is considered safe. And storing reusable bags in a sun-heated car causes the bacteria to grow 10 times faster. A simple solution might be to use cotton shopping bags which you can throw in the washing machine or leave soaking in water for a while. Or to opt for one-time-use of paper bags and carton boxes available at most supermarkets.
HOW TO EAT ENVIRONMENTALL FRIENDLY? The sustainable food movement is sweeping the island.
LY
Farmer’s markets, Passionistas Popup Fair, Vegan Food Fest, organic produce delivered to your door, and a range of salad and juice bars – the healthy food market is booming. These trends are good in more than one way, here’s why:
1. Eating locally means that food will be
across the globe. Choosing organic, say t Medical School, will reduce your exposur This is especially important for children, oping. And it essential for women who a have identified 12 neurotoxins that dam and result in lower IQ.
e fresher than the food that was shipped two Professors of Neurology at Harvard re to pesticides with 80 to 90 percent. as their immune systems are still develare pregnant as the Harvard colleagues mage the unborn child’s developing brain
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables, and y
planet (and your health!) In the average cent of carbon emissions despite accoun daily food provides. The carbon footprin big as that of someone with a wholesom cooking whereas adding more fresh frui
you’ve already made an impact for the e diet animal products make up 60 pernting for just a quarter of the energy the nt of a meat lover is more than twice as me plant-based diet. Also, meat requires its to your diet saves energy and time.
3. Going to farms, farmer’s markets, and
perativa Fresku i OrgĂĄniko, sustains the lo supported agriculture. It also has an impo know the farmers, their products and the supply and demand will lead to innovatio
maybe joining the project of the Koocal economy through community ortant social aspect: customers get to e way they develop their business. Local on and diversity.
4. Eating environmentally friendly requir
ing from scratch, meaning using fresh ing cessed foods and seasonings. Not using a recognize. For those who find this too diffi now different establishments offering su growing.
res creativity in the kitchen, often cookgredients and avoiding highly proanything your grandmother wouldn’t fficult, or too time consuming, there are ustainable food options, and business is
5. Industrially farmed meat has the grea
environment. Most of the meat available feed for the animals raised for slaughter feed largely consists of grains, mainly cor modified to produce pesticides. This feed hormones. Pesticides, chemicals like arse moters not only affect human health but
atest impact of any food product on the e in Curaรงao is imported, and also the in Curaรงao comes from abroad. Animal rn, and soy beans that are genetically d may also contain added chemicals and enic and hormones used as growth prot also end up in the environment.
6. Choosing meat, milk, cheese and ice c
preserve your health and prevent hormo Hormones in the country’s waste water rine life. Healthy reefs are crucial for our island, as we depend on the sea for our
cream without added hormones helps ones from ending up in coastal waters. are detrimental to coral reefs and mar tourism industry and the future of the drinking water.
7. If you try something new, you give ot
abilities. The sustainable food movemen sible community. Easy to join. Just ask a will not only return home with fresh pro
thers a chance to develop their skills and nt in Curaçao is a very open and accesaround at the Farmer’s Market, and you oduce but also with a lot of information.
SELENIUM
ONE OF TODAY’S SCARCEST MINERALS Selenium is an essential trace mineral, needed for repair of DNA. You only need a small amount, but even the smallest amount is not part of the average daily diet. Read more? Go to our blog: http://www.sustainablecuracao.com/ blog/2016/11/2/selenium-one-of-todays-scarcest-minerals