Last week we told you about the Robotics summer camp at St. John's College. Well, there is another very unique and first of its kind camp that began today in Bullet Tree Village. It's called the "No Plastics, No Styrofoam Kids Summer Camp". It is a private initiative where organizer Anita Tzec and her family fundraised to make it possible. We stopped by for the opening activities and found out just how impactful and relevant this summer camp is in light of the government's announcement of a styrofoam ban in March. Courtney Weatherburne has the story.
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
For most kids, yard work and planting is the last thing they would want to be doing on their summer break. But for these kids, it is part of a Bullet Tree summer camp called "No plastics and No Styrofoam." The camp opened today with a full team of 50 children from the village.
Dr. Anita Tzec, Organizer
"Today the main activity after the official opening is reforesting the public spaces in our community and along the river so we are doing it here at the field, the two schools, the church space, the police station, along the riverside, the cemetery, the community center so all these public spaces."
Now the kids won't be cutting bushy lots and planting for the entire 3 weeks. There will a number of fun educational activities and trips to teach kids about the importance of getting rid of these toxic materials.
Dr. Anita Tzec, Organizer
"We decided that this summer we want to do something new, innovative and creative for the kids in our village. So, in line what we were experiencing and with the ban government had put in place, we said no plastic, no Styrofoam, that is the camp. It is important to create awareness of why we need to stop this. It is the responsibility of every single one of us. We are the ones who use it so we are the ones who have to change that but also we need alternatives. What will we do when they are not plastic bags or Styrofoam dishes so this is what the camp is all about: What is the ban, why is it in place, what is our responsibility as villagers, as citizens of Belize to change this, what are the alternatives we have. So we are going to be engaging kids through creative ways, through drama, through storytelling, through dancing, through theatre."
"We will also be taking the kids on field trips, one is Hanna's Tables here in Cayo, the second is the Belize Zoo, we are going to have night tour at the Belize Zoo and a visit to Laughing Bird Caye National Park because we are trying to make the connection also on how this plastic and Styrofoam that we use becomes a pollutant."
"So we are trying to create this awareness in our children and teach them to be stewards of these resources that we have."
"We believe changes come through the children, that is our belief."
Hon. Omar Figueroa, Minister of State, Ministry of Environment
"What Dr. Tzec has organized here, the first kids no plastics, no Styrofoam's is in line with what government is trying to accomplish so we are here in full support. We believe that the kids and their parents who are involved in this summer camp are important components if we are to succeed with this ban."
The summer camp ends on July 29th. The kids will also design a mural in one of fields on the village.
