A few months ago while running the track as he trained clients at Aranguez Savannah, fitness trainer and environmentalist Kerrie-Kim Kirton noticed copious amounts of trash littered around the savannah’s periphery.
Upon further investigation, he found that the savannah was without a single disposal bin. So, young Kirton decided to do something about it.
On Saturday September 7, he, along with friends, family and members of his small NGO—the Green Circle Environmental Company, visited the savannah around 7 am to install three new garbage bins.
The bins are sponsored by Rotoplastics Trinidad Ltd, a well-known water tank provider in T&T.
Sponsored
garbage bins
Kirton met with the San Juan Regional Corporation just after Carnival and offered to install bins at Aranguez Savannah. After numerous meetings and phone calls, approval was granted for the installation and the coach and environmentalist visited Rotoplastics with the intention of purchasing bins for use at the Savannah.
On letting Rotoplastics’ marketing representative know of the intended use for his purchase, discussions began about sponsorship. The rest is history.
Said the young visionary: “I always tell my friends ‘if everyone does a little, no one will have to do a lot’. When I saw what was happening at Aranguez Savannah, I knew action was needed, and I decided I would be the one to take it. I am truly grateful that Rotoplastics saw the value in assisting my team and I to make Aranguez Savannah cleaner and greener.”
Kirton hopes to build further partnerships with corporate Trinidad in order to execute more environmentally friendly initiatives.
Already for 2018, the NGO has partnered with the Suntory Group and Massy United Insurance on cleanups and reforestation projects.
More environmental initiatives are in the pipeline for the organisation including eco-rehabilitation and an ocean clean up. To get involved, corporate entities can contact the organisation via email at thegreencircleec@gmail.com
Green Circle
Foundation
The Green Circle is an NGO which executes environmental initiatives with a social twist. Kirton explained that the Green Circle was established five years ago to encourage his peers, the party-going public, to participate in socially responsible activities for the betterment of our nation and world. The NGO’s Beach Clean pUmP is the best example of this—a party boat cruise with a difference.
Annually, since 2015, Kirton has led a cleanup of Scotland Bay in commemoration of International Coastal Cleanup Day, held annually on the third Saturday in September across the globe. Event groups like Tribe, Caesar’s Army and Scorch, as well corporate sponsors Massy Foundation and Maritime Financial Group meet at 6 am under his stewardship and head to the beach aboard the Harbour Master to remove waste left by visitors.
After cleaning, the groups return to the mainland in traditional party-cruise style, with a sense of accomplishment having done some good for our environment. In 2018, over 3,000 pounds of garbage was removed from Scotland Bay.
September 21 will mark the fifth year of the Beach Clean pUmP cleanup exercise.