Improving Worldwide Environmental Issues through Engagement
By: Mason Trask, Student at Mount Saint Vincent University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
The essay below was submitted by Mason Trask, a student who applied for the Grant H. Flint Scholarship. He is attending Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with a planned major of Psychology.
Over the course of the 21st century, proper solid waste management has seen a rise in acknowledgement for its role in impacting environmental change. International recognition on the efforts of waste reduction in Nova Scotia over the last 20 years continues, with other jurisdictions travelling to our facilities to learn how we do things but also requesting our experts to come and help. As a small province a combination of provincial regulations, municipal bylaws, and extensive services has resulted in approximately 400 kg of waste disposed per capita.
The Municipality of Colchester’s own Mayor Christine Blair, along with staff and other officials, participated in supporting efforts in Jordan for a six-year project. Recently she presented information on their shared experience providing their expertise on waste management as a municipal government. The Canadian representatives were paired with 12 different municipalities in the southern and central regions of the country, with the goals of educating the government in how to strategize and implement solid waste methods and initiatives to reduce littering.
The Municipality of Colchester’s own Mayor, Christine Blair, along with staff and other officials participated in supporting efforts in Jordan for a six-year project. Recently she presented information on their shared experience providing their expertise on waste management as a municipal government. The Canadian representatives were paired with 12 different municipalities in the southern and central regions of the country, with the goals of educating the government in how to strategize and implement solid waste methods and initiatives to reduce littering.
The Jordan Municipal Support Project (JMSP) falls into many of the Sustainable Development Goals created by the United Nations. Of the 17 goals, this project aligns with the following four:
- (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth
- (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities
- (12) Responsible Consumption and Production
- (13) Climate Action
Preceding the JMSP, Jordan had very little solid waste management and sub-par education on solid waste. Prior to the project, the people of Jordan had little to no responsibility for their waste and therefore no attachment to the outcomes. As a result of this project the people are educated, engaged and responsive to the programs and the need to protect their environments. Municipal governments and their staff are better equipped with improved skills and planning methodology to move forward from past practices. This project has provided ownership to all, from the resident creating the waste to the elected official charged with evaluating management plans presented by staff. Engagement is the key to improvement for any of our worldwide environmental issues.
As a way of recognizing some of the outstanding scholarship applications nominated to SWANA by our chapters across the United States and Canada, we are posting applicants' one-page essays on our blog. The essay, which was 10 percent of their application score, was to speak to the role solid waste management plays in addressing an environmental issue currently in the news. We asked, “What are the responsibilities of individuals who generate the waste versus the professionals tasked with managing the waste?”