Initiatives To ‘Encourage A Greener Bermuda’

July 20, 2019

Following the recent environmentalist demonstration, Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban said he welcomes an “open dialogue regarding sustainability and the preservation of our island” and provided information on what is presently being done within the Ministry to “encourage a greener Bermuda.”

Minister Roban said, “I encourage and welcome an open dialogue regarding sustainability and the preservation of our island and world. Today was a show of democracy at work, and I will continue to foster an inclusive and transparent process around what the Ministry of Home affairs is doing to address the concerns laid out today, and previously.”

The Minister continued, “I would like to encourage the public to read about what is presently being done within the Ministry to encourage a greener Bermuda. I too, am personally invested in seeing a more sustainable Bermuda come to fruition and will continue to advance various initiatives and projects within this Ministry to ensure this becomes a reality. ”

Minister Roban concluded by saying, “I look forward to having meaningful conversations with groups who are committed to protecting Bermuda’s environment for everyone.”

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has implemented the following strategies, programmes and initiatives:

  • “The Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Project in collaboration with the WAITT Institute
  • “Reducing energy consumption through the LED exchange initiative. Currently, participating retailers are accepting one incandescent bulb in exchange for a more energy efficient LED bulb. This initiative not only saves consumers money in energy costs but is also a means in which the public can reduce overall energy consumption.
  • “Conserving and protecting the island’s natural resources through the sustainable Bermuda Plan 2019. The Draft Bermuda Plan encompasses three strategies; : a Conservation Strategy, Development Strategy and a Community Strategy. As a general aim, the Plan places a greater emphasis on the need to encourage local food production, incorporate green infrastructure, improve the walkability of neighbourhoods and build community understanding and resilience to the local impacts of climate change.
  • “Better protection for Endangered Plants and Animals. The Ministry of Home Affairs is currently working to amend the Endangered Plants and Animals Act 2006 to create a more robust regulatory framework to reinforce its commitment to the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora [CITES].
  • “Goals to eliminate single-use plastics. Using a phased approach, the Government has committed to eliminate single-use plastics by 2022 and the intervening years will be spent educating the community about recycling and reusable items, and encouraging greater sensitivity to the ocean and its importance to our lives. By 2020, a charge on single-use plastics will be instituted as we move to the point of elimination.
  • “Invasive Species: Bermuda is currently vulnerable to the introduction and proliferation of new alien invasive species [AIS] of animals and plants that could have a dramatic impact on the island’s environment, economy, human health and social fabric. The Government is addressing this by developing new legislation to prevent the introduction of new AIS to Bermuda and means to reduce the risk of their establishment and proliferation in order to safeguard the island’s unique natural environment and human health but also important industries such as agriculture, fisheries and tourism.
  • “Encouraging aquaculture. Aquaculture refers to the farming of salt water and freshwater organisms like finfish, crustaceans, molluscs. Recognising the continual interest in the production of farmed fresh water/brackish water fish on land, Bermuda is developing a robust regulatory regime that can capitalize on this interest and ensure the production of high quality products with minimal detrimental impact on the island’s sensitive environments.”

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Comments (14)

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  1. Question says:

    How about controlling the unprecedented rat population? That would directly help to improve the environment.

  2. I'm just saying says:

    You wont have a greener Bermuda if you cut back on C02. Plants feed on C02. Stop listening to these idiots who have an agenda to please their cooperate sugar daddy’s who are filling their pockets.

    • Anna Pereira says:

      Idiots? Like the United Nations? There is no corporate agenda – just a global one initiated by the UN which we are very behind on implementing or even acknowledging. Climate Change is real.

    • bluenose says:

      Did you mean to type ‘corporate’?

    • You probably shouldn’t says:

      Jeez how much time did it take you to calculate that one or did the microwave wake you up before you could finish? People like this can vote.

  3. 2Bermudaz 2bermudaz says:

    To be honest – this is really a list of things that might happen.

  4. We Already Have a Plan says:

    Easy, the Government used to have a Sustainability Plan. Simply update it and create indicators that align with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals like other countries (including small islands like ours).

  5. Ben S says:

    Encouraging a ‘Greener Bermuda’ is admirable. Abandoning common sense and reason in the face of an increasingly conspicuous group of virtue signallers is not. If climate change was such an ‘emergency’ or ‘existential threat’ as many of those who read from the ‘climate change bible’ would have us believe, the following would be a reality – none of them, not one would fly on an airplane, not one would drive a car, not one would own a boat unless it was a sailboat, not one would buy anything with plastic in or around it, not one would own a cell-phone, not one would use air conditioning, not one would use an electric washing machine, not one would have children, etc and etc. Yes we can all do our part to reduce the negative impact humans can have on the environment but this hysteria is nothing more than hypocrital virtue signalling.

    • bluenose says:

      Rubbish. What do you expect people to do, stay at home with a candle? People still need to live their lives, but most realise that we are having a direct effect on the environment and are encouraging others to help them in minimising this effect.

  6. Ringmaster says:

    1) Stop throwing empty Heineken cans/bottles into the roadside
    2) Stop putting out garbage early
    3) Stop buying food with multiple amounts of plastics
    4) Stop using single use bottles and straws
    5) Ban balloons
    6) Use some common sense
    Concentrate on the majority of the population who do the above. The minority know better.

  7. aceboy says:

    Plans for plans. Meanwhile the cookie jar is being raided.

    • wahoo says:

      Cookie jar is empty brew! The cookie monster came and went we are left with with nothing….but that is okay.

  8. Slipnut says:

    Bouncing from one issue to another before resolving anything. Knee jerk, commando style leadership is a big red flag of not having a plan going forward. Where is all the funding promised to St. George’s? We need your Corporation and inturn Government will pay for the Sewage Treatment Plant, Potable water supply and a first class Yachting facility. Hell the people in the Old Town would be happy if this Government would just fix the Bridges that have been broken now for the better part of 20 years now.

  9. Triangle Drifter says:

    Lots of fluffy noise. Nothing happening really. Sounds great to the easily fooled.