Eco Lunch & Learn On Waste Reduction
A free lecture by global educator Odiva Vassell on waste reduction and recycling will be held on Thursday [March 26] as part of the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] and Bermuda College’s Eco Lunch & Learn series.
A spokesperson said, “Lecturer Odiva Vassell presents a global perspective on waste reduction and recycling, showing how entrepreneurial thinking and global best practices can spark bold, community-driven solutions in waste reduction and circular innovation.
“The community are invited to attend a free lecture on Thursday, March 26th, to learn more about waste reduction and recycling from Fempreneur International founder, Odiva Vassell. The lecture is a free presentation of Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce and Bermuda College and marks the second lecture in their Winter Eco Lunch & Learn series for 2026.
“Odiva Vassell is an engineer, global educator, and architect of a worldwide community empowering women of all nations and ‘mother tongues’ to become fierce public speakers. Having lived and worked in Japan, South Korea, and across Europe, she brings firsthand insight into some of the world’s most disciplined and innovative recycling systems — including Japan’s culture of community accountability and a ‘Mottainai’ mindset.
“Blending technical expertise with public education, her work focuses on translating global best practices into practical, community-level solutions. Through her international teaching platform, she integrates sustainability themes into her courses and advocates for local innovation inspired by global success stories.
“Her presentation, ‘Global Lessons in Waste Reduction and Recycling: What We Can Learn from Leading Countries,’ highlights individual creativity, small business leadership, and cultural shifts that make ecological progress possible — demonstrating how individuals and communities can turn environmental challenges into opportunities for regenerative growth.”
Amy Harvey, the Earth and Environmental Science Senior Lecturer at the Bermuda College explained, “We live in a world of convenience where single use, disposable items have become the norm. We need to consider not creating waste in the first place. Based on 2024 data reported by the Solid Waste Management Section of the Ministry of Works and Engineering of the Bermuda Government, on average, Bermudian households are throwing away 477 lbs./year. That is about half the weight of a Baby Grand piano.
“We also need to consider what we are throwing away and how we can reduce those items. An islandwide residential waste audit was conducted in 2025 by Solid Waste Management Section as mentioned above showing that the top category found in our residential waste was food waste. In fact, 30 percent of the composition of our waste was food. Perfectly good food that was not yet expired was being thrown away. This was very disturbing when we have portions of our community experiencing food insecurity.
“We can reduce our food waste by doing simple things like shopping in our fridge before going to the shops to avoid waste. Repurpose old vegetables and fruits into soups or smoothies. Giving away excess food to family and friends if you over buy. Bermudians are very privileged with an excellent waste management system in place for us. We need to do our part though to increase sustainability by minimizing our waste through refusing, reducing, reusing, recycling and repurposing.”
Jennifer Flood, BEST Executive Officer, said, “Waste is a huge global and local issue. Excess consumption and resulting ‘waste’ contribute to degraded environments, climate change and abusive work practices. Whilst Bermuda may feel reasonably comfortable with the important and worthwhile TAG recycling and the hazardous waste collection, we still send an awful lot of items to the Tynes Bay waste to energy facility, items that could and should have been redirected. Food ‘waste’ is the first thing that comes to mind. Earth’s resources – whether for agriculture, minerals, energy etc. – are finite and limited.
“A large proportion of the ‘waste’ Bermuda is responsible for happens overseas where we don’t see it – food production, manufacturing, clothing industry, electronics, AI, tourism etc. All these activities cause ‘waste’ that the planet and its inhabitants can ill afford. Activities that reduce, recycle and repurpose ‘waste’ are to be encouraged and supported. The following two quotes sums it up well:
“John Green: ‘People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason the world is in chaos is that things are being loved and people are being used.’
“Kohei Saito: ‘Don’t we know, deep down, that our comfortable lives come at the expense of others forced to live in comparative misery?’
The spokesperson said, “We look forward to this presentation that offers solutions to overconsumption and waste.
“Join us for this informative presentation on Thursday, March 26th. from 1:00 to 2:00pm, either in person at The Bermuda College, Athene Room H100, OR streaming live online on Facebook and YouTube.
“A lively Q&A follows the presentation. Light refreshments are served on a first come first served basis. Please bring your own beverage.
“This lecture is kindly sponsored by Chubb.”
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Category: All, Environment
