To launch their Green Legacy Campaign, the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (ICCIT) and King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) planted 20 trees at Dinuphozo School in Nkobongo on November 15. This was part of ICCIT and KSIA’s plan to plant 5000 trees across the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) north coast as part of their joint Green Legacy Campaign. The campaign is being implemented in anticipation of the United Nations COP17 conference taking place in Durban later this month. Its aim is to increase awareness about environmental sustainability and contribute to off-setting the conference’s carbon footprint.

The 5000 trees were donated by the Wildlands Conservation Trust Treepreneur Programme and will be planted from November 14 to November 26. 1300 trees will be planted at 30 schools throughout the KZN north coast. 200 trees will be planted at the Luthuli Museum and 500 trees planted at Isithebe and Shakashead Industrial Parks respectively. 2000 trees will be planted at the Nonoti Low Cost Housing Development. An avenue of 800 trees will also be planted at the Stanger Treatment Works. ICCIT CEO Trenley Tilbrook said, “Planting trees near industrial parks helps mitigate pollution impacts. These clusters are typically called carbon sinks or green lungs.” ICCIT and KSIA will also challenge 100 businesses in the area to climb aboard the green train by planting 10 trees each.

Mayor Welcome Mdabe of the Ilembe District Municipality and Mayor Ricardo Mthembu of the KwaDukuza Municipality were present at the tree planting and praised the initiative. Mayor Mdabe said the legacy would teach the children to preserve the environment and grow with this knowledge. Mayor Mthembu urged the school to take care of their trees as it would provide them with shade and clean air.

The Green Legacy Campaign includes three other important elements. A Beach Day will be held on November 19 at Salmon Bay, Clarke Bay and Willard’s Beach. Communities and businesses from all over the north coast will be encouraged to participate. After a cleanup of the north coast’s beautiful beaches, picnics and sporting activities will be held to highlight the beaches as a great asset to be enjoyed by everyone. Participating businesses will be allowed to showcase their brand as they contribute towards preserving the coastline.

A ‘Green Golf Day’ will be held on November 24 at Simbithi Eco-Estate. A number of interventions will be implemented so that the golf day is environmentally friendly. Tilbrook said, “As far as we know, this is the first golf day of its kind in South Africa and we hope it becomes an example for future golf days across the country.” He said the minimal use of water and electricity will be encouraged and a waste management and recycling programme used. 200 trees will be planted at Simbithi to further counteract the golf day’s carbon footprint.

A Fresh Thinking Oasis workshop will be held to close the Green Legacy Campaign on November 29. Prior to this, an environmental policy will be drafted by various community stakeholders on behalf of the Kwa-Dukuza Municipality. This policy will be discussed at the workshop and then made public for comment. The final policy will become the municipality’s ‘greenprint’ for the future. The workshop will also help attendees understand climate change’s potential global and local threats as well as COP17’s challenges and objectives.

Terence Delomoney, General Manager of KSIA is very excited to be a part of the Green Legacy Campaign. He said, “KSIA is committed to environmental sustainability and partnering with ICCIT on this initiative demonstrates this. We believe this campaign has the potential to become a sustainable annual project and will benefit our neighbouring communities in the future. ACSA will certainly look at the possibility of supporting similar projects as the airport continues to develop.”

Other sponsors involved in this initiative are Kwadukuza Municipality, African Bank, Wildlands Conservation Trust, The North Coast Courier, Bonitas, Conservation South Africa, Cambridge University, 50/50, Ogilvy Earth, Climate Knowledge and Development Network and FabMags (The Airport Magazine).

For more information on how to get involved please call the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism on 032 586 0833 or email info@ilembechamber.co.za.