Youth urged to conserve the environment as the year ends

Nanyuki,

Friday, December 29 2023,

KNA, by Muturi Mwangi

More than 200 youth engaged in a three hours clean-up exercise in Nanyuki town on Friday as a voluntary activity to mark the end of the year.

In the year 2024 message, they encouraged fellow youth to be sensitive to the environment through reduce, recycle and reuse in an effort to address the problem of tonnes of solid waste management in the county.

Nanyuki alone generates about 20,000 tonnes of solid waste in a month and the Laikipia county government had admitted challenges in dealing with the plastic waste menace.

 The county has been calling for partnership from environmental stakeholders to address the situation of waste and with only 30 percent of plastics being recycled by entrepreneurs, sold to plastic industries in Nairobi City and other major towns.

The environmental youth champions noted that solid waste could be used in a creative way to generate income for them and address the issue of unemployment in the county.

  “Our main aim is to sensitize youth on the importance of a clean environment and at the same time create opportunities for themselves through waste. As next year begins, let us be environmental champions,” said John Maigwa, Ng’arisha mtaa CEO, a Community Based Organization that promotes environmental conservation in Laikipia County. 

 Dickson Maina from Dedan Kimathi foundation, an institution that supports environment-led initiatives in the country appealed for prudent use of plastic materials in bid to ensure efforts towards solid waste management were achieved.

 “I appeal to people that next year they should be environmentally friendly, lets reduce plastic use through reuse and recycling. Solid waste should also be segregated for proper use,” noted Maina.

Laikipia county government representative Chris Thumbi applauded youth for coming together and conducting the clean-up exercise where he noted they were setting good examples for other areas.

Courtesy; KNA