To commemorate World Earth Day on April 22, 2021, the U.S Embassy’s Green team, led by Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard and Deputy Chief of Mission Kathleen FitzGibbon, visited the LEA Primary School in Gwarimpa to meet the 20 ECO-Scholars sponsored by the Embassy’s recycling program, plant trees, educate the children on the need to recycle, and donate school supplies and learn about the progress of the 20 ECO-Scholars sponsored by the recycling program. The Embassy will plant 20 trees to represent the 20 Eco Scholars sponsored by the Green Stripe Initiative program.
Ambassador Leonard noted, “There is no greater way to put words into action than to witness the transformation of American recyclables into the bright eyes of Nigerian students. As the United States convenes the Leaders’ Summit on Climate today, we recognize that only together with government, the private sector and civil society can we succeed in reducing emissions and transitioning to welcome the benefits of climate action including job creation and innovation.”
The Green Stripe Initiative’s focus has been on increasing efforts to recycle paper, glass, cardboard, and plastic. While great strides have been made in this regard, Green Stripe will additionally focus on other tangible areas of impact such as energy consumption, waste disposal, and water usage. With each step along the way, GSI seeks greater community involvement as we focus on a greener Earth for all.
On the recycling front, the Embassy has been working with a local partner, Chanji Datti, who collects recyclables and converts them into raw materials for further use. To this end, revenues generated from recyclables collected from Mission members, have been used by Chanji Datti in conjunction with the Flexisaf foundation to support 20 ECO-Scholars at the LEA School in Gwarimpa, Abuja.
We extend our appreciation to Transcorp Hilton for supporting this year’s World Earth Day by providing additional trees to plant. This affirms the importance of the public and private sectors working together to reduce emissions and to combat climate change.