04 September 2008

By Sipho None

PARTICIPATE in community greening events to improve the health and beauty of the local environment and ensure a green future for our children.

These were the passionate words of Augie Jardim, a manager at Kyocera Mita, who was speaking to local residents and officials at the launch of national Arbor Week at the Munsieville Community Hall recently. The function was organised by the City’s department of integrated environmental management.

Jardim said her company was privileged to be associated with Arbor Week.

“Our company feels extremely privileged to be associated with a wonderful initiative such as this and others initiated by Food and Trees for Africa. We would love to encourage other companies to participate in community greening events to improve the health and beauty of the local environment.”

Kyocera was the main sponsors of the launch. It works closely with Food and Trees for Africa, with some 2 500 trees already donated as part of this partnership. It is once again supporting Mogale City, having planted trees in the area during Arbor Week in 2007.

“We have realised that sponsoring tress to become carbon neutral was by far not enough; therefore, we agreed to sponsor one tree for every printer sold, and in conjunction with this we challenge the customer to sponsor an additional tree when they purchase our products,” Jardim said.

“This initiative has been running since April this year and has seen great success and solid support from Kyocera customers. The local involvement with Food and Tress for Africa is an excellent example of a green initiative that puts back into the environment.”

Representatives from the education department, learners, teachers, community members and councillors were at the event. Despite the recent raging veld fires, the colourful occasion went well.

Lucky Xaba, Food and Trees for Africa’s community forester, said that 675 trees would be distributed during Arbor Week by Mogale City Executive Mayor Koketso Calvin Seerane to schools and homes.

Megan Taylor, the state superintendent researcher at Rand Water, which supplies water to Gauteng, added her voice. “You guys from Munsieville are beautiful and your area is beautiful as well; keep it up. However, we urge you to use water wisely and not to waste it. As we plant tress we need feed our tress with this scarce resource.”

Nomalanga Ntamane, the portfolio head of integrated environmental management, represented Seerane at the launch. She said Arbor Week should serve to mobilise the entire community of Mogale City.

“The celebration of Arbor Week in our municipality should not only involve the various levels of government, but also business, industry, non-governmental organizations, the community and the green movement.

“The municipal [Integrated Development Plan] encapsulated a programme termed ‘Urban Greening’ which, in essence, refers to a clean and green environment. The municipality is also committed to planting at least 2 000 trees per annum around the city,” she said, indicating that Mogale City was supporting food gardens by giving seeds and seedlings to communities.

This project would lead to bigger greening initiatives by the council and other stakeholders. The 2010 World Cup “is just around the corner and we need to be responsive to the opportunity of showcasing an attractive and green city”.

Entertainment was provided by the Kopanang Cultural Dance group, which performed popular Setswana dances.

Ntamane led a group of officials that included the City’s Speaker, Noluthando Mangole, outside the hall where a Rhus pendulina tree was planted. A second tree was planted at a nearby house popularly known as Basie’s Tavern.

Food and Trees for Africa is a national, public benefit, civil society, greening and food gardening organisation. It focuses on climate change, food security, and sustainable development, among other concerns.

Kyocera Mita makes business machines such as printers and digital copiers, as well as cellphones and electronic components, among other products.

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