From planting trees for Arbour Day and attending international environmental conferences CPUT’s Green Team are currently red hot busy.
The students recently joined delegates from 16 other universities to attend the five day Green Campus Conference held recently at the University of the Western Cape.
CPUT Green Team chairman, Dalu Xusha, presented the groundbreaking work the team has done over the past eight years.
This included the Mozambique Beach Hike, Local Fisherman Educational Drive in 2009, the SABC 3’s Expresso Show appearance in 2010 for sampling and education on saving resources at the Olifants River and Turtle protection in Angola (2012).
This year, the team spearheaded cleanups at Lions Head and Table Mountain, beach cleanups at Big Bay Beach in Blouberg and most recently planted trees at Vukukhanye primary school in Gugulethu.
“Our aim is to work with as many entities as we can and create a green campus and residences by installing solar panels, water tanks, sensor lights and a vegetable garden for disadvantaged students,” says Dalu.
“By doing this we will save a lot of energy and by only using natural resources instead of utilizing more harmful substances to the environment.”
During their pre-arbour week tree planting in Gugulethu the students also did a
water saving campaign with the youngsters and explained the importance of trees in our daily lives.
Green Team co-ordinator Anette Grobler says she was moved when the school children started singing to the newly planted trees.
“That was something I have never seen. Apparently it helps them (the trees) to feel welcome and grow quickly,” she says.
Image courtesy of winnond at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
