Environmental Sustainability in Haiti

Haiti is a country with rich culture and at the same time with a volatile history. Natural disasters have devastated the country's natural resources, and economic instability has threatened the natural landscape of Haiti; which has impacted the quality of life for Haitians. I had the opportunity to connect with residents of Cap Haitien, Haiti in July 2017 and presented to youth and young adults on the importance of Environmental Sustainability. They were receptive to the basic sustainability principles - clean air, promotion of biodiversity, protection from natural disasters, natural resources for building construction and materials, renewable sources of energy, food and medicine from plants, etc. During group activities the participants identified a local community project in which they would lead and maintain; trash management and wastewater management.

Proper trash management does not currently exist in Haiti. The streets and waterfront is overwhelmed with styrofoam to-go lunch boxes, clear plastic bags, and plastic soda bottles; and it is common to see mountains of plastic bottles, plastic bags, and other random trash on the beaches and shore. Trash is often collected and burned however this has contributed to deforestation and poor air quality (toxic gas from burned plastic). One U.S. based company, Thread LLC, has managed to turn plastic from Port-au-Prince’s streets to thread and weave into fabric comparable to polyester.

In Haiti, the majority of people have no adequate means of human waste or wastewater disposal. This contributed to the cholera break out, a water borne disease, following the 2010 earthquake. The river streams are widely used for washing, bathing, drinking and recreation. (Add picture) In the event that bacterium infiltrates the waterways it poses a threat to public health. Haiti is in dire need of water and sanitation infrastructure to provide clean drinking water, proper waste disposal, and adequate hygiene.
The experience and collaborative effort during my visit to Cap Haitien, demonstrated the importance of how educational and social programs can empower people to make a change in their communities. Community initiated projects in partnership with commitment of expertise, knowledge, and resources is one solution towards rebuilding Haiti.