If there was a product that many of us use that was manufactured right here on the island and was made from 100% Grand Bahama waste, would you buy it or would you prefer to continue to contribute to the profits of a foreign country?
We all know that Grand Bahama has a lot of opportunity for improvement in the Green arena. The amount of waste that ends up in our local landfill is unacceptable and down right depressing. However, there are business practices, people, and companies who are making a huge difference when it comes to our environmental and economical sustainability, so why not support them and keep the Green right here.
Bahama Organic Mulch is a local product that makes sense for our environment and our pocket books. This product has eliminated thousands of pallets, tons of post-construction scrap wood, and piles of pine forest waste from ending up on our roadsides and in our landfill. The mulch is produced locally by DAPL Farms which creates jobs and keeps money on Grand Bahama. The product is being carried by local suppliers including Kelly’s and Dolly Madison and the consumer cost is no greater than other mulches being imported from foreign countries.
Every step in the process of producing Bahama Mulch benefits Grand Bahama. Businesses who previously paid to have their pallets dumped in the local landfill have been able to reduce or completely eliminate this expense. The same goes for construction sites that accumulate piles of scrap wood. Same deal- DAPL will take the scrap wood and turn it into a useful product that people buy every day. There is no catch. Everybody wins.
The process used to convert wood waste into mulch is quite fascinating. Everything is recycled, even nails! The machine that grinds the pallets also separates the nails which are then put in containers and filled with salt water. Over time, the salt water disintegrates the nails and produces a liquid solution that is high in iron. Once cured, this solution is used to supply the soil at the farm with much needed minerals. Nothing is wasted and nothing ends up in the bush or the landfill.
Bahama Organic Mulch is a local product that makes sense for our environment and our pocket books. This product has eliminated thousands of pallets, tons of post-construction scrap wood, and piles of pine forest waste from ending up on our roadsides and in our landfill. The mulch is produced locally by DAPL Farms which creates jobs and keeps money on Grand Bahama.
In addition to manufacturing Bahama Mulch from local waste, DAPL Farms is constantly looking for other opportunities to recycle and re-use. Recently, they partnered with the Bahamian Brewery to assist with the brewery’s cardboard waste. It should be noted that the Brewery has phenomenal processes for reusing and reducing the waste they produce, including donating all of their clean cardboard to local schools. The one waste item that has been a challenge for them is the used cardboard cases that are brought back to the brewery as part of their bottle return program. These cases are usually in poor condition and they are not clean enough to be re-used. Over 5000 cases of bottles are returned each month, so you can imagine the pile-up of used cardboard. DAPL Farms is now using this cardboard as a soil additive. The cardboard eventually disintegrates, but in the process it provides fill and moisture to the soil. And the Brewery, well they just eliminated the costs associated with bringing this waste to the landfill, while adding one more positive note to their long list of green business practices.
In addition to manufacturing Bahama Mulch from local waste, DAPL Farms is constantly looking for other opportunities to recycle and re-use.
Grand Bahama might have a long way to go when it comes to being considered Green, but we ARE getting there. Together people ARE making a difference.
So here’s your green challenge for the week. If you are gardening make sure you are buying local mulch and returning all of your plastic pots to the local nursery. If you’re not gardening, at least make sure you’re supporting green businesses and our local economy by buying beer from the local brewery. So plant a garden or sip a Sands, is that too much to ask?
Cheri Wood recently retired from Bank of America and has now permanently relocated to Grand Bahama. Her career of over 20 years in corporate America included serving in various capacities including training, marketing, sales, quality control, risk assessment, communications and operational management. While performing her regular job responsibilities, Cheri also served several years as the president of the Environmental Network for the Bank of America in the State of Rhode Island. Her experience in the environmental arena includes project management and coordination of volunteer events on local and national levels throughout the United States. Over the years she has worked closely with organizations such as the Nature Conservancy, the Audubon Society, the Rhode Island Rivers’ Council, and in 2010 Cheri was elected as secretary of the GB Branch of the Bahamas National Trust. Serving in her voluntary role with the Bahamas National Trust, Cheri is involved with increasing recycling on the island, promoting green practices with local businesses, educating the community on the importance of preserving the environment, and serving as a resource for those who wish to participate in environmental opportunities on local and international levels.
