Energy key to environment

Windhoek, 10 June. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, 1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger.
Given this enormous imbalance in lifestyles and the resultant devastating effects on the environment, this year’s World Environment Day theme – Think Eat Save – encourages everybody to be aware of the environmental impact of the food choices they make. At the same time it empowers consumers to make informed decisions.

It is with the above in mind that Vivo Energy Namibia engaged learners at the Dr. Frans Aupa Indongo Primary School in Babylon, Katutura, on World Environment Day, 05 June 2013.
The activities included the handing-over of a much-needed LCD projector by Mr Johan Grobbelaar, the Vivo Energy Namibia Managing Director, who in his remarks encouraged the learners at the school to become more aware of their environment, and become more involved in protecting their environment.  He said: “The school has a small garden – let’s start with that. Let’s plant vegetables.  Let’s plant more trees at the school. Let’s put up more litter bins, and ensure that papers are not lying around the school yard. Let’s keep our school clean.”
As Operation Vivo Energy Clean-Up progressed, the children saw loads and loads of litter collected in black bags under the watchful eye of E-Med Rescue who supported the operation.
Grade 3 and 4 learners participated in a drawing competition which focused on environmental protection, while the Grade 5’s, 6’s and 7’s participated in an essay writing competition under the topics “how can we save the environment, “why are trees important and “what is climate change.
The day’s events were concluded with the prize giving ceremony which saw learners winning prizes ranging from gift vouchers, to lunches at various child-friendly restaurants and movie tickets.
Said Mona-Liza Garises, the Vivo Energy Communications Manager: “We are privileged in that we are able to contribute in a meaningful way to the communities around us.  One of the key levers of building our corporate reputation is that we are a company that genuinely cares about, and creates lasting benefits for the communities in which we operate. Our Corporate Social Responsibility programmes focus on road safety, education and the environment, and we believe that our involvement and initiation of programmes in line with these focus areas, have a great impact on our stakeholders.”