The Tribune

A MOBILE outdoor classroom on board a brand-new fully electric vehicle was launched last week by the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) as part of their ongoing efforts to make marine environmental education safe, fun and engaging.

The electric outdoor classroom vehicle, soon to be outfitted with solar panels, was donated to BREEF through a strategic grant from the Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

UNDP Resident Representative Denise Antonio welcomed the initiative as a groundbreaking and positive development for amplifying messages on the environment and integrating the population into sustainable development efforts.

“I congratulate BREEF for acquiring a sustainable mode of transportation using sustainable energy resources to reinforce public education related specifically to marine conservation and biodiversity and renewable energy. I am encouraged by the role of young people in this effort and encourage them to remain vocal and creative in advocating for change that matters,” she said.

Educational resources on marine biodiversity and conservation, renewable energy and sustainable development will be delivered aboard the mobile classroom to local schools and field study sites across New Providence, through BREEF’s “Young Reporters for the Environment: Giving our Marine Environment a Voice” project, also funded through the GEF SGP/UNDP grant.

BREEF executive director, Casuarina McKinney-Lambert acknowledged the support.

“As an archipelago, The Bahamas is dependent on a healthy ocean that sustains lives and livelihoods. BREEF’s Young Reporters for the Environment helps inspire young people to become active stewards of the waters around us and active participants in the sustainable blue economy. This new electric vehicle allows us to not only take students to the ocean, but bring the ocean to students,” she said.

During the outdoor classroom session students were asked what motivates them to protect our marine environment.

Makhi Gray, age 9, said: “I love the water and seeing all the fish, I don’t want to see them going extinct. Fish are important too; they keep our coral reefs healthy by cleaning the algae off of them.”

The debut of the electric vehicle classroom further empowers the young people to make learning about solar energy more fun and support the nation’s goals to embrace alternative energy sources.

The Bahamas has pledged to “fully embrace” the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to include the nation’s energy policy to derive 30 percent of energy needs from renewable sources.

Students interested in learning more about The Young Reporters for the Environment programme and how to register can call BREEF’s office at 242-327- 9000 or email breef@breef. org.