Report on Climate Advocacy Workshop

Topic: Transitioning from Fossil Fuels and Sustainable Waste Management for Cleaner Communities

Audience: Buobogu Vella Women Group in Gbani 

Organized by: Renel Ghana Foundation

On 23^rd November 2024, a climate advocacy workshop was held in Gbani for the Buobogu Vella Women Group. The session focused on transitioning from fossil fuels and promoting sustainable waste management practices to build cleaner and healthier communities. The workshop emphasized understanding fossil fuels and their impacts, exploring local alternatives, and practical approaches to waste separation.

Part I: Understanding Fossil Fuels and Their Impacts 

Fossil Fuels and Examples 

The participants were introduced to common fossil fuels, including kerosene and charcoal, and their widespread usage in their households.  They were exposed to some problems associated with the use of fossil fuels such as:

1. Environmental Impact: Fossil fuels contribute to air pollution and deforestation, exacerbating climate change. 

2. Health Issues: The use of kerosene and charcoal emits harmful smoke, leading to respiratory problems and other health issues. 

3. Economic Cost: Fossil fuels can be expensive in the long term, draining household incomes. 

Also, we introduced them to local alternatives to fossil fuels.The discussion highlighted feasible and sustainable alternatives tailored to local needs: 

Solar Power

Uses: Lighting homes, charging phones, and powering small appliances.  Benefits: Abundant sunlight in the region ensures availability, zero smoke, and long-term cost savings. 

Example: Solar lamps can replace kerosene lanterns, and solar panels can be installed to power irrigation pumps. 

Biogas

How It Works: Converts animal and organic waste into gas for cooking and electricity. 

Benefits: Reduces dependence on firewood, promotes clean cooking energy, and minimizes deforestation. 

Example: Farmers can utilize animal dung to produce biogas for cooking purposes. 

Improved Cookstoves (For Those Who Can Afford) 

What They Are: Energy-efficient stoves that consume less fuel. 

Benefits: Reduced smoke emissions, lower fuel costs, and decreased reliance on forests.

Part II: Introduction to Waste Separation 

The second part of the advocacy focused on waste separation as a means of sorting waste into categories to enable proper management and reduce pollution.  There was an interactive discussion on why waste separation is important. Some key points raised were reduces landfill waste, enhances recycling efficiency and maintains a cleaner and safer environment. 

We then went into how to separate household waste with participants learning to categorize waste into three main types

Organic Waste: Food scraps, fruit and vegetable peels, and other biodegradable materials. 

Recyclables: Plastic bottles, paper, glass, and metals. 

Non-Recyclables: Non-reusable items like soiled packaging. 

We identified some of the benefits of waste separation as:

1. Reduces environmental pollution, especially in water bodies. 
2. Converts organic waste into compost, saving money on fertilizers. 
3. Generates additional income from selling recyclables. 
4. Minimizes disease spread caused by improper waste disposal. 

The facilitators gave these tips for participants for their daily household waste management

1. Use separate containers for each waste type. 
2. Create compost pits for organic waste to produce fertilizer for farming. 
3. Wash and dry recyclables before storing. 
4. Reuse rubber waste where possible. 
5. Organize monthly waste collection initiatives. 
6. Partner with recycling businesses for plastics pickup. 

To act the talk, we engaged in an interactive Activity called the Household Waste Sorting Exercise 

Participants engaged in a practical waste sorting activity: 

1.They were provided with a mix of sample waste items. 

2. Participants sorted the items into labelled containers for organic, recyclable, and non-recyclable waste. 

3. A group discussion followed, addressing how community members could adopt waste separation practices with available resources. 

4. Challenges such as inadequate containers for separation and lack of community awareness were identified, with potential solutions suggested, including resource-sharing and sensitization campaigns. 

Conclusion

The workshop successfully raised awareness among the Buobogu Vella Women Group about the environmental and economic challenges posed by fossil fuels and improper waste management. Participants expressed their commitment to adopting solar energy and biogas solutions while improving waste separation at the household level. A sub-chief by name Ziiniadana willingly gave 2 acres of land for afforestation,

Table 1A summary of the activity