INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN GLINTON

Bahamas Reef Environmental Educational Foundation (BREEF)

Country: Bahamas

Staff in the organisation/working with Eco-Schools: Seven/Two

What do you prefer?

Dogs or cats? Dogs
Sea or mountains? Sea
Chocolate or chips? Chocolate
Film or book? Book
City or countryside? Countryside
Favourite word or phrase: “Keeping the cortisol levels down.”
If you could sing one song on a music competition show on television, what would it be? Ave Maria
What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently? Laughed at myself recently after my son pointed out that I too can sometimes be considered an uncourteous driver.

A high point of the programme, hopes and visions

The opportunity to interact and work with environmentally conscious students, committed educators and Eco-Schools volunteers. I hope to use my skills and experience to promote and encourage schools through the Eco-Schools process.

Activities of Eco-Schools in Bahamas

· Annual Eco-Schools Coordinators Workshops;

· Climate change action days - the challenge is to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change on our islands and host one or more activities to reduce the carbon footprint of the participating school;

· Meme/video competition that discusses the ways Ocean Pollution affects the environmen;

· The Native Plant Completion, where students take a photo of themselves with their favourite native plant and explain why they like it;

· Eco-Schools Summit, which brings students from all Eco-Schools together to showcase what their schools have done and learn about various environmental careers;

· Design a reusable bag competition where students submitt art work and a slogan that is placed on reusable bags distributed throughout the country.

An inspiring story by BREEF

The Deep Creek Middle School (DCMS) in Rock Sound, Bahamas was awarded the Green Flag on 18 May 2018. The school has the singular distinction of being the first school in the English-speaking Caribbean to be awarded the prestigious award in 2011 and it is now the first one to win their third green flag.

Since 2011, students of the Eco Committee and students at Deep Creek Middle School have continued to keep their campus litter free and have planted a variety of native trees throughout their surroundings in fulfilment of the Biodiversity component of their programme. Under the Eco Code “DCMS can be green if we work as a TEAM”, the Eco-Club of the school has developed, designed, produced and promoted the use of the “Lutra Bag” to replace single use plastic bags throughout the island of Eleuthera. Additionally, students continue to participate in efforts to lower the school’s energy cost and refurbish their Nature Trail which was damaged during the 2016 hurricane season.

BREEF is very proud of the commitment and environmental stewardship that has become an integral part of the Deep Creek Middle School student culture.