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Resilience... Naturally!
Resilience... Naturally! is a digital learning podcast that explores the intersection of gender, climate action, and nature-based solutions in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Through engaging conversations with local and diaspora experts, policymakers, women-led and youth-led organizations, the show translates research, policy, and lived experience into practical insights. The series aims to build awareness, confidence, and readiness among stakeholders, while creating a publicly accessible knowledge resource that informs action, strengthens capacity, and inspires collaboration for gender-responsive, sustainable climate solutions.
This podcast is produced under the Jamaica Urban Solutions for the Environment Project being implemented by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, with funding support from Global Affairs Canada.
Resilience... Naturally!
Youth Voices, Real Solutions: Shaping Jamaica's Green Urban Future
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This episode highlights youths' perspectives on climate-related challenges in urban spaces and how adaptive approaches, particularly nature-based solutions, can support more resilient and inclusive communities. Too often, youths' voices are underrepresented in these discussions, despite their critical role in shaping the country’s future. This episode aims to center those voices and experiences.
Produced by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica with funding support from Global Affairs Canada.
This podcast was recorded at Harry J Studio, Kingston, Jamaica.
Producer: Reneiquca Walker-McKnight
Hello and welcome to another episode of the Resilience Naturally Podcast. It's episode number seven. The Resilience Naturally Podcast is produced by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica as part of the Jamaica Urban Solutions for the Environment, otherwise known as the J Use Project. My name is Carol Narcis, and I'm the gender and social inclusion specialist with the J-Use Project.
SPEAKER_02And with me is I'm Rashini Clark Randall, Nature-Based Climate Solutions Specialist with the J Use Project. Over the last six episodes, we've covered topics ranging from disaster preparedness to food security to biodiversity and of course a deep dive into nature-based solutions.
SPEAKER_06In this episode, we are just super charged and excited because we want to look at the future. Actors involved in environmental stewardship. And so we have convened a youth panel for this episode.
SPEAKER_02So joining us for this discussion are Stephen Palmer from the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, Sasha Gay Luke, National Coordinator with the Caribbean Youth Environment Network, Adrian Watson, Executive Director for the Jamaica Environmental Entrepreneurs Advocacy Network, Deshaun Carter, Project Assistant, Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, and Mario Galbert, Executive Coordinator for the Caribbean Youth Climate Council.
SPEAKER_06So we're really excited and we can't wait to get into the conversation. But just before we do, we want to start off the episode with other young people who participated in the 2026 staging of the Jamaica Public Service Foundation Climate Action Conference and Expo, where the Environmental Foundation and we at the JUS Project worked together with the JPS Foundation and spearheaded the nature-based solutions category of what was called the EcoSpark Innovation Challenge. The challenge, so high school students pitching innovative, nature-based solutions to solve a climate-related issue affecting their school. And we're really keen to have joining us representing the St. Hilda's High School because St. Hilda's drum roll came out as the winner in the nature-based solutions category. And we have joining us to tell us a bit about what they did and what they learned and so on. We have Ms. Shanike Huey, who is the club advisor for the Science, Energy and Technology Club, the SET Club at St. Hilda's. And with Ms. Huey, we also have Daker Dixon. Daker is a grade 13 or upper sixth form. And we also have Chantel Henry, 12th grade or lower sixth student, both of whom were very much involved in uh developing their project from concept to execution. So thank you so much for joining us.
SPEAKER_01Thanks for having us. We're happy to be here.
SPEAKER_06Yes. So let me begin with you, Ms. Huey. Just tell us a little bit about the SET Club. Okay.
SPEAKER_01So we started out initially as Science Club, right? And then, I mean, stemming from science club activities, one of the things we usually have on a yearly basis is a science fair. Right. And then, you know, we usually integrate the scientific research council as a part of the day's activities and stuff like that. And I remember them saying to us, why is it that the club is just called Science Club? Why is it not Science and Technology Club? You know, and I see the benefits of that. And then we we were functioning as the Science and Technology Club. But then a couple of years ago, we actually got correspondence from the JPS Foundation, and they were interested in having an energy club at the school. And so we said, well, we're not going to create another club. And so we rebranded the club to science, energy, and technology.
SPEAKER_06And so along came correspondence jointly from EFJ Youth Project and the JPS Foundation announcing the EcoSpark competition, which is what we the competition was called. And the correspondence said, okay, schools, we have prize money to encourage, to encourage your students in the relevant clubs to think about and come up with, look around, identify challenges and come up with solutions, either for improving the resilience of the grid, in the case of what JPS's focus was, or uh applying a nature-based solution to a challenge at in the community or at the school. And so let me take you, uh Daker Dixon. Now you had a choice between implementing, coming up with an idea and implementing it in relation to grid resilience, or uh coming up with an idea and implementing it uh to demonstrate a nature-based solution. Why did you go for the NBS option?
SPEAKER_03So, our school at our females restroom, there is a leakage where when the rain falls, the corridor is flooded. So it was the best option to go with. And in implementing that, we are able to, you know, alleviate the stress on the corridor.
SPEAKER_06What was the impact being felt from the flooding in events? What how did it practically impact um your lives?
SPEAKER_01Well, honestly, it was very uncomfortable. That's the first thing. It was very uncomfortable just walking along that corridor, and you're likely to be walking in water, you're likely to be getting wet as well. And you're thinking about the fact that students could actually slip and fall. And we're thinking, look, we need to solve an issue before someone gets hurt. Honestly, when I'm walking on that corridor, I have to walk very gingerly, you know, and so it's important to me that we actually found a solution to that problem.
SPEAKER_06What awareness was there at the start about what nature-based solutions mean?
SPEAKER_04Okay, so originally when I just heard about the idea, I really did not know much about what a nature-based solution was supposed to be. But our facilitator or advisor, Miss Huey, she explained it to us. And because I am the club vice president, I would also have to tell the other girls about it, made them aware of it. So I had to understand the concept of it so I could explain it to the other girls. And the more I explained it, is the better I understood it for myself, and the more I wanted to help with the problem.
SPEAKER_06And Chantel, in your case, how how how aware were you at the start?
SPEAKER_03Say about 75% aware.
SPEAKER_06Oh, that was great.
SPEAKER_03Yes, I I am my school's environmental president. So I have to be aware of environmental solutions, coming up with innovative ideas to solve our issues at hand. So that is really my stance. You know, being educated about uh um environmental sustainability and that is uh from there on you'll know about environmental solutions.
SPEAKER_06Awesome. And so, and so let's get to the solution that you came up with. Um describe what it is that the the process that you all went through in devising your solution and what was the solution.
SPEAKER_01So, how the project started. Um so once we, you know, we were given the ideas, the instruction on what we were supposed to create, um, I remember um a teacher actually said to me, Huey, it's raining outside, go on outside, go look and see what's happening. And I did. And I went outside, phone in hand, because I was about to capture by a video what I could. And what drew my attention was this ancil worker we have. Um, he was actually sweeping water off the corridor, right? And I said, This doesn't look good. I saw students walking closer to the wall to avoid getting wet, to avoid sliding and stuff like that. And immediately I saw the real issue. I saw water coming down on one part. I saw that, hey, there isn't a proper drainage here.
SPEAKER_06Having captured the issues, uh Deker, if I could shift to get the students very quickly to tell us how what did you how did you go from the images, the information, your lived experience with the condition and determining what things you could put together uh to create a nature-based response to the problem.
SPEAKER_04So after Ms. Huey told us about the real problem, we discussed it at our club meetings and we both concluded on the idea to create a permeable pavement. And later along, we decided to make it a merger with both a green roof and a permeable pavement.
SPEAKER_06By permeable, we mean it's able to absorb the water. Water can filter through, so it's a surface that's not just a hard surface. And then um, Deka, the the green roof, what what was what's that?
SPEAKER_04Okay, so the green roof was made up of multiple layers. You had a layer on top that had lawn grass. It was basically there for ornamental purposes and also to combat the issue of climate change. There was a layer underneath it that had charcoal that would help with the filtration and purification of the water. And the green roof is basically there to help when the water, the rainwater, falls on top. It basically helps to send it to a nearby storage tank, and there'd be a drainage system so the water is not completely wasted and it would be recycled since we are a boarding school, so it had uh another use.
SPEAKER_06You had a three-step system that you designed. So, what did you how did you find that experience of coming up with an idea, um doing actually creating it and then observing how it works?
SPEAKER_04It was personally, it was very exciting. I'm all for new ideas, and as I said, this nature-based solution, it was new to me, so I loved the entire process. The setting up, learning how to learning what those particular things, I personally love that.
SPEAKER_06And and for yourself, Chantel, what did you gain from the experience?
SPEAKER_03It was really exciting. You know, I as I said before, I like innovation. So to see that we implemented something that uh can be put into effect at our school, that was something that I really like to see.
SPEAKER_06Thank you so very much, Ms. Huey, for first of all doing the work you do, uh encouraging the students in their knowledge and understanding and the application of that knowledge in the area of science, energy, and technology. Um, and Chantel and Deeker, we thank you so much for applying your awesome brains to a particular issue at your school and coming up with the prototype of what could be a solution. Um so any final words, Chantel Deeker, about nature-based climate solutions? What would you want other young people to know?
SPEAKER_03Well, I want other young people to, well, starting in schools, I think that every school should have an environment club or a set club. So students can really be knowledgeable of all the things that um energy and environmental sustainability brings forth and how we can implement that into the world. Thank you. And Dika.
SPEAKER_04I would like to leave that you don't have to be a science student to participate in these types of activities. For example, myself, I am a law student, but I'm also interested in science and robotics. You don't have to limit yourself to one thing. It's okay to explore and have different ideas.
SPEAKER_06Excellent. Thank you so very much, uh, Club Advisor, Ms. Shaunike, Shaunake Huey, and also students Deka Dixon and Chantel Henry of the St. Hilda's High School, winners of the JUS Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and JPS Foundation EcoSpark competition. Okay, so that was a very informative um exchange with the students of St. Hilda's and their teacher. And so with our guests, I want to just start with getting your reaction. What do you think about initiatives that will involve youth at high school level and even earlier in primary school? And why is that a good idea?
SPEAKER_00Okay, Carl, if I can start. Sure. Sasha Gay Luke here from the Caribbean Youth Environment Network. I definitely believe it's a great idea because that's where I started. At seven years old, I saw a problem in my community, waste management. I said it out loud, my neighbors heard me, they were embarrassed by it, and then all the elders in my community came together, they cleaned up the garbage, we started, we then moved on to getting proper garbage collection in my community, and a farm was placed in that space as well as businesses. So big ideas can start in small spaces, and that led me, of course, to develop my interest in science. My parents supported that. I did my subjects in science in CSEC, CAPE, went on to do environmental biopharma BSC and just completed my master's in natural resource management. And one such idea, even the Prime Minister campaigned on it, was that to solve improper waste management disposal, I participated in an unleash hack that was put on by Adrian. And I proposed that an app be used to log improper garbage disposal sites, and that maybe you may see it in the Kingston Harbor Nowagators. I had a smaller idea to that, to put that in the gullies to collect garbage and to um basically create a livelihood for community members. So, yes, that's a great idea.
SPEAKER_06You so you said my mouth has been open since you started talking, and it's still right. So you said big ideas can come from small spaces, but you're a demonstration that big ideas come from small people too. Yeah. So thank you. Any other reactions to starting and listening to young youngsters from primary school or younger ages?
SPEAKER_07Stephen Palmer here from JCCYC, Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council. And I'm just saying that young people, children specifically, have a wild imagination. They will come up with something that is so grandiose, so crazy, that might just actually work. And like Sasha here with her seven-year-old idea that actually made it into something, the idea is that there are no limits. And if it is that if it is that we give um young people the opportunity to create ideas that can solve issues, then what you'll probably find, what you'll probably find in the long run is that you'll probably get some good ideas that you wouldn't even think about as an adult because you're all you're thinking about the constraints and the budget and all the things that are gonna go wrong. And they're just thinking about yo, this can go so right. And so, Adrian, I see you champing at the bait.
SPEAKER_09Yes, um, I I think um, like especially because we're from the same community, I'm Adrian Watson from Gene. Um, I used to hear off early um from St. Aloy, the days of St. Aloysius during the 90s, where there was the school cleanup program. Uh, and and so um St. Aloysius was winning all of the best clean school. That of and having known about the solid waste issues within CV Gardens and have grown up seeing some of those issues as well. So that sparked my interest. So um later on, what that resulted in, um, we would have uh me and my grandfather would have created this um urban agro um agropark in front of our home because they used to burn solid waste. And so Jean actually um implemented the unleash app that Sasha Gabe participated in, um, and she would have won a prize to create the prototype that she just spoke about. Um, so and we're we we just recently um had another eco act for using the same unleash method for persons in biodiversity, conservation, and climate projects. So um I would say I would definitely promote starting as early as a basic school because of that trajectory, um the influence at a very young age. But I would also hasten to say that you shouldn't forget the older folks either.
SPEAKER_06That's right.
SPEAKER_09Um they still have information and knowledge and skills to pass on.
SPEAKER_06And so environmental stewardship, climate change adaptation, uh utilizing nature in the solution making is an all of society, all age groups, youth, seniors, as Adrian is saying, uh, women, men, boys and girls, persons with disabilities, right? So it's an inclusive process.
SPEAKER_02And so all this talk of climate change, but what I want to ask of this very youthful group is how have you been explaining, if you have, the connection between climate change and lived experiences to someone who's never really thought of or doesn't understand what climate change is and what climate issues are before?
SPEAKER_05So good morning. Um my name is Ashran Carto, and I'm from the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network. And a part of our work is sensitizing young persons around issues that are affecting them and helping them to understand that they can be changemakers in their own right. And I'm going to uh connect it a bit to the discussion we're just having. And what I liked about the initiative that JPS and J User was leading is that it incentivizes young persons to think of uh database solutions for the very real problems that they're facing. I think that's something that we as a society need to do more within our children. To say, hey, we complain that it's quite hot in Jamaica. We can't sleep because you know we have to have the AC running and have the fans on. But what's causing this? And what can you do to help solve this issue? And so linking back the problems that you see within society, for example, to break down these sort of mystical issues because we love to see climate change and we love to say below 1.5 degrees, but that doesn't mean in my reality.
SPEAKER_06So to come to Rashini's question, right? How is uh Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, how are you breaking down the information and what do you how do you how receptive are you finding um to the folks you're doing so?
SPEAKER_05We have to go within schools and meet students where they are. Uh-huh. And for any sensitization that we're doing of students, we have to ensure that it's age appropriate. So you break it down to say, okay, um, have you ever gone in a garden and realized that it's full of mud or when it falls, the range of settles. Um, you know, you can build the different solutions to ensure that the water is uh runs off from the garden so that it can go out and you can click. So ensuring that the information is tailored to young persons and that you're not speaking about them, you're speaking to them. And ensuring that it's presented in fun and creative ways.
SPEAKER_09Well, how I've been um helping young people to showcase nature-based climate solution is I'm also a beekeeper. I have a social, I also have a social enterprise that is the business side to Gene, which is Honeybees A Peri, where I started urban beekeeping in Sea View Gardens. And that's the same little small plot there. I mean, since since then I've moved the A priori to a more rural setting, but the idea is to reset that up um sometime soon. Um, and so we I I've gone into um I've I've done a project with the Village Academy School of Agriculture, where they're targeting um at risk youth um who are transitioning from state care to may have come in conflict with the law or at risk of ending up in scenarios where they they don't want to be. And one of um I remember talking to them about bees and DT. And one of the young men called um both of the principal and said, We need to we need to actually get Adrian to come and um teach the things, teach, teach me beekeeping. I was like, I really didn't want to at the time, so I gave him a challenge. I said to him, if you can get me 15 students minimum, then I'll do the training. Thinking he wouldn't come back. The next day he came with 26 students, including himself. Yeah, so I was now stuck teaching beekeeping and climate change to the most disadvantaged stuff um of our amongst our young people. Awesome. Um, and and and they've he's gotten a grant to start his own beekeeping business, and a couple of them have done environmental stuff, so we can inspire.
SPEAKER_08I can sum up everything that we've said so far.
SPEAKER_06And so for our listeners, just remind who we are name.
SPEAKER_08Mario Dalbert um from um the Carbon Economic Council. I started out, you know, in advocacy um at a very young age. But I remember when I was going to iSchool, my principal put me in charge of our greenhouse. So it was like a greenhouse. I was going every single day to check on the plans, to check on the things that were in it. So I remember starting out very early. But what was also important was the fact that you know there was an ecosystem already in the in the in our school. You know, there's a key club, there's a 4-H club. And if you look at it at the primary school and a secondary school level, this is where our young people get, you know, exposed to environmental science, stuff related to agriculture, farming.
SPEAKER_06So we've we've gotten an idea of your gifts at first of all, educating yourselves, informing yourselves, and then translating the information to younger and younger uh age groups, as well as translating the information to adults who are responsible for making policy and decisions. So talk uh a little bit about how you're finding being advocates, promoting resilience, promoting uh nature-based solutions, promoting environmental protection and good stewardship. How are you finding um the ability to translate and to communicate and to convince at the decision-making level now?
SPEAKER_09So the for the first one I had to engage with, um, I was actually in Sasha Gay Sports when I was at SLEC CYN, um, the climate change policy that we now use. Um I I remember having to make a few contributions to that document, and some of the wording that I was submitted at the time is in that document that we're using nationally to guide Jamaica's policy. Um, for when I was the steering committee member for the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, the first Caribbean member to be on that steering committee, I had to go to the um the conference of parties for biodiversity in Cancun, Mexico. All the way back in 2016, I had to write a section um for the pollination services section of the decision for that year, along with some interventions on synthetic biology and the implications for it, and some of the wording um is also included in that. So the the the rationale here is you have to be able to put yourself in a position to actually inform. And how you do that is by building out a network around you, because for me, I had to engage about 18 of the island youth uh networks in the Caribbean, because as I said, I was the first Caribbean person on that steering committee, and the gibbon GIBN at the time didn't have a very strong Caribbean representation. So when you take choose to take up and design um projects on the ground, you even if you are somebody like me that hates writing, that hates doing policy work, um, unfortunately, you don't get to shirk responsibilities just because you hate it. And so you have to be able to open to learning, learning how to engage people. And then you also have to learn how to write. In my case, those were all the three things I didn't like doing. Um, but then you you feel a sense of pride and joy when you actually see you're writing an international policy document or a national one. Um it makes a lot of difference because I've seen, lastly, here that I've seen where Perfs have taken those several policy sections and justify a stream of funding that goes out to the local community-level people.
SPEAKER_06So let me just ask, why are you bothering? What motivates your interest from very young, continuing to have it, marshalling your knowledge and so on, working with other young people, working in policy spaces, taking the time to do the research and write the policy brief and go and sit down in with the adults and negotiate to get language into documents and all of that uh work. Why?
SPEAKER_07I think I think we probably should say why not? What is at risk of what is at risk of being lost? When you think about it, climate change doesn't just affect the flooding of the street and the car that you probably can't drive through it with, but it will also affect how you live and the culture that you you know now may not exist in a few years because we're gonna be forced to change the culture because we won't have a space or an environment that is that is a customer that that can maintain the culture that we want to have. I mean, right now we can walk outside um at 12, but for how much longer will that be the case? Soon we probably have to like stay off the streets when the sun is at high at at h at high position. The idea is that we are not safeguarding, we are not just safeguarding a little piece or something. We are safeguarding so much more and the livelihood and and everything that comes after. And I see Sasha wants to add, so I'll allow her to jump in.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much. Right, Steven. So why bother? Why bother because of Gandhi's be the change you wish to see the world see in the world? Why bother because once you see a problem, the onus is on you to fix it. Why bother because you ought to send the ladder down, other persons would have gone ahead of you and would have created policies, restructured the education system so that you can have this knowledge and this interest now, so that where you see the gaps, you can fill it. Also you are there to bridge a gap. For example, I may not have written a policy myself, but Mario had this thing last year where he was developing a youth, a Caribbean regional youth policy. And having done the master's in natural resource management, I was able to contribute to that from on the climate change perspective, right? So he was writing that, but I was able to contribute and still learn from him somewhat on how to do it. Additionally, right, what it means is that when we do things like that, we now get the opportunity to walk into rooms, rooms such as COP, right? Conference of parties, one was held in Kingston. It's not every day that a cop is held in a country and that you get to attend. Whilst there, I was told that I'm just an observer, so I can speak on certain things. But I was saying to myself, no, no, no, no. God did not put me in that room for me to stay silent, for me to be quiet, because me being in the room with just a foot in the door allows me to push the door further open for other youths behind me, for youths in marginalized groups. So, what I did is that you have to learn to work the room. I worked the room in the lunchtime, in the lunch sessions, and I said, okay, how can youths get involved in the working groups where the decision making is being done before it becomes policy and becomes a global framework and agenda and whatever? And the person that the secretary told me how, and then he raised my point for me, and a country backed my point, another country backed my point. So I worked the room in my lunchtime, but I didn't, it wasn't documented that I was saying this. But a youth was allowed into the room. Mario was there to witness it. A youth was allowed into the room, and I make use of that because it wasn't just about me, it was about everybody else that is sitting under a tree that doesn't have the education, every adult that has gone before me that has wanted a change but has never had the opportunity to make it. Every youth that is coming behind me now in high school, primary school, basic school, and those yet to be born, it was that opportunity, and that's what I stood on and presented a youth voice. And now I'm in a working group, the spa working group, which is a specially protected um something and wildlife. I can't remember right. But basically, it gives me opportunity to protect wildlife and to even suggest nature-based solutions such as mangrove restoration, coral restoration in certain places to determine to determine which areas should be protected and which areas should not. So that's why.
SPEAKER_02Very, very interesting discussion. Um, so I like um where this discussion is going. Uh, a question that I want to add is, and before I get into it, so growing up, we did not have the term nature-based solutions around. Um, we used to hear in school um there's a hole in the ozone layer, and what do we do about that? Who can remember that? Right? So the language has changed quite a bit over the years. Um, and I know that it's difficult for a lot of people to still make the connection. What are nature-based solutions? We have episodes that go in-depth about it, but what are your some of your ideas as to how we can make nature-based solutions more appealing for people to you know want to implement these solutions in their communities, especially marginalized communities, Sasha, like you mentioned.
SPEAKER_05So I think one of the first steps is to start by engendering the idea of climate action within young persons and children from a very early age, um, to help them understand, of course, that there are these alternatives and there are these solutions that are available at their disposal. Again, helping them to understand that there are issues that they're facing within their communities, within their households, within their classrooms, and then there are these solutions that are available and that they can utilize. And I think another thing that's quite important um is ensuring that investment is available. I think one thing that disincentivizes persons from exploring solutions like interview solutions is that they feel as if there won't be any funding for it. So they have these grandiose ideas and they love all their sound, but in the back of their mind, they won't approach it or they won't undertake it because there isn't much funding, or it's not something that their community is going to take up or that the government is going to fund. So I think in handing with engendering young persons and children with the importance of these solutions, we should also make sure that we're providing actual pathways for them to explore these solutions. So going into schools as um we're doing, um, and as I said here, that has benefited from um ensuring that you have opportunities for them to actually realize the ideas that they have. And when you do that and you incentivize them, it also incentivizes and influence other young children or other persons within the communities to say, hey, uh, there's a future in this, there is a job for me. I can actually study um environmental sciences, I can actually take up um uh uh something within university or within high school that allows me to contribute meaningfully to uh my community, to Jamaica's ecosystems and my environment, and actually make a living from this. There is a future for me in environmental protection.
SPEAKER_08The fact that you know there are structures, there are funds, they are funding. Some people cannot get through them through to them because the the the the structure is not there in in their community to get the access to the resources. And so there might be one, a structural barrier. The financial resources is one, the access to the financial resources.
SPEAKER_02When you imagine a better, more sustainable city, what does it look like? And what role does nature play in that vision? Also, what role does the youth play in that vision? Adrian, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_09So for me, you have to communicate with the using the lived experience of the local people in the communities and then extract from them what that what that this new community looks like. For me, there are pathways that you can walk that are covered in trees. So people who struggle with the high blood pressure do have to walk in with the hot sun.
SPEAKER_07We also need to consider that in our imagination, we already have a downtown Kingston, we already have a new Kingston, we already have the spaces with the what you say, the tough or the or with the hard surfaces. But we have the power to retrofit, which is what I was getting to now. So you have to we have to go with an approach of we have this, what can we add over time that will make it into something that is more integrated with nature that we can actually um benefit from in the long run. Um when when that when a road goes bad and they're gonna go on ahead and resurface, maybe we change the resurfacing type that we're gonna use. If it is that a facade on the side of a um a building is gonna be changed, maybe we try to use something different. If it is that we're gonna be repurposing a building in the in a space, let's just maybe try to incorporate more trees in the let's say the the atrium part or maybe around or maybe on top. If it is that the building actually is made for that or can accommodate that. But the idea is it maybe, maybe we won't, we we should not reinvent the wheel in the sense of, oh, we're starting from scratch. Um let us consider at first now how can we in the kit in spaces where we we are not starting from scratch, in spaces where we are not starting from scratch, where we already have where we already have these um these buildings and these structures, how can we make it work with that? How can we introduce lead um certification and so I can't give you the perfect acronym right now, but it's a certification that buildings basically certification, precisely, where they consider energy consumption, um lighting, and so on, and that is built into the actual design, but it could also be built into retrofitting because who knows, maybe the building isn't lead certified now, but it could become that in the future, and so putting in all of these things would make life so much better. And um I'll just share one last thing. Vetivera grass is uh is a nature-based solution used in Trinidad very often, and that's because in certain parts of Trinidad there's a very steep slope and landslides occur, and what they do is they use the grass in rows, and because of its very dense root system and very long root system, it actually you it's it's essentially anchoring or nailing the soil in place. Now, that's beautiful when you see it, because you can cut the grass and you can make it into a lovely little, I don't know what you call what the landscapers do, but like it looks good, but at the same time, the grass is serving another um another role in holding that soil together so that if on the highways, when we look at the concrete that they've put on the side, we could have used vertiver instead.
SPEAKER_00I have been to Medellin in Colombia, and it is a beautiful city, completely vegetated, they have green walls, meaning they have vegetation on the walls, they have um green roofs, there are plants on the roofs, they have trees along the sidewalk, and let me tell you, it's it's it's pretty cool. It was a shocker coming from Jamaica, going to South America and experiencing that. But it was great, it showed the reality that I thought in my head was impossible. But what I agree with Steven is that where we find opportunities to retrofit or rebuild, we don't have to necessarily, of course, with the new buildings and stuff that are growing up, we need to do environmental, social, health impact assessments to determine um the effects of these things on everybody and everything.
SPEAKER_05In my reality or in my um idea, I think we should ensure that we're using nature-based solutions in a way that ties in with uh cultural practices. So, as uh uh Kevin would have said, um, not reinventing the wheel because our ancestors um for for many years have found ways to ensure that they're living uh sustainably and intimately with nature and not just combating and dominating nature. And so, take for instance schools. Back in the day, you have schools that were built with ventilation that allowed for cool air to come in and ensure that students could uh were kept cool uh throughout the day. And you also have schools that were built with uh green spaces in the center of the schools. Now I think for the most part they're mostly paved off, and that's the issue. So we're sort of transitioning into what we think is development without considering our cultural context, and so um any green development, uh nature-based solutions has to be done uh with the our culture in mind and with the idea that we need to preserve some of the lost elements, some of the things that have to work. So even gardens within homes. Our grandparents will grow up and will tell you that they grew up with gardens in their buckyards, they grew up farming, and it's a part of our culture. Our very four parents or ancestors um had gardens, and that's one of the ways that they sustained themselves. It was um it gave them economic independence from from um the slave owners, it's ingrained in our culture. So, some of the things that we need to go back to, and I'll also just add that we need to stop uh building cities and building communities uh centered around cars, and that's one of our major issues. So, so much asphalt, cars, cars, so many, so many roads everywhere, and it it it's what it's what's causing our drainage issues, it's what's uh preventing uh water runoff, it's what's causing the flooding every time it rains in New Kingston or in Kingston. You it takes you two or three hours to get home, and there's so much traffic. Uh, we we need to reinvent how we develop our urban spaces or not reinvent, but think of more sustainable ways.
SPEAKER_08The need for more trees in our in the entire Kingston and St. Andrew and other urban um era is something that we have to look into as a natural as a nature-based solution. And of course, and also reducing the the need to have so many cars on the on the road, but people don't want to try to travel on buses anymore because of of course convenience and so on. But we have to take into consideration the impact that this has on our on our cities.
SPEAKER_07People don't mind taking transportation that is that is that is safe, reliable, clean, and all the other things that you could possibly get in, let's say a London or Germany.
SPEAKER_08So I guess it's the the issue is policy.
SPEAKER_06As we wrap this conversation, going to do another whip around. What's your call to action? What's the call to action that you would want to advance from this conversation? For those who are listening, what's something that they can take away from this conversation that they can do?
SPEAKER_07All right. Well, from the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, JCCYC, my call to action is get involved. Your voice matters. If you're hearing my voice, it's it means that you are somewhat interested in what we're talking about. And and at this point, I invite you to become a part of one of these networks and start to do your part in advancing. Well, let's just maybe use the pledge, the welfare of the whole human race. Because that's really what we're we're here talking about. Because climate change affects everything. That's that's pretty much it.
SPEAKER_06And a plug for your organization, what is it? How do people make contact?
SPEAKER_07So it's the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, but you can find us at our footprintja, and you can also check us out on our website or footprintja.org. Sasha.
SPEAKER_00All right, so um, for me, the call to action would be if you are seeing a climate change problem, it means that there's something in nature that has been taken out of balance and we need to put it back. So you can do some research and see what nature-based solutions can be used to assist or to mitigate or to prevent or to reverse that issue. Right? So, yes, and get involved, join any of the groups, right? So for the Carbon Youth Environment Network, we are a nonprofit organization that is focused on nature-based solutions, education, sustainable land management, water, and water management. So you can get involved, visit Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and if you see us putting out any volunteer opportunities, even if you're not a member, you're welcome to join and help us to make the impact that we want to be.
SPEAKER_05Alright, so my call to action comes from the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network. You can find us on all social media platforms at YouthAdvocate.j. And we've been around since 2006 advocating for young persons and ensuring that we enable them to have a voice in nation building. And my call will go to stakeholders um like the governments and uh policymakers, uh, to one, ensuring that you're investing in the innovativeness of young persons. Um, young persons have a lot of brilliant ideas, they have many nature-based solutions to the issues that we're facing, and all they need is that platform, that push, that incentive to actually realize their potential. I also say that it's important for you to invest and engender um the importance of climate uh action, climate uh justice and climate uh consciousness within our young persons, and ensuring that whenever we're thinking of a solution to problems around us, we're thinking of a nature based solution.
SPEAKER_06Yay.
SPEAKER_08If you're only You're hearing the voice of Mari Galbert, representing the Caribbean Climate Council. My call to you today is for you to become an environment and climate justice advocate. It simply means that you are meeting the people where they are, taking into consideration that everything that we do today affects you, your health, your environment, your economic status, and you know the intersectionalities of justice for you and for me. And of course, advocating for a right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. To the government and others, ensure that you move from policy to action and implementation and include all young people from across all different walks of life. And of course, our elderly, we want to ensure that they also live in a safe and sustainable environment.
SPEAKER_06Your organization and how people can make contact who are listening.
SPEAKER_08Of course, the Cabinet Youth Climate Council. We of course are on Instagram, our platform at OneCYCC. You can reach out to us. It's open to all young persons, ages 18 to 35, but of course we engage with everyone.
SPEAKER_06And so, listeners, what a thrill this has been to have had this conversation. Proud, proud elder in the room. Um, and and really heartened by your knowledge, the time that you've taken to inform yourselves, and then your commitment to utilizing your individual awareness and knowledge for the betterment of the larger community, nation, region, and world. And so, listeners, this is the last, the seventh in the series, last in this series, but there will be others. And so we thank you for having joined us for each of the conversations for this podcast, Resilience Naturally, a podcast brought to you by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and the J Use Project. We thank our guests, Stephen Palmer from the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, Sasha Kay Luke, National Coordinator with the Caribbean Youth Environment Network, Adrian Watson, Executive Director of the Jamaica Environmental Entrepreneurs Advocacy Network, Dashaun Carter, Project Assistant, Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, and Mario Galbert, Executive Coordinator, Caribbean Youth.
SPEAKER_02So remember to share this episode and all the previous episodes, and you can keep up with the Resilience Naturally Podcast and everything the JUSE Project and the EFJ are doing by following the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica on social media. On Facebook and LinkedIn, just search for the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica and on Instagram, it's the THE underscore EFJ. And visit our website at www.efj.org.jm.
SPEAKER_06We extend our very, very special thanks to our producer and also co-host uh for some of the episodes, Ronika Walker Matt Knight, and we thank really, really uh heartily the Harry J Studios, where we have had the benefit of their production and post-production support. We thank you listeners and uh those of you who have not only listened but have also shared this series of conversations in resilience naturally. We thank all the guests who have joined us for this season one of the podcast. Please look out for season two, where we'll continue to put issues surrounding the environment front and center. Until then, I'm Carol Narcisse. Thanks for listening.
SPEAKER_02And I'm Rashini Clark Randall. Take care.