Camana Bay introduces new annual earth day festival

(CNS): Camana Bay will be hosting the first annual Cayman Islands Earth Day Festival next Wednesday in conjunction with Island Offsets, a new local non-profit organisation that aims to help individuals and businesses erase their carbon footprint and reduce their contribution to climate change. The Festival will feature environmental displays and activities, a wide variety of interactive educational opportunities for children and adults, as well as live music. Coinciding with Camana Bay’s quarterly Evening Market there will be over 20 vendors setting up stalls along Market Street, where visitors can sample local produce and homemade goods. From sausages and pepper jelly to local crafts, plants and produce,the flavour is uniquely Caymanian.

Eating locally-grown produce is a great way for families to significantly lower their carbon footprint as it eliminates the need for food to be shipped or flown to our Islands. It also helps to support local farmers and improves our ability as a nation to feed ourselves.

On the Crescent, where the main Earth Day festivities will take place, shoppers will find vendors
selling eco-friendly products. These vendors include purveyors of alternative energy systems such as solar and wind power, furniture stores carrying pieces made from recycled teak, liquor stores offering organic products, architects showcasing energy-efficient building techniques and clothing stores selling organic and recycled items.

One of the festival’s highlights will be a free premiere of the new film “Carbon Nation”, an upbeat
climate change solutions documentary directed by Peter Byck. Described by the Los Angeles Times as "… an inspiring look at the many recent advances in clean energy and green technologies,” the movie, which is sponsored by Cayman Airways, will be screened at Hollywood Theatres at 6:30pm and 8pm. Entry is free of charge but seating is limited so movie goers are encouraged to arrive early.

The Humane Society, Cayman Wildlife Rescue, the National Trust and the Blue Iguana Recovery Fund along with Island Offsets will be available to explain their goals and projects.

The Cayman Islands Catboat Association will also be offering people the chance to sail around Camana Bay’s breezy harbour and an art display will include the winning piece from the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s Reusable Bag Competition, as well as a collection of painted barrels donated by Tortuga Rum Company, Ltd.

The barrels were painted by local artists and high school students who drew their inspiration from the earth and Cayman’s natural environment. This will be used later by the department of Environmental Health to be used to collect aluminium cans for recycling. They will be placed in high visibility locations including at the cruise ship terminals and on public beaches.
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Three electric vehicles will be on display including the Chevy Volt, the first electric car licensed to
drive on Cayman’s roads; the GEM, Camana Bay’s battery-operated security vehicle; and the
ZENN, which stands for Zero Emission, No Noise. As gas prices continue to soar, electric vehicles are emerging as the cars of the future, however they are currently not allowed on Cayman’s roads.