Spotlight on the Amazing Island Green Living Association — What You Need to Know

Island Green, a conservation association based on the island of St. John, is pioneering environmental changes across the U.S. Virgin Islands. It’s a fantastic project that puts the health of the planet first.

Wanting to learn more about the Island Green Living Association? Here’s an introduction to this unique association and why it matters.

Early Days of the Island Green Living Association

The project began in 2004, when the Island Green Building Association was founded. Its aim is to promote more sustainable land development and educate the public on the waste created by construction and building projects.

In 2008, Island Green’s efforts earned it the National Oceanic Atmospheric Community Service Award in response to its anti-pollution efforts and community projects. In 2012, the Association opened what it calls the ReSource Depot, where it collects donations to be used for construction and household materials.

It also resells materials unused by the project for affordable prices. This enables the reuse of costly building materials rather than letting these go to waste in landfills.

Introducing the Preserve St. John Campaign

In 2014, the association began the “Preserve St. John” campaign, in which volunteers collected and recycled aluminum cans that would have otherwise contributed to pollution on the island. By 2017, its anti-pollution efforts led to the establishment of the Green Restaurant Program, which is working to eradicate single-use plastics in food service and increase the recycling of aluminum and glass products.

Around this time, it also campaigned to support sustainable cleanup after hurricanes Irma and Maria, reducing the how much debris is being burned after these disasters stirred up large amounts of litter. By 2018, it was working on legislation to ban plastic straws and started work on increasing solar power usage on the island of St. John.

The Save Our Reefs Campaign

One of the Island Green Living Association’s major projects is its “Save Our Reefs” campaign. It focuses on reducing oxybenzone pollution, which is a major contributor to degraded reefs. Oxybenzone is a chemical that-until the passage of certain legislature in 2019-was commonly found in sunscreens, a staple in culture on these tropical islands.

Island Green provides lists of recommended sunscreens as well as their proper usage and disposal to help reduce aquatic toxicity in the oceans. It is working to educate the community on how to preserve both the health of the island and the health of the humans who live off it.

Because the island is located on a coral reef, land pollution in the Virgin Islands contributes directly to the threat currently posed to these endangered ecosystems. Any modifications made to the landscape loosen sediment, which pushes into the ocean from the island. Studies on landscape development intensity have shown that man-made disturbances to the land since the early 2000s have contributed significantly to the poor health of surrounding coral reefs.

The Foundation of The Island Green Living Center

In 2019, the organization began work on its current project, the Island Green Living Center. Plans for the center include recycling facilities for standard glass and plastic materials and even used cooking oil. The facility is to run on solar energy, and it includes a community garden that is connected to a co-op food market to provide sustainably sourced food for the community.

The ReSource Depot will be expanded as part of the Living Center. In addition, it has been a crucial part of contributing construction materials to the project.

It has continued the aluminum can collections, using its compactor to send bales to recycling facilities in the United States to raise funds for building costs. The Island Green Living Association hopes to finish construction and fully launch the zero-waste facility this year.

Once complete, the hope is for the organization’s Living Center to become a community pillar that is self-sufficient in its own right. It will also host education and training programs to educate the community on green living. It has already hosted classes on what community members can do at home, such as how to compost, support a green economy, and reduce single-use plastics on a day-to-day basis.

Island Green’s Contribution to Food Security

The Island Green Living Association also wishes to utilize the Living Center as a way to continue its efforts to improve food security for locals. The UN Food and Agricultural Organization reports that 97 percent of the food supply on the Virgin Islands today is imported. Mass imports contribute to carbon emissions and pollution, which makes the environment less hospitable and decreases the nutritional value of the food.

It additionally increases the prices that locals are paying for their food and makes shortages more frequent for those living on the islands. Through advocacy and education, Island Green Living Association is working to promote home and school gardens. It is also advocating for mandatory agriculture and food sustainability classes as part of the curriculum in public schools.

Island Green is currently the sponsor of an aquaponics and hydroponics gardening system and the subsequent curriculum at a local K-12 school, where it also hosts workshops and training for the community on composting and home gardening. With the pandemic and the constant threat of climate change, the association is working to create a more self-sufficient and sustainable system of food resources for islanders.

Get Involved with the Island Green Living Association

There are many ways that those interested can contribute to the efforts of Island Green, whether by donating, volunteering, or sharing information about the association’s work with others. On St. John, the main way to join the campaign is by volunteering at the ReSource Depot, which is currently the only thrift store and recycling center on the island.

More opportunities to join in the efforts of the Island Green Living Association, along with updates on its current projects, can always be found in its regular newsletter, the Green Digest.

Originally published at https://ralphthurman.com on March 3, 2022.