Green revolution: Mombasa youth take the lead in pollution fight

The Green Quest team. [Mustafa Abdurrahman, Standard] Within the span of a few decades, pollution has become a worldwide menace, placing planet Earth at risk. Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, fossil fuels and waste mismanagement have caused severe damage to Kenya's ecosystems. Pollution has resulted in up to 1.2 million tonnes of plastic being deposited along the country's coastline each year, while areas such as Nairobi's Dandora landfill receive about 2,000 tonnes of waste daily. Taka Taka ni Mali Eliazer Mabwai says under-utilised and unmanaged waste materials, especially in dumpsites pose a serious risk to the environment and human health, with the greatest negative impact felt by the most vulnerable in society. Simply put, we are consuming resources at an unstable rate, and disposing of them in an unsustainable manner. Climate change poses significant threats to Kenya's economy, which relies heavily on tourism and rainfed agriculture. Increasing heat and droughts have led to severe crop and livestock losses, impacting food security and livelihoods. This economic strain has pushed Gen Z to advocate for climate action to protect their future economic prospects. At this rate, within their lifetimes, they will face between 2.7 to 4.3F of warming, according to the United Nations. "As temperatures rise, more moisture evaporates, which exacerbates extreme rainfall and flooding, causing more destructive storms," the organisation says. These weather changes can ruin economies and the quality of life for our future generations exponentially. The US Agency for International Development estimates that 92 per cent of Kenya's plastic is mismanaged, with only around seven per cent ending up recycled, resulting in 37 kilotons of plastic waste leaking into the environment and ocean each year. This means in the future, Kenyans, particularly in major cities will live in a polluted environment, placing their health and effectiveness at risk. With all of these issues presented, it is clear something needs to change, and the youth are taking action. Across Kenya, multiple youth groups are putting their minds together to attempt to deter the crushing issue of pollution and emissions. One particular example is the Mombasa group Green Quest, originally started by student Az-zara Mawji of the Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa. "Green Quest is a student-led initiative that aims to recycle paper waste around the school campus. Its short-term goal is to motivate students to use less paper; however, the paper that is used by them should be recycled whereas the long-term goal is to combat climate change and reduce deforestation," said Az-zara about the group. The group places normal bins and large cage-like collection bins in schools around the county for the collection of paper waste. Once these cages fill up every three weeks or so, they are taken to a local recycling company for further recycling processes to occur. Az-zara says she is driven by the passion to protect the planet. "Ever since I was young, I have always been aware of the need to adopt practices and make lifestyle choices that would contribute to the betterment of our environment," she says This statement is important, as it highlights the fact that the youth are beginning to adapt to the growing problem of climate change. Since it was created, Green Quest has collected over 500kg of paper waste in just a year. The project has caught the eye of Youth Advocate at the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) Bryan Michuki. Mr Michuki described the project as "impactful and capable of changing the world." Funding and monetisation is an important factor when it comes to projects such as this. Green Quest has begun selling branded merchandise and sourcing for donations through social media and word of mouth. Sufian Nathani, co-finance executive of the project, says: "In the future, we plan to do fundraising events to create awareness about our initiative." The team is also eyeing grants from CASTrips', a foundation that funds student projects that resonate with their message of making "a genuine, sustainable impact through transformative cross-cultural experiences." Alysaa Shamji, photography executive of Green Quest and in charge of applications for grants, describes the process of applications and what it entails. "We are working towards a cleaner and greener environment with minimal paper waste, and are applying for a grant where we essentially have to submit a three-minute video on what we are about, what we have accomplished," she says. "We would greatly develop from the grant as we would be able to invest in more sustainable bins for waste paper collection, and for creating awareness to expand our project to a more global degree." Kiara Ribeiro, co-leader and deputy head of Green Quest, said they plan to integrate junior schools, and hospitals around Mombasa into the project. Green Quest's Videography and photography executive, Jacob Van Niekerk, says that everyone can lend a helping hand. "This is by taking care not to litter, by ensuring they we have adequate methods of trash collection in and around our homes and workspaces, and by making sure trash is disposed of in sustainable a manner." He says the younger generation, especially Gen Z has the capability of spreading real change and awareness throughout the world quickly via the web. According to reports, rapid technological advancements have made Gen Z in Kenya more active in conservation. They use digital tools and social media, such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to organise protests and campaigns, advocating for environmental sustainability. "Gen Z efforts such as Green Quest and its members should be a key representation of what this generation has to offer. They can spark real change for the planet around them and slow emissions throughout their lifetime," says Mr Van Niekerk. "Spreading awareness and creating startups has become easier than ever, and technical advancements are constantly being developed to halt climate change."

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