Castara is blessed with an abundance of prime natural and cultural heritage on which the
livelihoods in this tourism economy driven community depend.
However, these resources are under severe stress due to indiscriminate littering and greywater
outflow. The causes for this are (a) the human factor which includes a ?don?t?care attitude?,
ignorance, and lack of law enforcement and (b) the use of environmentally unfriendly detergents
and packaging.
Since many years the waste problem is discussed amongst community members and visitors alike.
Based on its previous experience with smaller waste management projects, the Castara Tourism
Development Association (CTDA) with its 35+ members has decided to submit the proposal at
hand to address the issue in an innovative and sustainable way. The innovative character is based
on linking conservation efforts with eco?entrepreneurship in an entire tourism?based community.
The sustainability is based on linking a Castara eco?brand promise, marketing and sales with use
of more environmentally friendly products.
Through a summer camp, practical ?green operations? workshops, community walk?about, an
edutaining ?waste?day? on the beach, visual outreach, marketing, social media and press releases
the CTDA will reach all households and tourism related operators in Castara targeting to induce
change regarding knowledge, attitude and practice.
To answer the vendors?, accommodation operators?, community?s and visitors? demand for more
environmentally friendly products the CTDA will outfit a ?Castara Sustainability Store? and act as
a wholesaler for eco?friendly detergents, biodegradable food packaging, and multi?use durable
shopping bags to its members and anyone interested. Overall 10,000 Styrofoam boxes, 1,000 gal
of harmful detergents and 40,000 plastic bags will be substituted by more environmentally
friendly alternatives during the project alone and even more in the future due to the ongoing
character of the intervention.
Once successfully implemented, this project will not only significantly limit waste input into the
Castara river, beach and ocean conserving valuable ecosystems, but will also be replicable in other
communities with a similar environment.
The project was planned and discussed over a period of three month with strong
stakeholder/beneficiary involvement and links to such initiatives as the FAO managed North East
Tobago Improved Forest and Protected Area Management intervention, the Tobago House of
Assembly?s Styrofoam reduction initiative and the international Blue Flag Beach certification
programme.
The risk of low project participation is prevented through early and signed commitment by
beneficiaries, consumer expectation, eliminated financial risk, and improved green branding.
A mentor will build the CTDA?s project implementation capacity for the duration of the project.
The project will be implemented over 20 months with a total value of USD 77,940, an in?kind
contribution of USD 27,216 and a SGP funding request of USD 49,978.