The Department of Environment is encouraging interested individuals to apply for a free, environmentally friendly electric landscape weed whacker, understanding that they will assist in maintaining the local waterway in exchange.
Priority will be given to people residing in the Cahsew Hill, Bendall’s, and Golden Groove areas. In an interview, Jasiel Murphy, the pollution and standards officer with the Department of the Environment, discussed this new initiative.
“We are doing primary electric weed whackers, rather than using the traditional gas-powered types, we are aiming to transition to electric,” Murphy said, stating that the department has been testing and researching the electric equipment tools to determine whether or not it works better than the traditional gas-type weed whackers.
“So far it’s been doing pretty good, all research and reviews have been positive,” the officer said, he explained that the department brought in three different brands of electric weed whackers; which are the popular Stihl, Ego and E Works.
“A lot of people are testing them in other countries and people are very happy with them,” he said.
The department has chosen to launch this community cooperative effort since it is currently engaged in two projects supported by two international bodies.
“There are two waterways; there is the Green Climate Fund EDA project; that is in Cashew Hill, and there is the Adaptation Fund in McKinnons,” Murphy stated that the department hopes to expand the initiative to other communities, “but as for right now, we are focussing on these two areas.”
He continued, “As a result of Covid 19, we faced numerous challenges in completing these projects but within a year the projects should be completed once villagers get on board, and in return they benefit themselves, once they volunteer to assist in maintaining the waterways, they get to keep the tolls for life.”
“We are only asking them, to help cut an area of the waterway, once a month for a period no longer than two years, this is all it is to the partnership.”
To sign up to be a part of this initiative, villagers and landscapers are asked to call the Department of Environment for application forms at (268) 462-4625.
