News Projects Sustainable Energy
2 min.
One of the most promising initiatives regarding sustainable energy on the island of Aruba has perhaps gone somewhat under the radar over the past few months. Several months ago, the Aruba Airport Authority together with their workgroup Wings of Hope launched the Energy Champion Competition in which local schools were encouraged to think about energy reduction and sustainable energy with connection to the island’s unique environment. Seeing as tourism is one of the island’s and indeed the entire Dutch Caribbean’s principal sources of income, the competition perfectly aligned with the region’s efforts to become an exemplary environmentally friendly and sustainable destination.
Colegio Cristo Rey takes the cake
In July of last year, Wings of Hope, in the person of Aruba Airport Authority members Christine Kaarsbaan-Leo, Armand Kelly, and Angeline Flemming, awarded the first-ever Energy Champion award to the Colegio Cristo Rey school, located in the Bario Brazil on the northside of the island. The competition was organized as part of the Wings of Hope Affordable and Clean Energy Goal and consists of a AWG 20.000 (about 11.000 USD) cash prize to support the execution of the school’s energy reduction plan. This included the installation of solar panels to reduce the school’s overall energy consumption by more than 20%.
Encouraging sustainable thinking
The goal of the initiative was to invite local schools in Aruba to think about energy sustainability and to raise awareness in regard to the importance of sustainable energy development on the island. Students, after all, form the future of the island and the entire Dutch Caribbean, so it’s of the utmost importance that they are actively involved in the plans for that same future. A better and more sustainable future for all.
The Wings of Hope workgroup also took the opportunity to say that, based on the success of the first edition of the Energy Champion Competition, there will be a second competition this year. This time, the competition will be focused on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and it will be open to all primary and secondary schools on the island. Each participant will need to present a plan for improved sustainability based on one or more of the 17 Goals. More information about Wings of Hope and the upcoming competition can be found on the organization’s Facebook page.
Wings of Hope
Wings of Hope is a community supported project set up by staff of the Aruba Airport Authority with the initial goal of supporting around 70 families who have been heavily affected by the ongoing coronacrisis and all of its consequences. Among other initiatives, Wings of Hope oversaw the continuous distribution of food vouchers and the organization has grown in activity and importance since then. The first Energy Champion Competition was the next project in what hopefully will be a long and successful trajectory of initiatives aimed at improving life standards in Aruba in a sustainable manner.
The basis for this article was originally published by the Aruba Airport Authority N.V (AAA N.V.) in January 2022.
