Grand Opening of Maldives First Eco-Center
It has been several years in coming, but this morning the Maldives first waste-to-wealth environmental center opened on Kunfunadhoo Island. The brainchild of Soneva Fushi owner Sonu Shivadsani, the hands-on work of creating and overseeing the building the so-called Eco-Centro is credited to Wayne “Wadzy” Wadsworth, an Australian permaculturist and eco-engineer who’s been hatching the place in the heart of the jungle for many months.
If sustainability and treading lightly are the goals on this remote island Eco-Centro should go a long way to achieving that end. From the burning of fallen trees and those cleared to make paths, comes charcoal which is used for cooking on the island, saving $50,000 a year previously spent on … charcoal. Compost is turned into bio-gas which, among other things, helps power all those hot showers. Cardboard is composted, glass and coconut husks are shredded (by separate machines) and reused. Bamboo – a great carbon dioxide vacuum – has been planted to offset any carbon put into the blue sky above the island. Alongside the island’s organic gardens and drinking water filtering system, self-sufficiency is getting closer. Now they’ll just have to work on the organic wines. In casks, not bottles.
In the audience for the grand opening were the country’s vice president, a handful of local elected officials, journalists, students from nearby Eydhafushi and even a few ”spies” – employees from nearby resorts keen on potentially mimicking the enviro center … which would be the highest form of compliment.
Leave a comment