Our speaker last week was Rotary International Director Elect (RIDE) Jeremy Hurst who spoke on the topic "Creating lasting change - HANWASH and the environment". RIDE Jeremy is a supporter of the WASH initiative and a founding member of HANWASH, the Rotary led partnership bringing clean water, improved sanitation and good hygiene to all citizens of Haiti.

RIDE Jeremy spoke passionately about creating lasting change and said ending polio will be a defining moment for Rotary. The lasting change created by eradicating polio will be celebrated by Rotary, and the world. He called Rotary one of the greatest service organizations the world has ever seen.  RIDE Jeremy believes there is even better to come and also spoke about lasting change opportunities related to HANWASH and the environment.  

RIDE Jeremy added that supporting the environment was the 7th area of focus added by the RI trustees and RI board several years ago. This decision was important to everyone, but especially those of us that live in the Caribbean region as we are affected greatly by global warming.  The changes in the environment affects our businesses, our quality of life, our future and the futures of our children.  A regional perspective was given which showed diagrams and maps of the great increase in ocean temperatures and sea level rise over the years. We also got a glimpse of what the future would look like if sea level rise isn't halted.  Many of our islands and countries in the Caribbean as well as coastlines on major continents would be underwater if sea level rise isn't halted.

RIDE Jeremy conveyed the importance of HANWASH in providing clean water to the people of Haiti.  He demonstrated how the water provided by HANWASH was many times cheaper than bottled water being bought in Haiti.  Another important point presented was that there was widespread deforestation in Haiti.  Persons that cannot afford fuel cut down trees to to make charcoal.  The charcoal is burned to heat water to sanitize it.  Approximately 30% of all trees cut down in Haiti are used to boil water.  HANWASH not only provides clean water, but would help decrease the amount of deforestation as trees would not be chopped for the purpose of sanitizing water.  RIDE Jeremy was also concerned about other environmental issues including plastic waste, pollution and threats to coral and marine life.

In closing, RIDE Jeremy encouraged Rotarians to get involved in whichever Rotary cause they were passionate about and to support the environment to deliver lasting change globally, in our communities and in ourselves.