Carnival
Corporation and Celebration Key have announced a new community
sustainability initiative in Grand Bahama.
The new program repurposes used coffee grounds and converts
them into natural fertilizer, creating a circular program that turns waste into
a resource for the island’s community and environment.
Through the Community Coffee Grounds Initiative, nearly
2,800 pounds of used coffee grounds are collected weekly from Carnival Cruise
Line’s Mardi Gras, transported ashore and reused as natural compost and
fertilizer. Developed in partnership with Grand Bahama-based ATO Landscaping,
the initiative helps enrich soil with valuable nutrients, improve water
retention and support the long-term health of native palms and plant life
across the destination.
“At Carnival, sustainability shows up in big and small ways
across our operations – even in the morning cup of coffee we serve our guests
onboard,” said Garelle Hudson, health, environment, safety and sustainability
(HESS) manager for Celebration
Key. “Every day, our guests and crew enjoy thousands of cups, and this
program ensures the story doesn’t end at the last sip – giving those grounds a
second life supporting local ecosystems and creating real value for the Grand
Bahamian community.”
The program is also designed to foster hands-on learning and
community engagement as students from participating eco-schools in Grand Bahama
are actively involved, gaining practical experience in composting, agriculture
and circular resource use.
Hudson added, “This program creates meaningful ways for
students to learn by doing – encouraging them to get hands-on, think creatively
and find real-world environmental solutions in unexpected places,” Hudson
added. “One of the best lessons we can share with the next generation is to
look for solutions where others might not – even at the bottom of a coffee
cup.”
The Community Coffee Grounds Initiative was formally
introduced at a recent event at Millennium House, Celebration Key’s
headquarters in downtown Freeport. Leaders from government, education,
agriculture and environmental organizations came together, united around a
shared commitment to sustainability and community development.
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