The 'I DO' Project

Do you want to be a part of Greenlight Network's latest first-Saturday-of-the-month project:?

I DO.

Do you promise to tell your friends and family about it so that they will come too?

I DO.

This project is interactive environmental street theatre. The 'bride', who represents "The Environment" will walk along the designated route, dragging her trail of plastic bottles behind her. These bottles are symbolic of the carelessly tossed bottles which clog our waterways and cause flooding and which need to be recycled or, at least, disposed of properly.

As 'the Environment'/bride walks from the far west of Brian Lara Promenade to Woodford Square, those of us assisting her will stop random members of the public and read the 'Environmental Vow' to them (see vow written on invitation). Once a citizen says "I do", we will tie a piece of green cord around his/her hand to signify commitment to a healthy environment ... and he/she will get to cut a bottle from the bridal trail and symbolically place it in a garbage bag.

By the end of the 'wedding march', the bride/Environment will be free of the plastic bottles which have been strangling her beauty. The bottles will be properly encased in garbage bags which will then be taken to Recycling in Motion where they will be crushed or chipped for export (to be recycled abroad).

If you would like to be a bridal attendant on the day, please write to Greenlight Network and let us know so that we can prepare a vow on paper for you. All attendants will wear blue jeans and white tops.

(Thanks to Janessa McKell for bringing the invitation concept to fruition).

I DO ... do you?

Dear Greenlights, as you may or may not know ... on the first Saturday of every month we will be having a simple, symbolic, creative event to raise awareness on the streets of T & T. Our event for the first Saturday of July was The REvolution ...

Taking awareness to the streets with the REvolution (July).

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The idea for our next first-Saturday-of-the-month project (August) was brainstormed at this evening's meeting. The resulting project is called "I Do" and signifies the commitment made by each individual to care for the environment. As the idea is brand new, some fine tuning must occur over the month of July ... but for now, these are the basics of the project:

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I DO

1. On Saturday 5th August, 2006, we will gather on Brian Lara Promenade, wearing white t-shirts and blue jeans so that we look like a cohesive unit. The time frame for this project will be 8 - 10 a.m.
2. Each Greenlight will have several pieces of green wool or ribbon, each of which will signify 'the commitment'.
3. Our mission is to approach people on the promenade and briefly let them know that the green band is a symbol of one's commitment to caring for the environment in any way possible. Inherent in this project is the question: Do you agree to make the extra effort to care for our environment in whatever ways you can? The inherent answer is (hopefully): I do.
4. Once the person says "I do", we tie the green band around their wrist. For as long as the person wears his/her green band (and hopefully even after they take it off), that symbolic gesture acts as a reminder that this person has made a commitment to care for the environment. Such awareness is vital. That green ribbon around someone's wrist could be the reason why they decide to toss their chocolate wrapper in a bin and not in the drain ... keep their beer bottle until they get home rather than pelting it out of the car window ... carry a garbage bag to the beach rather than leave a pile of plastic, KFC boxes and styrotex on the sand ...

As project details are developed, we will update via this blog. There is a lot more to come out of this particular venture as the month unfolds. Those who want to be a part of I DO are welcome to sign up early.

REcap of the REvolution

First of all, thank you very much to all who were a part of the Greenlight REvolution earlier today. It was REally fun and very uplifting not only for us but (from comments we overheard and even from a comment left on this site mere hours after the procession) for people who witnessed us walking along the Eastern Main Road towards Curepe. Without going into too many wordy details, suffice it to say this event was a success, despite the rain. In fact, rather than keeping us back, the rain cooled us down as we walked from Tunapuna to Curepe Junction, accompanied by the police and a camera man from Gayelle TV. Curious people along the way were handed small call cards with our Greenlight web address and a few RE words to help them understand what this REvolution was all about.

Before we launch into a few of the many photos ... just a quick note to say that our next meeting is on Monday 3 July (this Monday) from 6 - 8 p.m. ... 21 Lyndon Street, Curepe. We will be recapping the REvolution and planning for our next symbolic creative event, which will take place on the first Friday or Saturday of August.

The rain held us back at the beginning. Here, a few members shelter under the canopy of a $10 store before taking to the streets.

This photo is both poignant and ironic. The street woman seems to be saying: "Don't pass me by. Remember me ..."

Reveal the Truth with every step you take in this life.

Even the rain could not keep us back. The placard with REFLECT should have been in this shot.

Ras Iton rides into Curepe on his 'local transport' - a skateboard.

After the walk, Malik kicks off our concert on the sidewalk with some hip hop poetry outside of Sidewalk Radio station

Gamma Ghost calls down the spiritual power through his words

Ras Iton sings with reverence for Mother Earth

Glen brings peace and love through his 60's style

Elspeth strums in some vibrations of awareness

Liseli shares some conscious vibes

Janessa reflects on the holistic state of being through her poetry

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Any members who would like a full CD of images from the REvolution, please walk with a blank CD to the meeting on Monday 3 July, 2006.

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CREDITS

Thanks to:

* All who came and contributed to the REvolution in one way or another

* Sidewalk Radio for doing so many on-air interviews with our members today, for promoting the venture in the 2 week run-up and for supporting us in general

* The police for clearing the way

* Azena for Radio 105 for seeing us, stopping and asking what was going on and giving us coverage via cellphone to the station

*Gayelle TV

* Chanzo Greenidge for making copies of the DVD with the three anti-smelter videos and distributing them along the way