The Hydrate Programme has quickly established itself in schools and public spaces across the island. But the purpose of these stations, which provide free, purified water, goes beyond encouraging healthier lifestyles in Barbados, but also toward protecting the environment. It’s no surprise then that PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has come on board to sponsor the Hydration Station at Golden Square Freedom Park, as they endeavour towards their Net Zero goal.

Earlier this month, PwC took over sponsorship of the water station at Golden Square, allowing the hundreds of Barbadians who frequent the area to continue accessing the amenity at no cost. PwC also unveiled signage drilling home the importance of keeping plastic bottles out of our oceans and reminding Barbadians to “Refill. Refresh. Reduce“.

Mike Bynoe, Territory Leader, PwC East Caribbean, said, “We’re proud to sponsor the Golden Square Freedom Park water station, helping to continue hydrating Barbados and tackling one of our biggest environmental problems. Community and environment are at the heart of what we do and in recent years we’ve seen an increased need to focus on the sustainability of both. This initiative will help to ensure we as a society can coexist in a fragile environment.”

He continued, “As a community of solvers, at PwC we’re committed to building trust in society and delivering sustained outcomes which make a difference. Join us by refilling your bottle at this station and be a part of the solution. Together we can show how small actions have a big impact.”

As the bottle fills recorded quickly approach 500,000 from the current 15 Hydrate Barbados stations, we celebrate the same amount of plastic bottles saved from the environment. This figure might not resonate with some, but can we imagine 500,000 plastic bottles littering our streets, our oceans, or our island? Newport is proud to partner with companies like PwC who accept part of the responsibility of moving Barbados towards a more sustainable future.

Gerry Mahon, Net Zero Leader, PwC in the Caribbean said, “We’re proud of the progress PwC has made to reduce our operational carbon footprint and of our global commitment to reach net zero by 2030. Each time someone refills at this water station, they are taking action to mitigate their individual carbon footprint through the reduction in waste, and at the same time helping to keep plastic bottles out of the oceans.”

He continued, “On the back of Earth Day, and looking ahead to World Environment Day, this initiative is an opportunity for us to reach everyone who lives and visits the island, to help to raise awareness of the importance of climate change and support the creation of a sustainable tomorrow for generations to come. No one individual, organisation or Government can tackle these problems alone, we need collective awareness and action to create change.”

We implore Barbadians to take good care of the station, and to remember to bring their reusable water bottles, so they can take advantage of the cold or room temperature filtered water provided at the Golden Square station.