While environmental sustainability remains an issue within the city and country at large, certain steps are being taken by individual citizens to mitigate the effect of human activity on the environment.
The city of Port Harcourt has been faced with sanitation and hygiene problems over the past few years, but today, the presence of piles of refuse dotting the entire city may have turned Port Harcourt rather to a “garbage city”. With the rise of a new era of entrepreneurs who are passionate about the environment and see waste as an avenue for wealth creation, we hope to see a change in the status quo.
A passionate environmentalist and volunteer, I first met her at a fireside chat in Port Harcourt where she was the speaker, the time I spent with her was quite memorable. Interacting with Beauty is a unique experience, this charming young lady will have your brain working and leave you inspired. Beauty Martins is the creative director for MOBA Design and MOBA Recycling. Tyreniture is a subsidiary of MOBA design.
Her work has been featured in over 30 online platforms and over 10 offline and physical news, radio and documentary, including Wazobia Max TV, NAIJ.com, Guardian Newspaper, Naira Land, CGTN TV, DW Radio, Nigeria Info, Radio UST, Uniport Weekly, Nigerian News Agency, etc. It has also been exhibited at TOTAL Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC), and the OBIJACKSON Group (NESTOIL Limited). She is the recipient of a UN Environmental Award of Merit in recognition of her outstanding achievement in the environmental sustainable initiative, Waste To Wealth.
“I wasn’t born with a silver spoon, and we had to live at the mercy of family and friends. At some point in my life, I had to tell myself the truth about life because I knew I would have to emancipate myself and my family from the den of living on others and the only way out was for me to work hard. My mum had a salon. Most evenings my younger sister and I would have to go to her shop with our ice-cream and candy to sell so we could raise money. Although what we raised was not much, it gave me a sense of responsibility, and every step of this way I had to learn different skills to keep me going. These indirectly prepared me for the business world”, she narrates.
What are your thoughts on sanitation and hygiene in Port Harcourt?
The truth is if you’ve been in Port Harcourt in the last couple of years, you’ll notice a decline in sanitation. I usually joke with some friends that Port Harcourt is no longer the “Garden City” but now the “Garbage City”. Citizens of Port Harcourt have the responsibility of disposing of their waste properly. When it rains, people run out to throw their trash into the drainages which cause more issues as the plastics do not disintegrate. I hope the sanitation in Port Harcourt will get better in the next few months.
Why did you start Tyreniture?
I had always been disgusted by the unending and indiscriminate increase in poor disposing of waste of which most are non-degradable. The rate of tire wastage has recently been on a high side. I thought that I needed to do my part. In an aim to avoid breathing toxins from air pollution often attributed to the “soot” that has clouded our beautiful city, and burnt tires, I needed to create some awareness by demonstrating that great and beautiful things can still be made out of used tires and hence Tyreniture was birthed.
Where do you see Tyreniture in the next five years?
Well, I’m building a business, brand, and a lifetime product. Growth is my priority, Tyreniture is just one product of MOBA design. We are also into interior design and furniture making. Our focus is on having more clients and people that believe that furniture can be made out of recycled products. We also look forward to growing other aspects of our business, recording exponential growth, and becoming a household name”.
We’re looking forward to a turn of events in sanitation and hygiene in Port Harcourt as the responsibility does not just fall on the government but also on the citizens to take responsibility for proper waste disposal.
