INFOTEP promotes environmental culture and sustainability in San Juan de la Maguana

San Juan de la Maguana, DR.- INFOTEP celebrated World Environment Day in San Juan de la Maguana with a waste management panel aimed at fostering sustainability and circular economy practices. Held at the institution’s Southern Satellite Office, the discussion brought together students from the Instituto Superior Agrario, local entrepreneurs, and civil society representatives to explore both individual and collective actions for solid waste treatment. The event underscored INFOTEP’s dedication to environmental protection as part of its broader environmental management plan.

In her opening remarks, Necker Alcántara, head of the Southern Satellite Office, stressed the urgency of protecting the planet: “This activity coincides with World Environment Day on June 5, a date that invites us to reflect on the need to adopt more sustainable practices.” Santa Cuevas, Regional Director of INFOTEP’s Southern Office, explained that the panel’s primary goal is to reduce paper and plastic consumption within the institution, support the fight against climate change, and promote a viable circular economy model through proper solid waste handling.

Panelists Héctor Romero and Ysmeira Germán addressed sustainability through the lens of the “3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.” Romero, an electrical engineer specializing in energy efficiency and circular economy, urged attendees to “reconnect with the earth, understand it, and interact with it, because we are part of it. Our entire body is composed of elements that come from the earth, and that is why we must protect it.” Germán, an ecological artisan and environmental advisor to the Santo Domingo Este City Council, cautioned that “the planet also suffers from our irresponsible actions. Earthquakes, tsunamis, global warming, ice melt, and droughts are responses from the earth to human aggression.”

The conversation was moderated by Yoneidi Domínguez, head of INFOTEP’s Corporate Social Responsibility Department, who encouraged an active dialogue and fielded questions from attendees. Karina Pinales, a student at ISA University, praised INFOTEP’s efforts: “We value INFOTEP’s intention to teach us how to be more eco-friendly in our communities. We will replicate these good practices and become better citizens in harmony with nature.” Representing the San Juan municipal government, Yamalí Báez, spouse of the mayor, pledged to support environmental strategies and replicate similar events across other localities.

Complementing the World Environment Day event, INFOTEP’s Innovation and Development Directorate, Quality Management Department, and Communications Directorate organized a week-long thematic initiative titled “The Planet in Your Hands: Cleaner Production, Creativity, and Innovation for a Better Planet.”

This program featured workshops on clean production, exhibitions of recycled-material ventures, a hands-on “Learning to Reuse and Recycle” workshop, and an array of collaborative sessions focused on sustainable production and resource optimization. Through these actions, INFOTEP reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing a creative, innovative institutional culture aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and global environmental stewardship.