DEAR EDITOR,
In just three days volunteers from across the globe representing all walks of life will participate in the Ocean Conservancy's 24th. annual International Coastal Cleanup in improving the health of the ocean.
Here on St. Maarten we will be joining over 90 countries around the world on the same day Saturday September 19 to clean our beaches and waterways, and to document the trash collected on special data cards.
Last year over 826, volunteers came out and gave a helping hand to the environment, with 640 of those volunteers showing up at the Mullet Bay Beach alone.
Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation is once again inviting all social groups and school students to come out this coming Saturday to the Mullet Bay Beach from 7am-10am.
The foundation will have trash bags, gloves, rakes and the data cards ready for all those participating.
This year we have added a second location for our volunteers, and that is Mullet Pond. The foundation is asking only adult volunteers to come out to the Mullet Pond area as the area is covered in much fallen trees and bush. Some kayaking will take place in this location to remove trash from the mangrove trees, which are home to many birds and juvenile fish.
Volunteers who are experienced and certified divers can participate in the under water diving cleanup, under water diving cleanup is being supervised by the Ocean Explorers dive center located on Kim Sha Beach. Volunteers must sign up in advance for the diving program, as space is limited on the boat.
Snorkelers can also take part with Mr. Brooks who will be guiding snorkelers around the Mullet Bay water shoreline, removing trash from the water.
We are all connected to the ocean. The amount of trash afloat in the sea, littering beaches, and piling up on the ocean sea floor affects the health of Earth's life support system, the ocean, and all the living things in it. Marine debris or marine trash is a threat to our food supply, to tourism and economic activity, as well as wildlife and ecosystems.
We as a people, as a community, must do all within our powers to help bring across awareness and start by being an example ourselves.
We are here on this planet for only a very short time, in this time we have a duty and moral obligation as well as a responsibility to act and behave in the interest of keeping our planet Earth safe and livable for our future generations.
Cake House Bakery and Supermarket has stopped giving out plastic bags to their customers. I hereby applaud the Cake House management for their decision and by doing so; they are an excellent example of a local company working in the interest of the environment.
Last year volunteers collected 2,703 plastic bags from Sint Maarten beaches. This figure tells us a story and that is we have too many flimsy plastic bags given out randomly at our grocery stores. These flimsy plastic sacks end up in our trenches, our ponds, lagoons and our ocean-eventually killing sea turtles, dolphins, sea birds and many of our marine wild life.
As consumers and shoppers, we should be thinking and acting responsibly by taking our own canvas or reusable bag or box to the grocery stores.
Businesses should also take their responsibility to the environment at heart and follow in the footsteps, of the Cake House Bakery and Supermarket.
This coming Saturday, everyone has an opportunity to come out and give a helping hand to the environment. Remember, Trash does not fall from the sky, it falls from humans hands. In addition, human hands have the power to stop it.
Jadira Veen
Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation
local coordinator for the International Coastal Cleanup