Feel like doing some good? Roll up your sleeves and join Nature Foundation St. Maarten and Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) tomorrow, Saturday, September 20, to clear trash from Belair Beach and Little Bay Pond.
The yearly efforts commemorate International Coastal Cleanup Day – a global campaign drawing millions of volunteers. This will be its fourth year running in St. Maarten. At last year’s event, which focused on the same area, a whopping 1,331 pounds of trash was collected – and organisers are hoping that even more trash can be cleared from the environment this year. Saturday’s cleanup will run from 7:30 to 10:00am.
“As tourism and development increases, so does the plastic that ends up on our coasts and in the ocean. Be part of the mission and do your part to help protect our island from plastic and other debris,” says EPIC Project Coordinator Colby Poerio.
Volunteers should register in advance via volunteer.sx, or the social media accounts @epicislands or @naturefoundationsxm. You should also come prepared with the “clean swell” app downloaded to your phone/ smart device. Instructions are available on volunteer.sx and the abovementioned accounts.
Don’t forget to bring sun block, wear protective clothing, and bring your own reusable water bottle. EPIC and Nature Foundation will take care of the rest. Snacks and refreshments will be provided, and there will be games with prizes for the winners.
As part of the same effort – keeping trash out of the coasts – EPIC, which runs the Perpetual Plastics recycling programme, also posted a new recycling bin near the entrance of Carrefour on Bush Road. This, however, is set to end tomorrow. Year round, the Perpetual Plastics programme runs out of its base on the Union Road in Cole Bay (next to Burger King). Make a difference and drop off your (clean) type 2 and 5 plastics on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. To determine the type of plastic, look at the number printed within the standard recycling symbol (three chasing arrows that form a triangle). As an easy reference, type 2 plastics are usually containers for laundry detergents and other cleaners, and most type 5 plastics are dairy containers such as yogurt and ice cream cartons.
Be mindful of trash all year round, recycle where possible, and keep helping to keep the environment clean by joining the International Coastal Cleanup this weekend! Organisers hope to see you there.
