Last Saturday (April 23), local non-profit the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) hosted a beach cleanup at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track in celebration of Earth Day 2022. 

Over 600 pounds of garbage were collected by a small group of 35 volunteers, including those from NCB Foundation, University of the West Indies, and several high schools within Kingston. 

The JET team and volunteers were also joined by Senator Matthew Samuda, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation. 

The purpose of the cleanup was not only to remove garbage accumulated along the Kingston Harbour coastline but also to raise awareness about the importance and need for proper solid waste management. 

In response to the event, Samuda said “Plastic pollution has gone too far and will require strong and strategic action. We will need to work with our private sector partners to get Jamaica ready for the re-imagining of how we consume plastic, so that we can build the appropriate systems to deal with plastic pollution. Thanks to the team at JET for inviting me, and for continuously engaging in these activities, as part of building environmental awareness”.

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970 and now includes events in more than 193 countries. 

This year’s theme for Earth Day was “Invest In Our Planet” which means everyone has a role to play – governments, industry, and individuals – to ensure a greener future for everyone.

Nadeen Matthews Blair, CEO of the NCB Foundation, said, “The foundation and our volunteers were eager to go out and participate in the Earth Day Clean-up. This is the first time we were able to contribute, as a group, in well over two years. We take great pride in building our communities, especially the coastal environments impacted by improper waste disposal. See you in September for the international edition.”

For her part, JET’s programme director Lauren Creary remarked, “Through conversations with volunteers at the cleanup it was clear the public education campaigns, such as ‘Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica’, are needed to tackle poor solid waste management in Jamaica.”

The Earth Day Beach Cleanup was made possible through the support of the Ocean Conservancy. 

JET assured it that its members will continue to do their part in investing in our planet through public education and awareness, and law and advocacy programmes.