More than 200 volunteers who spent Saturday combing local beaches for trash collected nearly 2,000 pounds of garbage.
Cleanup crews taking part in the “International Coastal Cleanup,” organized by Dolphin Discovery, spent four hours tackling garbage at Bodden Town Beach and at West Bay’s Barkers Beach.
“We can help make a difference on the local beaches of our island, resulting in a safer and cleaner environment for all marine life,” said Sandra Reyes, Dolphin Discovery’s sales supervisor.
“It’s important that all of us understand our role in conservation, realizing the small actions we make today make a big difference for the wellbeing for future generations to come,” she said. “Such great actions can only be accomplished by joining together as a community and working together.”
Volunteer Donna Yen, who joined around 140 others at Barkers, said the trash is not only bad for the environment, but can act as a breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry viruses like dengue fever and chikungunya.
“We found a lot of bottles with water. These kinds of things can breed mosquitoes, so we have to be cognizant of the fact that whenever [you are] finished with your garbage, or if you’re going camping… take a garbage bag,” and put it in a place where garbage collectors can get access to it, Ms. Yen said.
“I think a lot of people need to realize that this is our island and we have to keep it clean. It is very important for not just one person, but all of us,” she added.
Nakilyah Sairsingh, 13, said the amount of garbage she found on Barkers Beach was “disgusting.” The young volunteer also reported finding a broken fridge during the cleanup.
Last year, volunteers for the costal cleanup collected more than 2,649 pounds of garbage on local beaches.
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