Coastal Clean-up September 17

The event is a project undertaken by the Ministry of Planning and Development, The Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development and the ICC National Planning Committee.

Dolly stated: “We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment.

This ICC will not only demonstrate our love for the environment, but also our love for our country. It symbolises our service as citizens to the land on which we exist and provides us with the resources which we have.” “I would like to encourage every citizen to join with us on Saturday September 17, 2016 as we venture to more than 20 inland and shoreline sites across Trinidad.

Let us ensure that we protect our environment for our society, for our communities, for our nation,” she added.

Kevin Thomas, Chairperson of the ICC National Planning Committee, presented data and the toll marine debris is having on the world and here in T&T.

Quoting from a publication by The National Academy of Sciences, he said it shows that plastic contamination is increasing and there is a prediction that 99 percent of all seabird species will be eating some form of plastic by 2050.

Also, 50 percent of the world’s sea turtles - individuals, not species - have ingested plastic.

“This is a result of over 70 million pounds of plastic within the world’s ocean,” noted Thomas.

He added that the top 10 items collected is led by cigarette butts, and contains several other plastics from plastic bottles, straws, bottle caps and grocery bags.

“In T&T, the top five sites, which collected the most debris was led by Scotland Bay with 3,346 lbs followed by Quinam at just over 2,000 lbs and then Las Cuevas Beach, Carli Bay and Manzanilla all averaging around 1,600 lbs.”