The Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross Society (ABRCS) is continuing its monthly campaign to tackle coastal pollution, with volunteers removing thousands of pounds of waste from beaches across the country each year.
Red Cross Beach Clean
The monthly beach clean-up has grown from a community initiative into a sustained environmental effort involving Red Cross volunteers, residents, students and corporate partners who regularly turn out to clear rubbish from the nation’s shores.
According to the ABRCS, several thousand pounds of garbage are collected annually through the programme, including plastics, glass, discarded fishing gear and other debris that could otherwise find its way into the marine environment.
The organisation says the initiative is particularly important to Antigua and Barbuda, where healthy beaches and marine ecosystems are closely linked to tourism, livelihoods and the country’s ability to withstand the effects of climate change.
Marine litter can damage coral reefs, seagrass beds and other coastal ecosystems, while waste entering the sea can break down into microplastics and threaten marine life and fisheries. The Red Cross said removing debris before it reaches the ocean also helps protect natural coastal defences against erosion and storm surge.
However, ABRCS President Dr Jose Humphreys said the monthly clean-ups alone cannot solve the country’s litter problem and called for greater personal responsibility among residents and visitors.
“Every bag we fill on a Saturday morning is a bag that should never have needed filling,” Humphreys said.
He urged people to dispose of their rubbish responsibly and encouraged those who have never participated in a clean-up to volunteer.
Humphreys said the collection of thousands of pounds of waste each year is evidence of the dedication of Red Cross volunteers, but is also a reminder of the need to prevent littering in the first place.
“The consistency of this programme, month after month, year after year, speaks to the character of our volunteers and their commitment to the wellbeing of this nation,” he said.
He added that protecting the country’s marine environment must be viewed as part of the wider effort to strengthen Antigua and Barbuda’s resilience to climate change, with individuals as well as institutions having a role to play.
The ABRCS is inviting members of the public, schools, churches and corporate groups to participate in future monthly beach clean-ups.
Those interested can contact the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross Society for information on the next clean-up date and location.
