Bonaire Celebrates Earth Day with Cleanup and Recycling Activities Above and Below the Water
As a result of Bonaire’s longstanding commitment to preserving and protecting the land, there will be several cleanup and recycling activities around the island from April 10 through April 24, in honor of Earth Day (April 22, 2010).
The first event will be an underwater cleanup of Kralendijk’s anchorage, sponsored by Dive Friends Bonaire and NetTech. This cleanup will take place at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Dive Friends @ Dive Inn facility, where participants will be briefed on what sort of trash should be removed from the underwater environment. A BBQ for all participants will follow in the late afternoon. Tanks, weights, and belts, along with main courses and beverages at the BBQ will be provided courtesy of the event sponsors. Everyone is welcome to help--divers, snorkelers, and those who wish to provide shore support. For more information, click here.
Then, on Saturday, April 24, the Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) organize a land cleanup of the beach at Washikemba. This location on the island’s east coast is windward, meaning that trash from other locations in the Caribbean and South America will often wash up on the beach. Interested participants will meet at 7:00 AM at Jong Bonaire. Bus transportation will be provided for those without vehicles, leaving at 7:15 AM from Jong Bonaire. Be sure to bring gloves, closed shoes, sun screen, a cap or hat, and a beverage container (water and juice will be provided by STCB). Prior participant registration is not necessary. For more information, contact STCB at 717-2225.
On Friday, April 23, the island’s waste management company, Selibon, N.V., and the Keep Bonaire Clean Foundation (Fundashon Tene Boneiru Limpi) will host a conference at the Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino from 1:30 to 5:00 PM, entitled “Re-use the Past, Recycle the Present, and Save the Future,” in honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. With the laudable goal of creating awareness of individual responsibility to conserve and take care of our planet, the two organizations will present information on what actions can be taken locally on Bonaire to contribute to the conservation of the entire planet. There will also be a brainstorming session to which community leaders will be invited to present and gather new ideas on how Bonaire’s environment can continue to be protected and preserved in both the short-term and long-term. During the conference, a display will be available highlighting companies and organizations which offer environmentally responsible products. Attendance is free, and those wishing to attend may register by emailing fundashonteneboneirulimpi@gmail.com.
To engage the young of Bonaire in recycling efforts, both Selibon and the Keep Bonaire Clean Foundation have plans to hold a recycling fair with a contest for the island’s children and teenagers, in the hope that such activities will stimulate them with ideas and plans to preserve the planet.
Simultaneously, these two organizations also will be launching “Shop With A Bag.” The objective of this campaign is to urge local residents to continue to bring a re-usable shopping bag when grocery shopping. Such a practice will help eliminate the need for the importation of plastic bags, in turn, keeping the island clean of refuse made by the empty bags. During this campaign, all local residents will receive a free, re-usable shopping bag.
For additional information on any of these programs offered by Selibon and the Keep Bonaire Clean Foundations, contact fundashonteneboneirulimpi@gmail.com.
Bonaire will also take part in the worldwide “Earth Hour,” an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund, when millions of people, thousands of cities, and globally famous monuments all will switch off their lights for just one hour in a symbolic show of support for our one and only planet. This will take place on March 27 at 8.30 PM local time, no matter where one lives. Earth Hour began in Australia in 2007, and, since then, the symbolic support of our planet has spread to over 120 countries, including all seven continents, even including Antarctica. All those on Bonaire are invited to join the Tourist Corporation Bonaire and STINAPA in turning off the lights for only one hour this Saturday, March 27, 2010. (Source: TCB-NY)
This seems to be agood start, but the real problem is recycling of bottles and cans.
This problem is out of control on Bonaire and must be addressed. We love your Island, just ot back, and are very sorry to see the massive amounts of bottles and cans scattered about the the landscape as well as filling landfills.
How can I help?Posted by on March 25, 2010 at 4:15pm ASTGreetings, and thanks for taking the time to comment. Nearly everyone agrees with you about the problem of refuse of plastic bottles. Glass bottles are now being recycled, but plastic remains a problem. With such a small population on Bonaire, it’s difficult to add infrastructure for items such as recycling, but we’re all hopeful that when the political status changes and the island becomes a municipality of Holland later this year, that things may change.
In the meantime, it would greatly help if all visitors could either bring a refillable beverage container with them to the island, or purchase one here, and then use it by refilling it with tap water, which is perfectly safe to drink. By doing this, the number of water bottles that the island has to import would be drastically reduced.
Posted by Susan Davis on March 26, 2010 at 1:57pm AST
