Paige Garnett is NEPA’s Environmental Hero

Most persons would gasp in horror at the waves of trash crashing on to the beaches, threatening the island’s pristine shoreline, and quickly move on, leaving the responsibility of addressing the issue to someone else.

But not Paige Garnett.

This young environmental activist is determined to keep Jamaica clean, one beach and one community at a time.

Her aim is to create a more sustainable environment for all to enjoy, as well as instil the value of a clean surrounding among the nation’s youngsters.

“I like to see a clean environment. I know a lot of people look at it (cleaning the environment) as dirty work, but it is fun to me because you cannot depend on just the Government or private entities to do it. It is all our responsibility,” she says.

Garnett is driven by the reward of having a clean environment, which has inspired the establishment of the Keep Jamaica Clean series, which she co-founded almost three years ago.

Under this initiative, she organises tree-planting activities and beach and community clean-up initiatives across the island, partnering with private- and public-sector organisations.

She is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Montego Bay, which undertakes projects to spruce up the environment.

It was no surprise then that Garnett copped the first-place prize in the recently concluded National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) Environmental Hero competition.

The entity’s manager for public education and corporate communication, Angela Hamilton, explains that NEPA’s Environmental Hero is someone who values the environment and labours for sustainable development.

She says this is one way that NEPA extends gratitude to those who have placed great value on the environment over the years.

“The mission of NEPA is to manage and protect the built environment, but this is something that we cannot do on our own. Jamaica belongs to all of us, and it is important that we all understand that we are to preserve the environment. We all have to get on board and do our part,” Hamilton says.

She hopes that in recognising persons as environmental heroes, others will be inspired to place similar value on preserving and protecting the environment.

The inaugural competition was executed on social media and invited the public to nominate and vote for persons whom they consider worthy of the title.

Co-founder of the Keep Jamaica Clean series, Jamila Falak, placed second, and student Kristal Mitchell was third.

Garnett is happy to be recognised for her contribution to the nation.

However, while she enjoys cleaning up the environment, she is appealing to the public to employ proper waste-disposal practices to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

“Stop littering and clean up after yourself. [Jamaica] is our home, we all share the same space. If you clean up after yourself, probably you will not have to pay to go into certain facilities that should be enjoyed by us free of cost,” she says.

- JIS