Earth Today | A clean-up to remember

THE ROTARACT Club of Kingston (RCOK) made International Coastal Cleanup Day (ICCD) this year an occasion to remember, choosing to partner with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and Mother’s Jamaica for an evening clean-up event at Wickie Wackie Beach in Bull Bay.

“Our members were concerned about the temperature, and while we usually try to start by 6 a.m., the temperature rises on us quickly and it makes for a difficult work environment, especially since we are out there for two to four hours each year,” noted Aiden-James Rosini, chair of international service with the 55-year-old youth-led organisation, in a release to the media.

“We figured that at four in the evening, the sun would be going down and temperatures would be more favourable to getting the cleaning done,” he added.

The World Meteorological Organization, in its State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2022 report, announced that temperatures in the Caribbean over the past 30 years have warmed at an average of 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade – the highest rate since 1900.

This is cause for greater concern, especially as we consider the potential impact on public health, the economy, and our existence as islanders. One study reported that changes in annual rainfall is anticipated to range between −50 and +13.7 per cent and mean sea levels in the Caribbean to rise by 1.4 metres.

“The effects of climate change are even more evident now. The days and nights carry with it an unbearable heat and humidity, even during traditionally cool periods, not to mention the freak storms which often results in flooding; long periods of drought, which affects the production and availability of crops; it is a bad ripple effect,” said club president Peter-Gaye Bromfield.

“These are truly unprecedented times, and the reality of it is that the issues we are now facing are the result of years of environmental abuse and neglect. The hope is that projects like ICCD will foster behavioural change in our communities and society. RCOK remains committed to supporting environmental efforts that may reverse some of the damage already done, certainly for the benefit of future generations,” she added.

Through its collaboration, RCOK, JDF and Mother’s collected a total of 73 bags of garbage, in addition to an untallied number of plastic bottles from Wickie Wackie Beach.

Under the theme ‘Sea the Change’, ICCD 2024 was coordinated by the Jamaica Environment Trust with the support of the Tourism Enhancement Fund. Each year, the day sees the mobilisation of organisations like RCOK to remove trash from Jamaica’s beaches and waterways. This global initiative has long been a staple in RCOK’s calendar as it aligns with the club’s mandate to protect the environment.