After four hours of collecting other people’s trash, the members of the St. Joseph’s Convent Marriaqua Science and Environmental Club learnt a valuable lesson – Do not litter.{{more}}

The students joined the JEMS Progressive Community Organization in cleaning up the Stubbs Bay as apart of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup on Saturday, September 18, 2010.

The students, who toiled throughout the morning, went the extra mile to recover items, some rolling up the legs of their pants and going into a pond at the beach to recover plastic items trapped beneath.

“It was hard work, but it was fun,” said one of the students, at the end of the clean up. The students, along with community members and members of JEMS, recovered approximately 6,000 pieces of plastic, tins, Styrofoam and mechanical items from the bay.

“I learnt not to litter, because it’s hard work cleaning it up after you did the littering. It’s hard work to do it (cleaning),” President of the group Necois Francois told Searchlight about the experience.

Francois said that the activity marks the second clean up activity of its kind the group has been involved in. She added they have also cleaned their school and planted trees and flowers. They have also introduced recycling bins in each classroom.

“Every classroom has a paper bin and one that we throw tins and stuff in, so we practice recycling at school,” another student added.

The students also gave some advice on how to control the level of litter, especially on beaches. Joel Bascombe, a second form student in the club, advised that persons walk with their garbage if there is no bin close by, discarding it when a bin is available.

“When you litter, it’s making it harder for other people to clean up after you,” Bascombe added.

Other students suggested that they put up billboards advising the public how to discard of trash, as well as a no littering sign on the beaches.

“I would like if the communities have special bins to throw plastics and other recyclables. I think they should bring a bin on the beach,” Jasian Gardener another member of the group suggested. The students also said that they encourage their peers constantly to not litter and to take care of the environment.

JEMS president Rhonda Lee commended the students on their participation in the activity. “I am just glad to see that our young people participated today and they didn’t feel like they were doing something because they had to, but that they understood why this is important,” Lee told SEARCHLIGHT.

According to Teacher of the group Nikeisha Primus, the group has been in existence at the school for a number of years, but was restarted in 2007. The aim of the group is to promote a balance between science and technology and the environment.(OS)