Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis joined the international community on Saturday, March 18, to observe Global Recycling Day 2023, a day set aside to raise awareness of the importance of recycling and encourage people to take action to reduce waste and protect the environment.
According to www.globalrecyclingday.com, Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to help recognize, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first.
During a brief address to commemorate the day, the Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Environment and Climate Action, said that recycling is extremely important as it helps to protect the environment and support sustainable development.
“Recycling is good for the environment. We are a part of the environment. The food we eat is a part of the environment; the water we drink is a part of the environment. The very homes we live in are a part of the environment,” said Dr. Clarke. “We must care about recycling. We must be intentional in changing our behaviour towards recycling. Recycling simply means the process of turning waste into material that can be reused. Let us recycle our plastic bottles and reduce the use of plastic bags, straws, forks and spoons, for example.”
The Environment Minister encouraged the general public to play its part and contribute to the recycling initiative in St. Kitts and Nevis, such as shopping with reusable bags and avoiding the use of plastic shopping bags, using reusable water bottles, as well as participating in the Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project spearheaded by the Ministry of Environment and the Taiwan ICDF Technical Mission.
“Together, we will move towards becoming a Sustainable Island State with our small steps of recycling single-use plastic bottles,” she said.
Data from the Bureau of International Recycling website state that the theme for this year’s observance is “Recycling Heroes for Creative Innovation.”