Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica to benefit another 21 communities
TWENTY-ONE ADDITIONAL Jamaican communities will this year benefit from a clean-up, thanks to the expansion of the Jamaica Environment Trust’s (JET) Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network.
The announcement was made at the launch of this year’s clean-up network activities at the Shaw Park Hotel in Ocho Rios, St Ann, on March 28. The Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network brings together community-based organisations, NGOs, businesses and schools that will partner with JET to host community clean-ups across the island throughout the year.
“The work of this diverse group of clean-up network coordinators is extremely important for raising awareness of solid waste management issues in Jamaica and effecting positive change,” said Suzanne Stanley, CEO of JET.
“These groups voluntarily give their time and effort to organise clean-ups in Jamaican communities and get everyone energised around the Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica message that’s really outstanding,” she added.
Since its 2017 launch, the Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network has facilitated 30 clean-ups across the island (14 clean-ups in 2017 and 16 in 2018), attracting over 1,400 volunteers, collecting over 1,000 bags of garbage weighing over 13,700 pounds. Each Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network coordinator receives guidance from JET on clean-up coordination, as well as a clean-up kit including gloves, reusable bottles, garbage bags, data cards and T-shirts; non-corporate coordinators also receive a stipend to help cover their clean-up expenses. Coordinators gather data on the garbage collected at their clean-ups, which is used in JET’s environmental education and advocacy on solid waste management.
“We received an overwhelming response to our request in February for groups to participate in the 2019 clean-up network – over 80 applications in two weeks,” said Lauren Creary, project coordinator at JET.
“Although we couldn’t support all those who applied, we hope that the initiative will inspire Jamaicans to not only volunteer at the clean-up network events, but also stage their own community clean-ups in 2019,” she added.
LONG-STANDING SUPPORT
The Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network is made possible through funding from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and Wisynco. In his message to the 2019 Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica clean-up coordinators during last Thursday’s launch, Nalford Hyde, project manager at TEF, spoke to the organisation’s long-standing support of JET’s environmental programmes.
“Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica is in line with TEF’s mandate to keep our environment clean, not only for tourists but for all of us as Jamaicans. We are happy to support the clean-up network and also look forward to supporting International Coastal Clean-up Day this year,” Hyde said.
Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network events are scheduled to take place between April and August, in the lead-up to International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day Jamaica on September 21; ICC is coordinated in Jamaica by JET with TEF’s support.
The Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica Clean-up Network is an initiative under the Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica public education campaign that aims to improve citizens’ knowledge about the impact of poorly handled waste on public health and the environment, while encouraging personal responsibility for the generation and disposal of waste.
The initiative is also supported by the National Solid Waste Management Authority and Recycling Partners of Jamaica, who remove the waste collected by Clean-up Network volunteers, and DFL Importers, who donated garbage bags for the clean-up kits.