Saint Lucia prepares for Earth Day

The Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) joins the rest of the world in the celebration of Earth Day.

Earth day is an annual event on which activities are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

Communications and Advocacy Officer at the Saint Lucia National Trust, Karetta Crooks-Charles, revealed that the SLNT will host their own activities on April 22.

“We have Soley Kouche to be held at the Pigeon Island National Landmark and it begins promptly at 9 p.m. with a procession at the gate house and it will be held at the ridge between Fort Rodney and Signal Peak, and then in Soufriere there is also a Sole Kouche event where they start at the Soufriere town square and then proceed to the Soufriere Waterfront. At both events you will have exciting presentations whether it is a skit, a song, or a dance.”

The event will also comprise of speeches from environmental authorities on the day’s theme, “Our Turn to Lead.”

Crooks-Charles said the celebrations are an opportunity for people to re-evaluate their practices of energy, water and raw material usage.

“Are we operating in a sustainable way, do we car pool, do we use the steps instead of the elevator, do we practice water harvesting, do we save electricity, do we take a plastic bag when we go shopping for just one item or do we take our handbags or bring a reusable bag, do we practice organic farming instead of relying heavily on fertilizers—these are some of the things that will be addressed at Soley Kouche.”

The final event, held at the Maria Island Interpretation Centre will be the Beach Clean-up of the sargassum seaweed.

The theme Our Turn to Lead’ calls on world leaders to develop a binding international treaty for climate change mitigation.