ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, June 7th, 2012 – The Conservation and Fisheries Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour and local supermarkets is encouraging residents throughout the Territory to do their part to safeguard the British Virgin Islands’ natural environment as part of June’s Environment Month through the use of reusable shopping bags.
Patrons of the Rite Way, Flemming Street store on June 1 shopped in grand “green style” as they all exited the supermarket, not with harmful plastic bags in hand, but sporting their groceries packed in red and cream reusable shopping bags provided by the Conservation and Fisheries Department.
Conservation and Fisheries Department Environmental Officer, Ms. Angela Burnett Penn said, “The partnership is part of the department’s effort to encourage the use of reusable “green” shopping bags and the phasing out of plastic grocery bags in the Territory.”
“Plastic grocery bags are dangerous and unsustainable for a number of reasons including that they are fossil fuel based and do not biodegrade, instead, they are broken up by the sun into small chemical fragments that persist in the environment for thousands of years,” Ms. Penn explained.
The Environmental Officer expounded, “Plastic bags never really disappear, they are persistent pollutants and end up in the environment which become unsightly and pose a great danger to marine life that can mistakenly swallow them and die or can become entangled in them. When plastic bags are burnt in the incineration process they release toxic and potentially cancer-causing chemicals into the air”.
“While plastic bags can be recycled, less than 1% of them are and it costs more to recycle a plastic bag than to make a new one. Therefore, the most environmentally conscious and sustainable option is not to use them at all,” Ms. Penn added.
Acting Deputy Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer, Mr. Mervin Hastings commenting on the reusable “green” bags and the department’s initiative said, “Reusable green grocery bags provide an excellent alternative to harmful plastic bags. Green bags can be made from a variety of materials such as cloth, canvas or recycled plastic materials and are durable, fashionable, can hold more groceries than a plastic bag, help to keep a cleaner home and most importantly eliminate plastic bag waste.”
Mr. Hastings went on to encourage everyone to do their part in reducing plastics bags noting, “By using a green bag instead, each person can save 6 plastics bags a week, 24 bags a month, 288 bags a year and 22,176 bags in an average life time. “
The Conservation and Fisheries Department will be distributing reusable “green” bags to supermarket chains and other mechanisms throughout June’s Environment Month and looks forward to the partnership of all supermarkets in the Territory to accomplish this. The green bag distribution is in keeping with this year’s theme for Environment Month, “Green Economy: Does it Include You?”
The Department’s green bags feature educational messages about climate change and will continue to be available at Rite Way supermarkets this week as a part of their green bag promotion. The Department is also planning a Green Bag weekend for the end of June where they hope to get the participation of all supermarkets in the Territory.
Interested businesses can contact the Department at 494-3429 or email cfd@gov.vg.
Activities for Environment Month will continue on Wednesday, June 13 with the Parade for the Plant at 3:30 pm and a Sunset Service at Cane Garden Bay on Saturday, June 30 at 5:30 pm. As a wrap-up to the month’s activities, Fisherman’s Day will be celebrated on Monday, July 2 at Long Bay Beef Island Beach where fisherfolks can participate in a fishing tournament.
The Conservation and Fisheries Department under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour is responsible for sustainable management of the Natural Resources of the Virgin Islands.
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