ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, June 22nd, 2012 – Over 50 businesses and organisations from the public and private sectors have made a “Green Pledge” to protect the environment to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Virgin Islands.
Public pledges were made on June 16 during the annual Parade for the Planet dubbed this year as the Parade of Pledges, which is a part of the environment month activities.
Participants dressed in costumes depicting their pledges chanted their commitments along the route from the Road Town festival grounds to the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park where the parade culminated with a ceremony.
In his remarks, Acting Chief Conservation and Fisheries Officer, Mr. Kelvin Penn said the ‘Green Pledge’ initiative was born out of a desire to make Environment Month more action oriented. People were encouraged to find ways of protecting the environment through reducing energy and water use, waste production and the support of environmental initiatives to promote environmental awareness, for example.
“Our mission is to protect our precious natural resources for generations to come,” He said. “With the Virgin Islands facing a myriad of environmental and sustainability challenges, we must set the tone for change but it will take the collective efforts and actions of us as individuals, community groups, businesses, public and private sectors to make the change that are necessary to lead us into a great future”.
Green Pledges from ministries, departments and the private sector included promises to reduce paper, plastic and other wastes, to reduce energy and water use, to support environmental groups and activities and to promote environmental awareness.
The full list of organisations and their pledges are available at the Conservation and Fisheries Department website at www.bvidef.org.
Participants were awarded with a ‘Green Pledge’ certificate signaling not only recognition for making a promise, but to ensure public accountability. Very shortly, in a press conference to conclude Environment Month, the participants will be awarded the official ‘Green Pledge’ seal.
Activities for the observance of Environment Month will continue on Saturday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. with a sunset service at Callwood’s Rum Distillery, Cane Garden Bay and Fisherman’s Day on Monday, July 2 at Long Bay Beach, Beef Island from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Environment Month has been celebrated annually in the Territory since 1993 and aims to bring awareness to the public about the importance of preserving the environment.
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British Virgin Islands News