By Foresee Foundation
We walked on the shores of this island after a clean-up and felt a sense of quiet pride. The sand was finally free of bottle caps and plastic forks. It looked clean and better without the manmade trash, but that feeling is becoming rare. And the people who fight for it – people like the environmental stewards of Sint Maarten PRIDE Foundation – are now more important than ever.
SXM PRIDE started small. In April 2000, a group of residents came together with a simple yet powerful idea – a clean, litter-free St Maarten. They weren’t politicians. They weren’t paid. They were just people who cared deeply. Teachers, parents, students, and business owners, rallying around a shared responsibility to protect the land we all call home.
Their early work was boots-on-the-ground: Beach clean-ups, pond clean-ups, classroom talks on waste and littering. Volunteers from every corner of society – different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds – came together to be part of something bigger. They didn’t just clean; they educated. They showed school kids why trees matter; why dumping in ponds isn’t just gross but dangerous; and why “just one bottle” always leads to 10 more.
But time has worn on. Volunteers have less free time. Daytime clean-ups are harder to organize. And still, the island’s problems grow.
Now, SXM PRIDE has taken the battle online. You’ll find them on Facebook, shining a light on the illegal developments creeping across beaches and hillsides. They document the slow disappearance of public beach access. They question the wisdom of high-rises replacing heritage trees. They remind us that this island, already 65 years deep into its tourism chapter, may be losing the very thing that drew visitors in the first place: Its natural beauty.
This isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about responsibility. Each of us has a role to play. If you see illegal dumping, encroachment, or shady building practices, say something. Capture it on photo or video – and send it to SXM PRIDE. Your identity can stay anonymous. What matters is action.
Yes, the terrain is changing. Yes, development will happen. But it must be done responsibly. Overdevelopment – or “overtourism,” as it's now being called – isn't just an environmental issue; it's a quality-of-life issue.
What will Sint Maarten look like in 20 more years? That depends on us – on how loud we speak; on who we choose to hold accountable; on whether we scroll past destruction or report it.
Follow SXM PRIDE. Share their posts. Join a clean-up if you can. Or simply stay informed – because once nature is gone, it doesn’t come back.
