MULLET BAY--Nature Foundation teamed up with passengers from Princess Cruise Lines, Fathom Travel and Carib Resorts to clean trash, mostly single-use plastic items and remaining hurricane debris, from Mullet Bay Beach on Wednesday.
Some 35 passengers removed 728.13 pounds of trash from the beach, using the Trash Tracker method developed by Ocean Cleanup Organization 4Oceans.They weighed all collected trash and used reusable bags and gloves.
The activity was a part of the Fathom and Princess Cruises Cruise for the Caribbean. It is the third time passengers from a cruise ship visiting St. Maarten have participated in an impactful environmental activity with Nature Foundation.
During the clean-up, passengers learned about several Nature Foundation projects, including “Reduce & Reuse St. Maarten” that is designed to decrease the amount of single-use plastic items on St. Maarten.
Single-use plastics impact our environment tremendously, never biodegrade and are easily substituted by biodegradable and reusable products.
“We are looking forward into more sustainable tourism, a single-use plastic ban on St. Maarten could really facilitate St. Maarten as an eco-touristic destination and will help to protect our natural environment for the future generations,” said Nature Foundation in a press statement.
The Foundation was very pleased to have these environmental conscience guests take time out of their holiday to clean a beach. “We are grateful for their positive attitude about decreasing single-use plastics and their pledge to assist in keeping our natural environments clean.”
