Jamaica took another major step in becoming a greener and more sustainable island with the recent opening of a new plastic recycling facility in Naggo Head, Portmore, St. Catherine. The plastic waste management facility, which was opened late last year, has expanded the collection capabilities of Recycling Partners of Jamaica (RPJ). RPJ is an extended producers organisation and the designated...

Most persons would gasp in horror at the waves of trash crashing on to the beaches, threatening the island’s pristine shoreline and quickly move on, leaving the responsibility of addressing the issue to someone else. But not Paige Garnett. This young environmental activist is determined to keep Jamaica clean, one beach and community at a time. Her aim is to...

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have joined forces to reduce the amount of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Jamaica. POPs are a group of organic compounds that have toxic properties, persist in the environment, accumulate in food chains and pose a risk to human health and the environment. Human exposure, even...

With approximately 40 per cent of land parcels in Jamaica unregistered, the National Land Agency (NLA), through the Systematic Land Registration (SLR) process, is looking to reduce that number and extend property rights to more citizens. Developed to assist persons who have been in open, undisturbed and undisputed possession of their land for 12 years or more, SLR aims to...

Young environmental advocate, Eleanor Terrelonge, is encouraging aspiring activists to be outspoken in raising awareness about topics or issues that they are passionate about. Drawing on her own experiences, she says that young people should not be afraid to reach out to others in trying to draw attention to and support for their cause. “You know, as young people, a...

The group of trees and shrubs often found in the coastal intertidal zones, known as Mangroves, are being replenished and protected to strengthen its core function of absorbing Jamaica’s storm surge impacts and preventing soil erosion. This action is being facilitated under the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) Adopt-A-Mangrove Programme. Replanting of 50 Red Mangrove saplings took place on...

Service to one’s country is one of the highest forms of patriotism. For marine biologist and ecologist Professor Mona Kay Webber, who has dedicated over 30 years to preserving the marine and coastal environment, she is driven by a deep love for the land of wood and water. Over the years, Professor Webber, who is Director for the Centre of...

Mangroves, the groups of trees and shrubs that line Jamaica’s coastlines, hold significant value not only in protecting and sustaining the lives and livelihoods of citizens along the coasts but also in real economic terms. It is estimated that these wetland forests are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. A report on Jamaica’s mangroves, launched in 2019, estimate that they...