FAMILIES ENCOURAGED TO HELP MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE

Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 24, 2024 (SKNIS): Families across St. Kitts and Nevis are strongly encouraged to engage in meaningful activities that can help mitigate climate change while strengthening relationships within the family unit.

Actions such as planting trees or starting a backyard garden were recommended by Erslyn Bridgewater, Senior Community Development Officer within the Department of Community Development and Social Services on Wednesday’s (March 22, 2024) edition of InFocus. She appeared on the radio and television programme to share how the government is working to support and strengthen families as the nation observes a month-long celebration for International Day of Families. The call for activities that address climate action was in keeping with this year’s global theme: “Families and Climate Change.”

“Every day, we make choices that affect the environment and our lives in general, and I think there are many things that we can do as a family, simple things that we can do as a family, to help mitigate the risks associated with climate change,” she stated. “Simple things like turning off a light when you leave a room. A backyard garden where you can go out [and] eat your own produce … using it within your family and knowing [the produce] is pesticide free is very satisfying.”

Persons were also encouraged to conserve water by taking showers instead of baths, turning off the faucet when brushing teeth or washing dishes, and walking to nearby locations instead of driving.

Community Development Officer Haniff Charles also commended the ongoing initiative in various schools where students collect plastic bottles for recycling.

“When you have an exercise like that where recycling is being done at school, the child is going to take that practice home, and that is now going to become a practice within the household,” he stated, adding that recycling and the other measures highlighted by Mrs. Bridgewater will also carry over to workspaces, business places, and other institutions as students age.

“These small steps can actually add up to us mitigating climate change,” Mr. Charles expressed.

The International Day of Families was observed on May 15, 2024. Recognition activities began on May 12 and will conclude on June 15.

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