PORT ANTONIO, Portland — More than 40 students from Wright’s Academy and Training Institute Faculty of Nursing recently worked alongside their instructors to rid a number of this parish’s beaches of garbage. They collected more than 120 bags of waste, mainly plastic bottles.

Coastal areas that benefited from the clean-up included Bryan’s Bay, Boundbrook Fishing Village, Foreshore Road (Titchfield Hill), Allan Avenue and Folly Road.

Instructor Shelly-Ann Watson, who organised the initiative, provided insight into why the project was important.

“No amount of wealth will give us health and if we continue to litter our environment it will not only be our health at risk, but marine life as well. The [sea]… serves as an income source and food for us humans. Our habits will… impact us,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“The coral that are important for the fishing industry and protect our coastline cannot eat plastic, hence they will starve to death and if they ingest it they will suffer and die. This is not a ‘you’ or ‘them’ thing. It has to be an ‘us’ thing. Everyone should make an effort to either use less plastic or discard [these items] properly,” Watson urged.

— Everard Owen