Cleaning Rivers and Beaches in St Vincent and the Grenadines
- William Bolton
- Jun 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 26
The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) rounded out the campaign in the Caribbean in St Vincent and the Grenadines on 14 June. The CYEN St Vincent and the Grenadines team ran a successful clean-up event in Biabou, a small community on the windward side of the island of Saint Vincent, where many Vincentian athletes are from and train.
The CYEN team in St Vincent and the Grenadines chose a beachside location with river access, to reflect the many rivers of St Vincent, and to highlight the equal importance of removing plastic pollution from our rivers as well as our oceans. The two are critically linked, with 70-80% of the plastic in our oceans coming from rivers.
Over the 3-hour clean-up event, the team managed to collect 1576 pieces of plastic, and 728 pounds of waste overall.
The World Bank estimates that 320,000 tonnes of plastic are left uncollected in the Caribbean every year, which is why community initiatives such as the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign and Kings Baton Relay are key to addressing the issue.
"Through this clean-up, we hoped to remind our communities that our rivers are just as critical as our coastlines in the fight against plastic pollution. Protecting one means protecting both. We're proud of what we achieved in Biabou, and we’re committed to continuing this work island-wide." – Deona Nero, National Coordinator for St. Vincent and the Grenadines Chapter, Caribbean Youth Environment Network.
ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN
The Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign will prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways.
The campaign will combine education and local action to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste, highlight alternatives, and reduce pollution across the Commonwealth.
For the action component of the campaign, the Royal Commonwealth Society has partnered with Commonwealth Sport to deliver the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign as a core component of The King’s Baton Relay. This newly envisioned King’s Baton Relay will focus on sustainability and environmentalism and was launched by His Majesty The King at Buckingham Palace on Commonwealth Day 2025, beginning a 500-day journey to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July 2026.
Journeying through every Commonwealth nation and territory, this partnership will bring together young people, athletes, conservation groups, and the local community for a week of activities, including a plastic clean-up.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Royal Commonwealth Society.
