The Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce is making its final preparations for the 2018 Earth Day Clean-up which takes place next week on Saturday, April 21.

For over 20 years the Chamber has encouraged businesses from the private sector and members of the wider community to don a pair of gloves, pick up a trash bag, and head out to local parks, beaches, beauty spots and roads and pick up any unsightly & unhygienic trash.

“We are incredibly lucky to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, so it’s important that we keep our picturesque landscapes and beaches clean and safe for everyone,” said Chamber CEO, Wil Pineau, CCE.

“Unfortunately, litter has become a major problem for the Islands, and it’s only getting worse. Last year our volunteers collected thousands of bags of trash, including things like broken glass, syringes, car parts, and much more.”

“The Department of Environmental Health and various community groups work tirelessly to keep these Islands clean, but there are people living in Cayman that do not respect the environment, and as a result there are still reports of illegal dumpsites scattered across the Islands.”

“Tourism is one of our major industries, but it will start to suffer if tourists arrive to find vast amounts of litter wherever they go. Therefore, we need to work together to raise awareness of littering and ways in which we can reduce it.

Teams of volunteers register for the clean-up and select an area of Grand Cayman that they will focus on cleaning. Each volunteer team are presented with trash bags and plastic gloves, which have been generously supplied by the Department of Environmental Health and Foster’s IGA. Volunteers are also given exclusive Earth Day items, including reusable tote bags, hats, and t-shirts designed by wildlife artist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey.

The Earth Day Clean-up is not the only environmental initiative founded by the Chamber of Commerce. The organisation established the Environmental Pledge for local businesses, having them commit to reusing, reducing and recycling. The Chamber also worked with members to introduce 200 trash receptacles that were placed around Grand Cayman, and in 2018 will look to introduce a new anti-littering campaign, as outlined in its Advocacy Agenda & Action Plan.

This year’s clean-up will take place early on the morning (7:00 – 10:00 AM), with a complimentary breakfast held at George Town Yacht Club to reward the hard work of all volunteers.

If you are interested in volunteering for the 2018 Earth Day Clean-up, then register your team online today by visiting http://www.caymanchamber.ky/earthday.html. T-shirts are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you will need to register early to have the best chance of claiming a limited edition Guy Harvey designed shirt.