POLLUTION: THE MINDSET AND THE MINDFUL

A Sustainable Development Project by the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust in collaboration with the New Zealand High Commission.

This collaborative project focused on plastic pollution in our marine environment  and how it affects the mindset of our citizen. We looked at the fishing industry in our fence-line communities and shared our research effects of pollution on marine animals. Students from various schools including Naparima Girls High School, St. Joseph Convent San Fernando, Presentation College, COSTATT and the UWI St. Augustine participated in this three part Programme during the school vacation months of July and August.

On Saturday 15^th August the 20 students, formed into 5 groups, accompanied by PaP Wildfowl Trust Environmental Education Officers Tamara Goberdhan, Silene Noel and Jaleen West visited the Otaheite Fishing Facility and Fish Market, San Fernando Fishing Facility (King’s Wharf) and  Claxton Bay Fishing Facility and Fish Market. We talked with the fishermen, asking their opinions and sharing our research; this sparked healthy conversations, and an openness to a change in their mindset, behaviour and their agreement that they were going to be more mindful of their environment.

Short presentations on the research, plans of action and results of their interactions with the fishing communities toward marine and plastic pollution were presented to Environmentalists; Ms. Molly R. Gaskin and Mrs. Karilyn Shephard, of the PaP Wildfowl Trust. It was agreed that the continuous, utilization of social media is effective in getting the message of major marine plastic pollution across to a wider audience, including decision makers, organizations responsible for waste/garbage collection, Local/Regional City Councils and Ministers responsible for these issues.