Families in St. Kitts and Nevis are being encouraged to engage in activities that will mitigate climate change and strengthen familial bonds.
Earlier this week, Senior Community Development Officer in the Department of Community Development and Social Services Actions, Erslyn Bridgewater identified planting trees or starting a backyard garden as some of the activities that can be considered.
The call came following the observation of International Day of Families on 15th May and month-long activities in St. Kitts and Nevis surrounding the annual commemoration. This year, however, emphasis was placed on developing activities centred on the 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,”said Bridgewater in a recent media appearance. “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.”
In the face of the prolonged drought the country has endured, the importance of water conservation was also highlighted. These efforts to conserve water could include taking showers instead of running baths and turning off the faucet while brushing teeth or washing dishes.
Other suggestions for to adopting climate friendly and healthy habits include walking instead of driving to nearby locations.
Meanwhile, Community Development Officer, Haniff Charles, explained the far reaching benefits of the plastic recycling initiative taking place in some of the nation’s schools.
“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,” Charles said. “These small steps can actually add up to us mitigating climate change.”
While International Day of Families is observed annually on 15th May, this year, the activities globally began on 12th May and will conclude on 15th June.
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