Pamela Ann White, Ambassador of the
Ambassador White, who was speaking on Friday during a cleaning exercise at the Tanji Bird Sanctuary by the
The exercise, which brought together staff from the US embassy and Ministry of Forestry and Environment, the National Environment Agency, students from Tanji and its surroundings, coincided with the US embassy's observation of World Earth Day, which is celebrated every 22nd April.
Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22nd 1970 and the date is considered the birth of the modern environment movement. The founder was Gaylord Nelson, a
Also addressing the gathering, prior to the cleansing exercise, was Michael Fitzpatrick, the consular officer and head of the US Embassy’s Green Team, who said an estimated 20 million people gathered on 22nd April 1970 during the first Earth Day celebration and demonstrated for a healthy and sustainable environment.
"Unlike most protest of that time, the Earth Day protest attracted support from Democrats and Republicans, rich and poor, old and young," he added.
According to him, the
"Since then, we have been collecting newspapers, office papers and magazines and delivering twice a month to an NGO named the paper recycling project," he said, noting that this paper is then turned in fuel bricks to be sold to local restaurants and bakeries.
US Peace Corps Country Director Jeffrey Cornish said waste management is one of the programmes Peace Corps are engaged in.
Saikou Njie, a Peace Corp environmental expert said waste management has a close link with the development of the
"The destruction caused by waste to the environment and to public health starts after we throw waste," he added.
Alhagie Saidykhan, National Environment Agency (NEA) Inspector, who spoke on behalf of the Gambia Government, announced that the government has come up with anti-littering regulations, which punish offenders for illegal waste dumping, among others.