ISLAND KEEPERS CNMI is inviting the community to participate in an annual cleanup on Saturday and Sunday, March 25-26, 2023, at Old Man by the Sea.
Akari Baidya, president of the organization, said their goal is a litter-free island.
He said last year, Island Keepers CNMI removed about 1,400 lbs of trash from Old Man by the Sea.
“This event needs many volunteers and many sponsors. We are currently looking for volunteers and sponsors to make the event successful. We can work on cleaning the island together,” he added.
A diving instructor, Baidya has been residing in the CNMI for 20 years now.
“Since then, I’ve been picking up trash underwater, on the beach and at the harbor, usually with my staff and clients,” he said.
He said after he lost his job because of the pandemic, he had more time to help clean up beaches.
In June 2022, he founded Island Keepers CNMI.
Among the places that he and his team regularly clean up are Naftan Point, Dragon Tail, Garapan roads, Tank Beach, Laulau Beach, Obyan Beach, the Grotto, Banzai Cliff and Bird Island, to name a few.
“We have picked up trash in many places,” he said. “It’s fun and very satisfying to see areas cleaned up with the help of so many people.”
For Baidya, those who violate the CNMI’s anti-littering law should be punished. “Laws are meaningless unless they are enforced,” he said.
“We also believe it is important to create an environment where littering and illegal dumping do not occur,” he said. For example, some trash bins on the beaches are too small, he added.
“If we can also make cleaning up a fun event with incentives provided to the people, Saipan will be a litter-free island,” he said.
