The Kuwaiti Society for Environmental Protection participated in the “Sea Turtles” campaign, which is organized annually by the Japanese Embassy and the Japanese Association for Cleaning Shuwaikh Beach. In this regard, Janan Behzad, Board Member and Director of Programs and Activities, said that “the concept of social responsibility is a new concept and a modern culture that major companies seek to improve the company’s public image and gain the trust of customers and shareholders. The term social responsibility has become an example of excellence and a modern culture of giving with bright and modern names, and today it has become a means to achieve the integration of society between taking and giving.”.
Behzad explained, “The symbolism of cleaning the beach to save the turtles has become an annual message that emphasizes the importance of keeping natural habitats suitable for living organisms away from human pollution from its various sources.” She stressed, “The beaches receive large quantities of waste in various forms and sizes, classified from large to nano, which are difficult to pick up and remove.” She pointed out that “plastic caps and cigarette butts are small-sized wastes that are widely spread on the beaches and disappear among the folds of the soft sand.”.
“According to some estimates, and with the rate at which waste such as plastic cans, plastic bags and single-use plastic cups are dumped into the oceans, by 2050 the oceans will carry more plastic waste than fish and about 99 percent of seabirds will have ingested plastic waste,” she noted.
Janan Behzad concluded, “We realize that working in different directions contributes to environmental, economic, and social sustainability, thus achieving the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and advancing the implementation of laws and supporting local and international decisions. Environmental awareness of the extent of the harm caused by plastic and community awareness of alternatives are the solution. All solutions are available, and the consumer is the one who chooses. The choice is limited only by his culture and his concern for the environment. This is in addition to the existence of a supportive law to prevent the use of environmentally unfriendly products and to find state-supported alternatives for the consumer and also for the investor, so that it is easier to replace plastic with other alternatives.”.
