Join DEQ's Cleanup Brigade This Saturday, Aug 7

For Immediate Release
Start Date: Monday August 2, 2010
End Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010
Contact: Jose M. Kaipat


(DEQ) – The Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) cleanup brigade will be at it again, picking up trash at the Outer Smiling Cove Marina.

If you would like to volunteer your time to clean and beautify our island, please meet the DEQ representatives on Saturday August 7, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. at the parking lot at the entrance to the outer cove marina. Come join us and “Pick it Up!”

Volunteers will start cleaning for about 2 hours or when finished and then break for drinks and continue if needed.

This month, outstanding brigade volunteers who participated in at least ten (10) monthly cleanups will receive a brigade cap and those who participated in at least three (3) cleanups will receive a green brigade t-shirt.

This is a cleanup that should not be missed, so join DEQ’s cleanup brigade and “Pick It Up!” Let us work together for the health of our coral reefs and cleanliness of our beaches for everyone to enjoy.

The DEQ cleanup brigade began in 1996 and continues to maintain clean, healthy beaches.

For more information about volunteering, please contact the DEQ office at 664-8500.
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THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

I CAN'T thank everyone enough! A MILLION THANKS to all of you who came out yesterday and will come out again today to participate in the 2009 Island-wide Cleanup in observance of this year's Environmental Awareness Month. The number of participants this year shattered the number we established almost three years ago with the 2006 Island-wide Cleanup called "1020 on 10/20" (Where we asked for at least 1,020 volunteers to participate in the Island-wide Cleanup on October 20, 2006, but got 3,380 volunteers instead!) This year, well over 4,000 volunteers (4,040 yesterday morning and counting!) from government, private, and the community set aside whatever they were going to do yesterday to collectively do one GREAT thing for our community -- BEAUTIFY IT and walk right into history while at it!

WAY TO BEAUTIFY CNMI!

Angelo Villagomez (of Beautify CNMI!, the Rotary Club, Pew Environmental Group, Friends of the Monument, and MINA)and Joe Kaipat of DEQ did an outstanding job of organizing this massively successful cleanup.

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors: The Rotary Club, DEQ, MVA, NTT Docomo, McDonald's, Ron & Nancy Kramis, PDM Promoters, Marianas Tourism Education Council, and Beautify CNMI!

Oh, and by the way, THANKS to Bank of Guam and Shirley's for donating the money to build our Beautify CNMI! trailer and THANKS to FMI for building it. Joe and the DEQ gang put the trailer to good full use during the cleanup!

And one final thought -- Can you all think of a better way to showcase our beautiful islands to our many friends and visitors who will be arriving by sea and air to attend our Flame Tree Arts Festival? Please...Let's keep our islands clean and beautiful. Let's continue to Beautify CNMI!

Cinta M. Kaipat
Beautify CNMI!

News from Joe Kaipat

I received the following message from Joe Kaipat:

Angelo:

It is 7 pm and things wrapped up at 6. We have so far registered a total of 12,960 lbs and do not have weight from BEH, Parks & Rec. and one more DEQ vehicle. I will get them on Monday and total it with tomorrows collection before it is final. It was a good and hot day. Saipan is clean. I will update you further on Monday. When do you return?

olomwaay

Joe M. Kaipat
Division of Environmental Quality
Manager, SDWP

Joe coordinated all the logistics for the island-wide cleanup, including the pickup of all trash from every group that requested help. He was a huge part in pulling off this successful day.

The 12,960 lbs of solid waste collected so far already exceeds the 9,120 lbs removed during 1020 on 10/20 in 2006. In every way, from the total number of volunteers, to the number of participating groups, to the amount of work done, this year's cleanup is bigger than anything we have ever accomplished.

I am amazed at what our island just pulled off.

Congratulations to everyone!

Thank You NTT Docomo for Donating this Map

Thanks to Beautify CNMI! partner and 2009 Island-Wide Cleanup Sponsor NTT Dococo for this wonderful map which shows the sites adopted by various private businesses, schools, government agencies, families, et al. to clean today and, we hope, in the future.

If anyone wants to take a look at this map, stop by DEQ and ask for Joe Kaipat.

Joe Kaipat of DEQ, who co-organized this event with Angelo Villagomez, poses with former Congressman Absalon Waki, Jr. of NTT Docomo, one of the sponsors of this year's Island-wide Cleanup and donor of the map.Joe and Waki posing ala Vanna White. :D