With the cooperation of American consulate here, volunteers from Saudi Environmental Society and other organizations cleared part of a 175-meter wide and 400-meter long huge open field here on Monday and Tuesday. The exercise is part of the 39th Earth Day to be celebrated Wednesday. The whole area was cleared of plastic bags and other hazardous substances. More than 600 students and volunteers from American School Jeddah, Help Center, Special Needs Children's School, Al-Akha School, Friends of Jeddah, Jeddah Municipality, Tanweer Center, Aqsa School cleaned the area under the slogan “protect the environment to protect yourself.” “Today is cleaning day. We are here to clean the place and protect the environment, I am very happy and feeling good being a part of this activity, people should not throw the plastic bags on the streets,” said Abdul Aziz, a student of Help Center. Students of different schools helped in cleaning the area of Sharam Obhur, the place where lots of garbage and plastic bags stuck with the self growing shrubs could be seen all around . “We are here to help protect the environment so as to make Jeddah free of plastic,” said Rami Etani from the American International School. “We should take care of the environment because it provides us oxygen and air and a place for living, especially for animal life and habitat. I think we should celebrate the earth day twice a year or more frequently so we can keep our environment clean and protect it from hazards,” he said. Plastic bags only have short lifespan and invariably end up littering our land and waterways. As an environmental issue this is of great concern. On the field all the students were divided in groups with each group having a team leader to help and guide them. Students cleaned the area by picking up the plastic bags tucked in shrubs and spread all around the place. “I think it's great that everybody is out here and doing their bit to improve the environment because we live here, we are dependent on it and our children need to have a safe and clean environment,” said Martin R. Quinn, American Consul General, taking part in cleaning the environment with students and volunteers. “I am glad to see this kind of awareness people have over here, the need to make the environment clean and go out to solve the problems because every country, city, every area has environmental problems,” he said.
