Eco Serendib - Beaches

Our Green Efforts – Island-Wide Recycling

Preserve St. John Program

With more than a million visitors a year, St. John’s population is hundreds of times greater than the number of residents. Tourism is good news economically but there are consequences to being a “Tropical Paradise.” Solid waste is a major threat to the VI National Park and the island as a whole. The absence of an island-wide recycling program and the significant cost of trash disposal have long been issues that endanger St. John’s fragile eco systems.

In order to create awareness and community commitment toward a solution, Eco Serendib agreed to match donations toward the Preserve St. John recycling efforts established by IGLA (Island Green Living Association) in partnership with the St. John Community Foundation. In honor of Earth Day 2015, the villa contributed a total of $25,000 to the fund, matching $20,000 in community donations plus providing a $5,000 bonus. The first step was the purchase an aluminum can crusher. The can crusher uses 59,000 lbs. of compaction force to crush 600 cans at a time and provides a vital start to recycling St. John’s waste. Once operational, the income from the aluminum will help fund the program including logistical and operational systems to collect refuse, and IGLA will then start recycling plastic, paper and glass.