Jamaicans denounce World Naked Bike Ride

Every June, for the past 12 years, hundreds of people across the world participate in the World Naked Bike Ride, in which, as the name suggests, participants ride their bikes butt naked to raise awareness about environmental issues.

London, in The United Kingdom, and Toronto in Canada, staged their annual Naked Bike Ride last weekend, and other cities across the world are still planning theirs.

The aim of the rides is to publicly denounce their county's dependence on cars, which pollute the environment.

However, Winston 'Blacks' Brown, acting manager of Blissett Cycling Club in St Andrew, said such nude event is unlikely in Jamaica.

"I don't endorse riding naked to get the point across because based on my experience, clothes does not pollute the air. If these people are really serious and they think clothes pollute the air, why don't they also go about their daily business naked? Why don't they go to work naked?" Brown questioned.

going crazy

Brown said that naked riders would certainly garner a lot of attention in Jamaica but not the type the activists would be hoping for.

"Here in Jamaica, the masses might think you are going crazy because we're not used to that in our culture," he said.

Brown, who has been a semi-professional cyclist for 18 years, said while he does not support the World Naked Bike Ride, he believes riding bikes is a great way to lessen the pollution in the atmosphere while getting a full body workout.

On the other hand, Suzanne Stanley, deputy CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), told THE STAR that the World Naked Bike Ride is an interesting way to raise awareness about environmental issues.

"If it wasn't breaking any laws, I see no reason why a group in Jamaica wouldn't do it," she said.

"I understand the concept behind it. Fossil fuels not only go into go transportation but also a lot of other products we use on a daily basis. For example, a lot of synthetic fibres that make up our clothes, so I can see where the nakedness would come in," she said.

Stanley noted that as a country, Jamaica is extremely dependent on fossil fuel and argued that any move against non-renewable energy sources is a good move for the environment.