- What challenges did you overcome throughout this action project? How did you go about
overcoming these challenges?
Some challenges came with my action, the rain is a constant factor in Vancouver of course. I overcame this was I stopped using my hands with the gloves and instead using the tongs. My next challenge was carrying the already filled bags as I was filling up a new bag. As the waste accumulated, the bag became heavier, and it wasn’t possible to carry more than one at a time. Since I wanted to recycle whatever I could, I needed to sort through the bag after. I didn’t anticipate this because I didn’t know I would collect so much waste. The way I solved this was I had someone drop me off at one end of the beach and then meet me with the car at pickup points where I would drop the filled bag in the trunk. Finally, something I encountered as a challenge in the beginning of my project is that I couldn’t find resources for coastal cleanup or organizations. To solve this, I contacted two city park boards, fortunately I did receive responses, but they weren’t quite I was looking for. Continuing to look for solutions, I found an organization that does group coastal cleanup in Vancouver. They do this during the summer, so it is something I want to do.
2. How did this action change the way you think?
Since the ocean is all around in Vancouver, I have always been compassionate about ocean life as well as all that the ocean provides for us. Doing this action allowed me to be far more aware about how we need to take care of our environment. It changed the way I think in that not only do I pick up debris I see on the ground on the daily, but I am far more cautious about my use of single waste plastics. My attention has been drawn to the fact that so much of our packaging and overconsumption includes single waste plastics.
3. How did this investigation/action impact your future decisions?
This action impacted my future decisions because as I mentioned, I am personally far more aware of my use of single waste plastics. In the future, I will always make sure to pick up all of my garbage and most of all recycle everything that I can, so it does not end up in landfills. I have also been making a cautious effort to reduce the amount of single waste plastics I use such as Ziplocs and plastic bags. And replacing these with more sustainable choices like containers and reusable bags.
4. What impact will this investigation/action have on others locally and/or globally?
This action is sustainable because it doesn’t compromise the future generation, in fact it will enhance both the current and the future. Thousands of marine animals worldwide are affected by plastic pollution. Pollution of the oceans by plastics, toxic metals, manufactured chemicals, pesticides, sewage, and agricultural runoff is killing and contaminating the fish that feed 3 billion people. This coastal pollution spreads life-threatening infections. So beach clean-ups are vital to mitigate the problem caused by ocean debris and the danger that plastic pollution causes to marine life. This action is also providing more opportunity because it can help gather new data about the state of our coasts and the types of trash that pollutes them. By identifying the most harmful debris items, we can find ways to stop them from entering the ocean or being littered again. I will ensure that I am making the positive impact I intend by recycling whatever waste I can.