The millstone of life goes on moving,
Kabir weeps,
Between the layers of truth and untruth,
No one is spared
As part of our upcoming BSB trip next month, Jules and Meredith, our trip leaders signed us up for a pre-service event with the Marina team at Maximo Marina. In partnership with the Tampa Bay Watch, Maximo Marina has teamed up with volunteers to perform a trash cleanup operation along the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier. This initiative is part of the IGY Community Outreach Project, “Inspire Giving through You.”
Today, we all woke up early in order to get there on time. Once we reached our destination, the Marina team gave us a warm welcome and offered food and coffee to make sure we were energized and ready to volunteer. After explaining the whole cleanup process, the IGY staff gave us gloves and trash pickers. We were all set to go to Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier.
Once we got there, we were divided into teams to collect debris and empty fishing line recycling stations along the fishing pier. The collections are sent to be recycled or disposed of to reduce the entanglement hazards of local marine wildlife. The fishing line is then sent out to be re-purposed into fishing equipment.
The United Nations has a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all in the form of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part, however small it might seem. I believe that today's contribution relates to Goal 14, the Conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources.
I don't understand why when we destroy something created by man we call it vandalism, but when we destroy something by nature we call it progress.
― Ed Begley Jr.
During the cleanup process, we found all kinds of trash such as soft drink cans, beer bottles, plastic plates and fishing lines beneath rocks. I find it hard to digest the fact that some people simply don't care about the consequence of their action. Marine debris is not only ugly, but dangerous to marine life and human health. Since many forms of debris are not biodegradable, they can cause problems for years to come. We must either act consciously towards the environment or nature will do it in a cruel manner.
