Reflection
Hi folks,
Please use this space below to post your reflection from the Shoreline Cleanup(s) you participated in during the month of September. The questions below are meant to be prompts for you to reflect on the activity. By no means do Michelle or I want you to feel pigeon-holed into answering one, all, or any of them. This is your space to reflect and discuss what you choose! The only REAL guideline is your response should be at least one paragraph with four sentences. Reflection Prompts:
- What was the craziest or weirdest item you and your group collected? How do you think it ended on the shoreline of Vancouver?
- Did you expect to find as much, or as little, waste in certain areas you cleaned up? How come?
- What was the most difficult item to clean up? Try to describe what the material was and what it was comprised of. How does that material affect the environment?
- Based on your experience, is Vancouver a ‘clean’ city? How may pollution be reflected in high-income areas versus low-income areas?
- How have these experiences impacted your outlook on the waste you produce?
- Create and propose a solution that would enable humans to collect waste more efficiently from the ocean and our shorelines.
16 Replies
The past month of shoreline cleanups was a very eye-opening experience for me. It surprised me to find so much garbage hidden in plain sight- inside of bushes, behind walls, and underneath bridges. It was also shocking to see the disparity in the amount of trash between high-income areas versus low-income areas. But perhaps more surprising was that these areas were not far apart from each other- the relatively clean, well-maintained boardwalk near the Museum of Vancouver was just hundreds of yards away from the Burrard bridge, yet the bridge had hundreds of pounds of trash underneath it. I realized that Vancouver may give off the appearance of a clean city, but if you look a little harder, further away from the well-kept areas, it had the same problems as any other city. After getting into the mindset of shoreline cleanups, I have become more observant of trash lying around in our neighborhoods. I've also reflected on the waste that I create and the impact that has on our environment. -James.
The past month of shoreline cleanup has given me a sense of how badly we are taking our planet for granted. It surprised me how much garbage we collected. I found garbage under bushes and all sorts of unusual places. The weirdest item that I believe we collected was a set of golf clubs that were hidden in a bush. This material affects the environment because it won't decompose and it's metal. Also, Environmentalists argue that golf course land is not only a waste of space but also has a harmful impact on the earth and environment, such as pesticide use. Golf courses also destroy habitats for wildlife species. I've also reflected on the waste that I've to created and the impact that has on our environment. I will be more observant and caring about what I'm buying. Thanks, Craig
The past shoreline cleanups have given me an insight into Vancouver's shoreline conditions and how badly we have been treating our environment. I was extremely surprised by the amount of garbage we collected at the end of the day and was honestly pretty disappointed at people's negligence when it comes to disposing of trash properly. We found many aluminum cans and beer bottles in poorly maintained areas such as bushes and behind trees. It made me realize how many people believe littering is acceptable if the garbage is not visible to others. We also found many cigarette butts that were probably left behind by people who assume that small pieces of trash cannot impact the environment. After this experience, I have reflected on how my actions and waste can affect the environment. I have also become more aware of the garbage lying on the streets and would make an effort to pick them up if possible.
- Chloe
Although we did see a considerable amount of garbage during our shoreline clean-ups, Vancouver is still a cleaner city than where I came from in China. Therefore, it is quite easy for me to neglect this environmental problem if I just sit in my room and not think of it. However, after completing a shoreline clean-up, my point of view on this issue changed because apparently, Vancouver is not as clean a city as it seemed to be for me. Besides the countless cigarettes which can basically be found everywhere on the streets, there are also a lot of abandoned balls, bottles, toys, and all kinds of other trash hidden in the bushes where no one would ever notice besides us. Anyway, I felt really good after completing one of those clean-ups. Also, I am thankful to those passionate citizens who cheered us up during our clean-up. It was reliving to think that there are a lot of people other than us who care about our environment. I will start becoming more observant of trash that is lying around, especially in my community because it is where I can contribute the most to our environment.
This past month of shoreline cleanups has really brought to light what I knew but never paid much attention to. Living in Vancouver I've known that although the city was generally considered from visitors and people living here as "clean", the reality was that the city is quite polluted in certain areas. I didn't realized the exact extent of this pollution until very recently. I saw things under a very different lens when I was looking for garbage/pollution, especially in areas that I walk by often where I never remembered it being that dirty. I realize now that it has always been dirty, I was just normalized to seeing it and walking by, thinking it was normal. The cleanups have also given me a keen eye for garbage, and now when I'm walking in public I notice every little bit of it. Another thing I've noticed is that just because garbage isn't directly visible from a sidewalk or walkway doesn't mean it's not there. A lot of the bigger finds we found were just slightly off of the beaten path (bushes next to seawall for example). Overall, the cleanups this month brought to my attention just how dirty my city is, and made me eager to continue doing more cleanups in the future.
Thanks, James
For Loren P.:
During our shoreline clean-ups throughout September we came across a lot of crazy and weird things. Out of all the things that my group collected I think the weirdest thing we found was a small empty propane tank. I found this weird because usually you wouldn’t find an empty propane tank along a shoreline on a daily basis. It’s hard to know exactly how the propane tank ended up on the Vancouver shoreline, but my best guess is that it came from a mini portable barbeque. I’m going to assume that someone was using it to cook something when it ran out of propane so instead of taking it with them when they left, they left it on the shoreline.
Throughout the shoreline clean-ups there was a lot of small pieces of garbage that were hard to clean up, but I think the hardest garbage to clean up was tiny pieces of Styrofoam. Styrofoam affects the environment in many ways. One, Styrofoam is a product that is not reusable, for example Styrofoam cups are used once then thrown away. Two it’s not biodegradable which means that it will stay on the earth for thousands and thousands of years. And three, when heated, Styrofoam releases toxic chemicals into food which can be hazardous to our health. In addition, when exposed to sunlight, Styrofoam creates harmful air pollutants which can be harmful to plants, animals and ourselves.
I’m really proud of YouthToSea Volunteers and myself for helping to keep Vancouver Shorelines clean. I can’t wait to continue to do this so that our shorelines stay clean and safe for both humans and animals.
For Alyana L.:
"I really enjoyed participating in the shoreline cleanups in September because I felt like I was doing my part to help the environment and keep my city clean. This is not all I do to help but it is a large part of it. The weirdest item I found was money. Grace and I found $2.75 in coins, which I was not expecting to find when we were picking up litter. It made me realize that sometimes we can drop things on the ground without noticing, even valuable things like money. It made me wonder if I have littered by accident because of something falling out of my pocket, like a tissue. Even if we intend to litter or not, it all ends up in the environment. Sometimes even when we dispose of litter in a garbage can, it can still end up in nature. I have seen wind blow trash out of a garbage bin and crows digging through bins looking for food and creating a huge mess. There is never a guarantee that the trash we put in a garbage can will stay there and then be disposed of properly. The only way to make sure that doesn’t happen is to not use disposable/single-use items in the first place. Of course, this is not always practical or possible, but it is important to be mindful of what we use and to try using sustainable alternatives."
For Priyanka R.:
"I am grateful that we got the opportunity to clean the shorelines of Vancouver. It allowed us to learn more about our communities and our planet. I was shocked to see how much garbage we found throughout the cleanups. However, I noticed that some lower-income areas had significantly more garbage. I recognized that although Vancouver has taken many steps in the right direction in regards to becoming “green” they have neglected to keep the low-income areas clean. I also noticed how many beer cans and food packages, full and empty, are found tucked away in the bushes. I still have yet to understand why people throw beer cans in bushes when bins are placed all over the park. I noticed that there were a lot of tiny plastic scraps. These were the most difficult to pick up because they were in abundance and the picker-uppers could barely pick them up. These are not very visible and will probably end up in the water around Vancouver. Of course, these tiny plastic scraps are terrible for sea animals’ digestive systems, and they break down into microplastics which are extremely difficult to clean up. From this shoreline cleanup, I learned a lot about how different pieces of garbage affect the environment. I think it is important to educate ourselves on how different pieces of garbage affect the environment, but I think it is just as important to take action. From posting about the shoreline cleanups on Instagram, a lot of people responded positively and asked how they could get involved. I was very happy to see that people are interested in doing their part to help the environment. Overall, I was glad that I was a part of these shoreline cleanups because it impacted my decisions on buying certain items, I got to know some Y2S members better, and we raised awareness about the garbage found in the cities."
This past month has been very eye-opening and has given me a sense of how bad the pollution problem is around here. I think the weirdest thing my group found was a car muffler and broken pieces of ceramics varying in size. I didn't expect there to be a lot of garbage around the Museum of Vancouver, but I was shocked by the amount of trash under the Burrard Street Bridge. I think the area around the museum often came off as clean to me, but I quickly realized I was very wrong. I think the smaller pieces of plastic were the hardest because they would get stuck in the dirt and get buried underneath. This material affects the environment because it does not biodegrade and it breaks down into tiny microplastics. These microplastics along with larger pieces can be ingested by animals which can quite often become fatal. Animals can also become entangled in them. I feel like the city is trying to give the illusion to the world that Vancouver is a very clean city when in reality there is a growing amount of pollution and many other environmental problems. Trash still finds its way everywhere, but I feel like lower-income parts of the city that outsiders never really see aren't as well-kept as other higher-income areas. My experience has prompted me to look at the trash my family and I create and try to eliminate the unnecessary parts of it. It's something that will not happen overnight, but if we start now we could overtime stop using and producing waste that is harmful to the environment and contributes to the pollution problem around the globe. I think that eliminating single use plastics such as straws and plastic bottles and in return providing more affordable reusable options like reusable water bottles, metal straws, and Tupperware containers. Making these sustainable options more affordable is very important so that our city can take the necessary steps forward towards a greener future.
-Emma
I enjoyed taking part in the shoreline cleanups of the past month, and found the experience to be very rewarding! One of the most difficult things to clean was shredded paper and noodles that had fallen out of their package. Both of those items were large in quantity, thin, and difficult to pick up with the trash picker. The paper had been entangled in the grass due to rain, which only increased the difficulty of cleaning it up. Overall, my experience in Vancouver has been that it is a relatively clean city. However, through our cleanups I've realized that there is still a lot of trash found in the environment despite many people's efforts to keep the city clean. I believe pollution in high-income areas tends to be lower than in low income areas. Oftentimes, this is due to the fact that people living in lower income areas often don't have the time and resources to be cleaning up garbage, and focusing on the environment. Instead people are often trying to make a living and survive. Vancouver has a large homeless population, and I believe this is a structural problem that not any one individual can solve. However, as someone who comes from a middle-class family, I think it's important to be grateful for what we have, and to do our parts in helping to keep the environment clean. The shoreline cleanups of the past month were a great way to reflect on the waste I produce and my impact on the environment, and I hope to do more with YouthToSea in the future! Good job everyone :), Hannah.
During our shoreline clean ups this month, the one thing that I found interesting, or not exactly interesting but sad, was the amount of cigarette buts left on the ground. They are small, but how has it become socially acceptable to throw these little bits of garbage on the ground. And it’s not just the micro plastics from the butts that is the problem. Nicotine and other harsh chemicals and metals are left in the filter, which then leak into the environment around them. Cigarette butts are literally the most littered items on earth, and they can be acutely toxic to aquatic animals. I just don’t understand how flicking your cigarette butts on the ground or out the window is still socially acceptable.
Picking up trash is not the most popular choice of leisure activity on a gloomy weekend. However, although seemingly monotonous, by participating in these meaningful shoreline cleanups I gained insight about Vancouver that I wouldn’t have otherwise.
A scene that remains fresh in my mind is when our group arrived in the area under the Burrard Street Bridge: not only was it entirely littered with garbage, but the accumulation of plastic food containers, miscellaneous used appliances and even articles of clothing gave alluded to how this may have even been someone’s living conditions - in stark contrast with the affluent neighbourhoods by the Vancouver Museum and the many yacht clubs just blocks away, this was a striking moment that viscerally demonstrated the impacts of wealth disparity in a capitalistic society, right before your eyes. As a person with the privilege of living in a house without having to worry about basic human rights like food, shelter, and education, seeing this first-hand truly prompts the question of “why does this degree of income inequality still even exist?”
It’s not like the less-fortunate choose this lifestyle. These negative impacts of gentrification via the forced displacement of lower-income individuals and how that disproportionately affects marginalized communities (such as people of colour and lgbtq+) as well as the environment makes me think about the true importance of social safety nets, as well as the work there is to be done to improve these institutional systems - not only in Vancouver but in all societies!
For Elizabeth C.:
"The craziest thing we collected were pieces of a lamppost and a nurses ID! We have no idea how it ended up near the shoreline of Vancouver and it really makes you think what people do and why they do it. I didn’t expect to find as much waste as we did under the Burrard Bridge. It seemed as if everywhere we looked there was something else to pick up. I didn’t expect there to be much waste here because it was in the heart of downtown, such a busy city, that I would think people would not have the time to create so much waste here and to leave big items like a lamppost behind in a bush. The most difficult thing to clean up was broken glass and used needles. The broken glass is a hazard to everyone and the environment because there is a high chance you will cut yourself when trying to clean this waste up, so you have to be extremely careful. Furthermore, the needles are an obvious threat to the community because it can transfer diseases and harm animals with the needle either scraping them or stepping on the needle. All in all, when we made our way over to the beaches and more populated areas there was barely any trash and that was amazing to see. However, there was an abundance of trash under the Burrard Bridge, which may indicate high levels of homelessness and as Jake mentioned, a HUGE disparity of wealth amongst the city of Vancouver. This experience has impacted my experience with the waste I produce because it made me realize the effort everyone should take to make sure our waste ends up in the right places and that we should recycle as much as we can."
Both the September Shoreline cleanup challenge and whale watching were both incredibly fun and interesting experiences. I found it was a great way to both help contribute to communities in Vancouver and bond with my fellow youth to sea members. I would say that compared to other cities across the globe, Vancouver is a relatively "clean" city. However, there are certain areas of Vancouver that have more litter build up than others, I would say the most concentrated garbage we found was underneath the Burrard street bridge. Of course, we have to remember that there are people living there and congregating, so there will obviously be more garbage, there is also no garbage disposal bins under the bridge, which can make it difficult to have a cleaner area. This experience affected the way that I look at my waste production, and inspired me to take more action to eliminate all single use plastics and materials from my day to day life. Starting with using a reusable cup, straw, and always using compostable or reusable cutlery. Hopefully, with more action and change Vancouver can become waste free and have no more need for shoreline cleanups, but until then i enjoy helping our communities and ecosystems.
-Jackie
For Andre C.:
"During our September shoreline clean-up, I was so shocked to find as much garbage as we did during the five hours of cleaning we did. It was especially astounding to me to find so much more garbage in areas where less people go through. Between the park where many people go to and the underside of the bridge; there was significantly more garbage under the bridge. Under the bridge we found many things such as broomsticks, food wrappers, jackets and chairs; mainly items necessary at a home or for daily life. Whereas, when we went to the park it was very pristine and there was very little to clean up. I guess this connects to the fact that some areas get cleaned up more than others, the more high-income areas being cleaned more often than the low-income areas. This just makes me sad because some people can’t afford as much as others, some can’t afford to take out trash everyday or even live at a home, which doesn’t allow them to have the same lifestyle and cleanliness that people in high-income areas have. Because of this disparity in income, these low-income people are forced to live outside or underbridges which sucks. This causes people to look down on them, when they don’t even know the full story and it’s not even the fault of these low-income communities which makes me so sad. Anyways, overall I would say that Vancouver is a pretty clean city with the exclusion of some areas. That being said, I think that the city should put more focus into regularly cleaning up the more low-income areas so that they can be as clean as the park we went to, which had little to none garbage."
I loved being a part of the Shoreline Cleanups. It let me be a part of something important while hanging out with friends! I do remember that at the end of the day we had found a whole outfit, a tire and a bed, that was found in the bushes. Also a 6 pound block of styrofoam. Honestly, I wasn't too surprised about how much we found. It's sad, but Vancouver is very dirty at parks and beaches. I hated cleaning up the plastic and paper that I found tangled up in seaweed, because it was such tiny pieces and there were always more. I would say normally Vancouver is a kind of clean city. It is just some parts that will make you shake your head. The rich parts are obviously more clean. I love being part of the group picking up trash because I really feel like I am helping a small cause, and it shows me how much plastic I have used and honestly still use. I think there should be more accessible bins everywhere to try to reduce people being lazy and just dropping their trash instead of finding a bin half a mile away.
James Wu
Sep 28, 2020 at 5:14 PM