February 28, 2020
On Sunday 23rd February 2020, Eco Dive held another of their monthly underwater clean-ups along Grand Anse beach, about 50 – 75 yards out from the beach. The haul this time yielded 55 lbs. of garbage: rather more than the average 35 lbs, but well shy of the post-Spicemas 150 lbs. The operation took just over two hours.
The public-spirited and eco-aware participants consisted of thirteen divers and sixteen snorkellers, many of them SGU students. They were equipped with net bags. Unsurprisingly, the underwater litter was composed largely of plastic bottles, plastic drinks cups, straws, drinks cans, and bits and pieces of plastic and clothing, and snacks packets. The rubbish came from a mix of beach users, storm / rain run-off, and boat users.
Please – all of you - help us keep our oceans clean. The sea is not a limitless garbage disposal facility, nor are Eco Dive and other like-minded groups our personal domestic cleaner-servants. We all depend on the ocean for food and for oxygen, as well as recreation; and for those involved in fishing and tourism, for our livelihoods. We should therefore all play our part in keeping garbage out of the ocean.
One sinister point – the plastics found in the ocean were slowly disintegrating, and plastic microfibres are now to be found in the tissue of very many fish – and consequently in many of us. This has to stop!
Eco dive’s message is simple:
· Reduce single use plastics
· Don’t use plastic straws
· Clean up after yourself
· Participate in the Ecodive monthly clean up.
As Sylvia Earle (American diver) puts it: “We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depended on it . Because they do.”
Written by the Grenada Green Group (G3)
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