It has been a while.
As we arrived at the Go Kart Track, by the side of Kingston’s international airport, in the short, calm pause before people began to arrive, I realise I hadn’t participated for a while… Volunteering on International Coastal Cleanup Day, that is; I had faithfully done it for a number of years, but there was COVID, and then other health issues. I was happy to be back at the registration tent and to see some “old” faces as well as new, all kitted out in their blue T shirts. (Yes, this year we had penguins, and we don’t do penguins in Jamaica, but they are cute!)
Every year, Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) undertakes the herculean task of organising coastal cleanups across the island, with the support of The Ocean Conservancy. The Go Kart location is one of many in Jamaica - there are over 100 locations across the country. The scruffy stretch of land borders the eighth natural harbour in the world (Kingston Harbour), which has suffered from continuous pollution from various sources for decades. Now, we have The Ocean Cleanup helping to stem a flow of trash from several gullies that drain from the hills into the harbour; for some residents of the impoverished communities that live along the gully banks, they are used as a waste disposal system, in the absence of proper garbage collection. And that’s only a part of the problem.
Throughout the year, Jamaica is faced with a steaming heap of overwhelming, interminable trash - including mountains of plastic. We are no different from other countries in the region and beyond in this respect. Despite critics’ remarks that it is just scratching the surface, I still believe that exercises like Coastal Cleanup Day have considerable value. They are not just fun events that bring people together, although the sense of community is important (as it’s Jamaica we need to have music to get us going, so we had some good Bob Marley, followed by some bouncy R&B numbers).
The importance of these cleanups - and why JET has a strict system - is the recording of data. That is vital, apart from the satisfaction of seeing a nice clean beach at the end of one’s labours. Every piece of trash is recorded; I found an old, battered piece of styrofoam (now banned in Jamaica) still lingering on the shore and donated it to one team.
Meanwhile, the morning warmed up; by nine o’clock, the heat was beginning to seep into our pores. The harbour, which had looked slippery cool and shiny earlier on, took on a darker, cloudy hue. The mangroves sank deeper into the warming waters. The high rise buildings downtown, across the water, lit up in the sun and began to simmer. The green hills weighed heavily.
I was tired and was grateful for a lift home from a friend. But it was good to be back.
This is important work. Thanks for doing it, Emma, and for letting us know about it.