Shoreline Cleanup of the Chase and Nanaimo River
Project Details
The goal of my project is to clean a portion of the Nanaimo river's shoreline in an effort to reduce pollution from entering the river way, and eventually the ocean. The objectives of this shore-line clean up are to (1) reduce waste entering waterways, and (2) bring people together to discuss the impact of ocean pollution, and their role in contributing to the solution of waste reduction.
Project Description
My project was a cleanup of the Chase and Nanaimo river shorelines. We spent two hours collecting trash and had awesome discussions surrounding waterway pollution and its impact on ocean health. We cleared 132 pounds of trash! This was eye opening to see how much we could clear in such a short amount of time.
Cleaning a water body of pollution, and raising awareness/keeping people engaged in the mission to protect our waterways and the species that require them for life. Beneficiaries of this project include users of the specified area, people participating in the action project, and the biotic/abiotic elements of the given area being cleaned.
What was your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge was dealing with the unpredictability of weather and having to reschedule the event due to flooding. Outdoor events certainly make it difficult to plan sometimes!
What was your most valuable takeaway?
I was hesitant at first to do a shoreline cleanup as it didn’t seem to be very impactful, but after completely the cleanup I realize every small action matters, and it is a good starting point. I learned how to engage other people by using my own network and learned how to be adaptable to changing situations. I actually had to reschedule my cleanup due to the major flooding event in the lower mainland. This certainly tested my adaptability skills.
