(Click on all images to enlarge)
(Links to the news coverage to both stories of the seaweed invasion)
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=410446
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/chance-harbour-residents-still-cleaning-up-beach-two-weeks-after-garbage-washes-ashore-1.1957035
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/NB/Audio/ID/2487942739/
https://player.fm/series/shift-nb/chips-good-enough-to-eat-wash-up-on-beach
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/NB/Audio/ID/2487942739/
Almost one month ago today I posted the story of the disaster in my backyard and there has been a lot of media coverage in that time. Two stories taken from the main story received a lot of attention. That being the stories of the little bag of Cape Cod Potato Chips and the Message In The Bottle. Although both those stories had an endearing quality to them, I hope that people got the main message I was wishing to convey, that being the bad treatment of the planet, this place we call 'home'. From land to sea there is too much neglect going on. In some cases down right abuse. There is arrogance and then you have ignorance. The arrogance shows apathy by being aware there is a problem and not caring about the problem. Secondly, the ignorance, by being so wrapped up in ourselves that we don't give second thought to anything outside of ourselves.
Over the last month, at last count, over 10 media outlets have picked up the two stories of the message in the bottle and the bag of potato chips. Two of them have given a plug to the blog, I am grateful and thank them for that. One podcast site, for the year to date, has chosen two stories as their most popular so far for 2014, one of which was of the Cape Cod Chip story. I am glad that they were both based from the massive seaweed invasion and the garbage it carried in with the tide to my backyard.
The backup to the story of the Message In The Bottle was that it was covered by both CTVNEWS Atlantic, and CBC's RADIO ONE Shift New Brunswick. The young author of the message was found. It turns out that there was more than one bottle floating out there in the bay, there were actually 9. They were a small church group of children out on a boat for a day of fun in the sun and all 9 children tossed bottles with messages overboard. I found Kaylee's bottle and another was found by a resident about a mile from where I live. The other finder's message actually had a phone number so he was able to call them and chat with Kaylee and her family. I never did speak with them myself but that is OK with me. It was all good far as endings go.
The second story of the little bag of chips took a twist of it's own. Just the fact that the little bag of chips had travelled so far was interesting unto itself. What happened next brought to it a rather sweet ending. After I had contacted the Cape Cod Chip factory in Massachusetts they had surprised me by sending a large box in the mail. Within that box were 6 large family sized bag of chips of five different flavours. There was also a letter stating that they wanted to send a little something to say thank you for my letting them know about the story and hoped I'd enjoy them. We did! It was completely unexpected and such a pleasant surprise! It also amazed me how many people commented on how they loved their potato chips!
So I think it's safe to say that both stories had good endings ... at least I think that is the end. I've good reason to wonder because just as recent as Friday some of the news outlets were running the stories for the first time! The one I found the most surprising was MSN NEWS. Wow.
( A whole shipment of chips. Believe me folks when I say they are tasty!)
The updated story of the garbage on the beach is apparently going to be an ongoing one. A lot of the garbage is still buried under gravel and rock and sand. A lot of it has gone back out into the Bay of Fundy because it wasn't humanly possible to clean anything but the surface garbage of which there was hundreds of pounds. All of it was hauled off to the local landfill. The job of shoveling or raking the heavy sand, rock, boulders and gravel is too much for any one person to tackle. It sickens me to see the fishing ropes and plastics floating out with the tides. During my walks on the beach whenever I see anything that isn't suppose to be found there naturally, I pick it up and toss it beyond the headland. There are plans to clean up the headland next spring, before the growth of sea grass hides is as it does now. As long as we continue to collect what we can see then there will be that much more garbage that doesn't get to go out with the next tide.
Sadly some folks still miss the reason for tackling all that garbage and getting it off of the beach. "Let the tide carry it away." Yes, I heard that a few times. I got tired of explaining what the reason behind all that work was. I got mad and sick of it actually. But, I'll say it one more time - this isn't about someone wanting their beach to be back to its pre-invasion condition. This whole thing was about NOT LETTING THE GARBAGE LEAVE THE BEACH VIA THE WATER. To put it in plain english, WE DID NOT WANT THE GARBAGE TO GO BACK INTO THE WATER TO PROTECT THE MARINE LIFE OUT IN OUR BAY OF FUNDY!!! Why is it that some of us have to keep spelling things out for others. As a friend of mine in Scotland would say, "Are they really that thick?" My answer to him is, "Sadly, yes they are." What is even more sad is that even when explained to them and they understand, some will say, "Oh who cares." Well to those with such shortsighted vision I say, "I care, I care a lot. I cannot pretend to not see something wrong when it stares me in the face." I do not have any of control over some things currently going on in my life right now but, I do have control over things like pollution. I am as responsible as the next human being for the well being of this planet. It matters not the colour of your skin, the language you speak, if you are rich or poor or what part of the world you are in - picking up garbage is free ... for all.
I really hate to think this way but, if the day ever comes that it gets so bad that industry starts to suffer - industry like sailing or boating, taking sea cruises, swimming and fishing come to an end - when you cannot see the water for the garbage, maybe then. Who would want to fish or go boating when all you can see for miles is floating garbage? Don't think it can happen? Maybe some think I am overreacting? Think again. Go ahead and google the massive debris field that is the size of the state of Texas floating around in the Pacific Ocean. Do you think for one minute that there is anyone who casts their fishing lines into that mess? Think anyone takes their beautiful expensive sail boat and cuts through all that garbage when they are suppose to be cutting through clean sea water? As with most things in life that matter, nothing matters until it hits the wallet. When the fishing industry or boating industry start to lose business then, and only then, will there be any movement to make change. Sad but true. It always comes down to money doesn't it. What really bothers me is when we turn to our so called leaders in government and still, nothing gets done. They will not take any responsibility for it. None. Oh they will say they are looking into it or they are working on an action plan and it is being taken very seriously, it just doesn't hold any water with me. Nothing more than a lot of hot air. They tell people like me what they think I want to hear. Actions speak louder than words. There is nothing going on behind the scenes as some would have you think, that's my opinion anyways and I have my reasons for thinking that. The proof is in the pudding as they say, or in the water in this case. I wish I was wrong on all counts. Here's the thing - when I start to see change, progress, honest to goodness attempts, then and only then will people like me shut-up. Until that happens people like me will not go away but continue to fight the good fight. Some things in this life, heck, lots of things in this life are larger than me. I'm just a guppy in a big pond. But small as I am in the global scheme of things ... even I make an impact, for good or for bad. I am, therefore I exsist, therefore I make an impact. I for one want to make a good impact. I want to make change so I work at making change and not just talking about it. I want to leave the planet better than when I found it. I will not go away as maybe some wish that I would. Besides, even if it wasn't me doing all the hell raising then, there are millions more just like me. We are not going to just dry up and blow away. Never. I have time on my hands and plan on putting it to good use. I have my own drum to beat after all.
So, while putting this piece together I've been over 4 hours fighting with my dialup internet. It took an hour and half just to connect to the internet and bring the blog up. 3 more hours to write and upload the pictures. It is now 2:40am. I have been up since 6:30 this morning and I am tired. My point in saying all this is, I had to do this update, I felt driven to do it. I want the powers that be to get a sense of my determination. I am more than driven, I am committed. As I take one last look out through the window on this warm summer night I see nothing but blackness and the stars scattered over the house and the cove. I cannot actually see the cove or anything under the cloak of darkness but I know they are out there, looking back at me. What stares back is forever my heart and soul. I also hear two sounds out there in the darkness that float in through my window. One are the soft, contented sounds of the crickets. The other, is the beating of a drum ...
Good night to you dear reader.
You can always find me at the next high tide ...
Natalie
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