Coastline Conservation

One of my most challenging volunteer days was during my second week. Our job was to pick up rubbish in a nearby estuary. At first look, the task did not look difficult. There was hardly any rubbish in the middle of the river. However, once we maneuvered our way through the mangroves, there were heaps of broken bottles, plastic wrappers, car tires, TVs, and everything else imaginable. It was not effective for us to simply pick up the rubbish while sitting in the kayak. So, we waded into knee-deep water and piled the bags of rubbish onto the kayak. It took us two days to finish the job. A week earlier, another group of volunteers cleaned the area as well. On the third day, we piled all of the accumulated rubbish onto the boat. The bow, the stern, and the sides were overflowing. The job was dirty, physically taxing, and yet extremely rewarding. It amazed me how much rubbish could be in such a small area, and in an area like New Zealand, where the country is known for its clean and beautiful landscapes. I was reminded that pollution is a global problem, and that our actions, good or bad, can make a difference.