Incredible Community Groups Spearhead Three Island Clean-Ups
Ambergris Caye is so an incredibly beautiful place, but if we are honest, we also have a serious trash problem. Trash coming in along our coast is a serious issue here, across the Caribbean and much of the world.
In the past month, I’ve found identifiable beach garbage from Venezuela, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Belize by the beach near my home on North Ambergris Caye. Oh…and Panama too.
We also have lots of roadside trash and dumping, which is harder to explain away.
These are both big problems – with big solutions. Education and awareness, improved municipal trash and waste collection and infrastructure, increased trash receptacles, town by-laws, enforcement, signage, incentive programs…I know that you can add to this list, too.
But there is something we can do right now. And groups and individuals across the island are taking matters into their own hands. Here are ones that went to work this weekend and future clean-up programs.
Belize Flats Fishery Association: October 25th
These guys made it a seriously fun event with music and a BBQ to end the morning clean-up.
Let me share the sponsorship page too – because we all should support businesses that prioritize keeping our island clean.
Here are some of the pics of the clean-up from the association.
North Ambergris Alliance’s Mile by Mile Cleanup Charges Forward, October 26th
The Mile 2 Clean-Up (From The Truck Stop to El Pescador Resort) was rescheduled for Saturday, August 26 and at 7am, an army arrived for their assignments! It was incredible, amazing…so inspiring.
The sky was cloudy and it was blissfully cool and in just over an hour – the roadside trash was gone. A small crew headed back over Mile One to give it a clean.
The clean-up crew: 30 employees from Grand Caribe Resort, about a dozen from El Pescador Resort, a crew from the San Pedro Town Council – with a truck and a back hoe!, members of our Belize Coast Guard, San Pedro police, folks from the Clearwater development/Coconut Caribe, the owners and workers from Mangata Villas/Moon Bar, Cocotel Resort, a team from Tres Cocos Resort, The Truck Stop, Bruce and Ann, Kitty, Kate from San Pedro Window Treatments, Steve, Susan F and, of course, the organizers of North Ambergris Alliance.
Some of my photos:
Thank you so much for the GORGEOUS stuffed fryjacks and cold drinks, Castaway Resorts, and for hosting us after the event.
We got such a big ENERGIZED volunteer-army that we powered thru this and are going to take on a bigger stretch with our next organized clean-up. Tentative date is November 16!
But don’t wait that long to get involved…here is the next island clean-up organized by Elito Arceo of Seaduced Adventures. Everyone knows Elito! I love his invite list…it’s SPOT ON.
NOV 3 CLEAN UP NORTH NEEDS YOU FOR THE NOVEMBER 3rd CLEANUP NORTH: Seaduced, in conjunction with San Pedro Town Council and Minister Andre Perez invites all Tour Guides, Cart Rentals, Hotels and rental Properties, Tour operators, Real Estate Agents and companies, BTIA, BHA and the general public to a massive clean-up campaign on November 3 Sunday to clean the northern beach of Ambergris Caye .
We meet up at the bridge at 7am. We then drive up north of the island, and we start our cleaning from El Norte bar, and we proceed from there to as far as we can go for the day. Water, sodas, and food will be provided to all participants. Garbage bags will also be provided as well. Come and join us as we clean up our hometown.
Please, if you are planning on attending, just say so in the comment section, which place or family, and how many people so we can get a headcount of how many people will be attending so we can properly prepare food for all; thanks, and please feel free to share.
Message Elito via Facebook to sign up, to see how you can help or for questions.
I’ll see you there! I know that picking up trash doesn’t sound sexy and exciting or how you want to start your weekend morning. But I promise you – even if you only put in half an hour (I shouldn’t say “even” – this is hard work!), it is exhilarating, rewarding and exciting, and you feel SO good. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors – I met many new friends yesterday. It’s a great way to meet the police and the Coast Guard and folks you might not regularly meet.
You guys, I’m sure, are picking up what I am laying down…it’s a great things to do that makes you feel good. WIN WIN.
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That is so inspiring! Its a beautiful thing to see everyone taking care of their home island.
Bravo Scoop!
Keep raising awareness. It works.
You guys are fantastic.
IT does work, right? Maybe not all at once but planting seeds. Thank you.
This is awesome. I loved my vacation in Belize but was bothered by the amount of trash.
I’m bothered every day – I totally get it. Thank you so much. We can’t take the beauty of our island for granted.
Great job! There’s a big group coming at the end of January for Camp Belize (before it was for Jerry Jeff Walker and now his son Django is keeping it alive) !! I’m sure a lot of us would enjoy helping out if a clean-up day is scheduled when we’re there 🙂
GREAT IDEA!
Finally! This is so encouraging to see the community stepping up and taking care of the garbage problem in the community. It takes a village and hopefully, after all the hard work, they will hold each other accountable to keep the island clean, especially along the roads, in our yards and public spaces. Beachside is another and different problem. Congrats and a huge thank you to everyone who showed up and did the hard work. Let’s keep San Pedro clean and free of garbage!
Thanks Maureen. Working…progress!
I absolutely LOVE this! We will be back in mid-May for two weeks and want to participate if there is a planned event. This island is so beautiful on it’s own, however, the trash has been a major issue for the past 19 years that we have been visiting. Not only is it an eye-sore, it just isn’t sanitary. I am SO happy that it is finally being addressed! Thanks to all who are championing and helping with this effort. Trust me, tourism will improve, especially for return visits. We all know this is the life blood of this community. Hopefully, once there is a very noticeable difference, the city will put fines in place for future violators. There could be signs along the road stating the fine amount for violating, serving as a deterrent. Don’t want to push the issue but once the trash problem is tackled, perhaps efforts could be made to encourage businesses and residents along the road side to adhere to specific standards (removing junk comes to mind).
YES! I am thinking about an Agreement – asking businesses to voluntarily sign to keep their area and surroundings clean…working!
Hey Scoop.
See all the comments coming in.
You are rallying the troops.
Raise awareness it works. If nobody knows then guess what swept under the carpet.
Bravo Scoop!
Thank you – North Ambergris Alliance is a fearsome group 🙂
This is SO awesome!! Raising awareness and education is how this gets better going forward. Fantastic job, All!!
Way to go SanPedro Scoop! Keep publishing this for everyone to be aware & want to help..
This is wonderful & I will definitely help when I arrive in December. Since many locals & tourists take the road north, consider continuing to pick up trash where you left off. For the next event, start at El Pescador & head north a mile. Mile by mile, it will help greatly!
We are going to start at El Pescador – but there are some BIG clean ups areas to the north – it’s in the planning!
We were over for the Oct 19th cleanup. Unfortunately NADINE had other plans.
Hopefully we can participate on our next trip over. Curious as to where the trash that is collected ends up. How do resorts dispose of their trash?
We were disheartened to watch a work cart with three locals toss a Belikin bottle as we followed them north.
It’s disheartening for sure. There is trash pick up for much of the island – from the south end (almost) to about 5 miles north Ambrgris Caye – so the town picks up that trash and brings it to the dump. Others need to bring it to the dump themselves or pay a service. Everyone should check that their service is properly disposing of trash – they get receipts so that it isn’t just dumped somewhere else on the island.