Times of the Islands Fall 2023

Walking along world-famous Grace Bay Beach and
slipping into the refreshing water kissing the sand’s edge
is a coveted experience. Free of trash and debris, the
view is unmatched by few places. It is the responsibility
of every person who sets foot on these pristine beaches to
keep it that way.
When people come to the beach for a day of fun,
their intentions are not to cause damage, but sadly, the
outcome is often just that. The day has been planned in
great detail. Cooler packed with snacks and drinks, bags
filled with sunscreen, hats, and beach toys, and the mood
carefree. All have the best time frolicking in the clear turquoise
ocean, building sand castles in the powder white
sand, working on their tans, and keeping cool with whatever
drink suits them. Who could ask for a better day?
Somewhere along the way, society has adopted a “disposable”
mindset. A lot of this has grown from necessity
as work days became longer and time a luxury, so disposable
was easy. But now it seems to be an accepted way of
life rather than a necessity. Think about it—everything is
produced, packaged, and advertised based on ease and
convenience, which often means everyday items are made
of plastic and often wrapped in plastic, polystyrene, or
a multitude of other non-biodegradable products. These
tragically end up causing unfathomable damage to our
planet—specifically the oceans, affecting all marine life
and ultimately, the ecosystems.
A lone jogger is out for a morning run along the
beach, enjoying the smell of the salty air, the warmth of
the morning sun, and a view that would calm the most
electrically charged soul. His eyes are drawn to the evidence
of the “fun day at the beach.” Strewn around are
juice boxes with straws, a plastic shovel sticking out of
the sand, an inflatable raft wedged under a lounge chair,
clear plastic snack wrappers tumbling about in the gentle
breeze, adult beverage containers half buried, and the
popular red “Solo” cups protruding from the sand, buried
by the high tide, waiting to be washed into the sea.
This leftover mayhem is seldom intentional, but
rather a byproduct of society’s “disposable” attitude. I
think we have all come to realize that there are very few
things that are truly disposable—everything ends up in a
landfill, the ozone layer, or the ocean, causing colossal
harm to the planet. The good news is that public awareness
and concern have shifted in a positive direction, with
focus directed toward living a more eco-friendly life.
This means we can all work together by making small
adjustments in our daily lives to start reducing the amount
of waste we produce and leave behind. Small changes we
can all make in our lives will reduce our residual foot-
LYNN ROBINSON
The amount and assortment of trash that can collect on a beach is astonishing! Let’s do our part to clean it up!
24 www.timespub.tc