Despite the ongoing global pandemic, marine debris continues to make its way to beaches across The Bahamas. In an effort to mitigate this ongoing concern, Blue Lagoon Island has partnered with Caribbean Bottling Company (Bahamas) Ltd, the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Ocean Conservancy to assist various family island communities with their beach clean ups and offer marine conservation education.
In February, Blue Lagoon Island headed to Grand Bahama where they partnered with a team from UNEXSO to educate students at Walter Parker Primary and Grace Christian Academy about the importance of keeping garbage out of their marine environment.
UNEXSO and Blue Lagoon Island are both accredited members of AMMPA – the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and both have education as a core part of their mission.
More than 70 fourth, fifth and sixth graders participated in the Port of Call Beach cleanup. They managed to collect more than forty large garbage bags full of trash. As part of the International Coastal Cleanup initiative, Blue Lagoon Island ensures that trash is collected and data is recorded and submitted to an international database.
In Grand Bahama, the top ten most common items collected from the beach were: beverage cans (588); glass beverage bottles (496); plastic beverage bottles (471); pieces of plastic (268); metal bottle caps (238); plastic bags (230); plastic cups and plates (199); paper cups and plates (140); plastic bottle caps (108); and food wrappers (79).
The cleanup project was scheduled to last two hours, but the students were so determined to clean up the area that they continued for more than three hours.
“It was wonderful to see just how enthusiastic they were once they understood the importance of keeping their beaches and the marine environment clean,” said Blue Lagoon Island Education Supervisor Te-Shalla Clarke, “unfortunately, despite the massive amount of trash this group removed, we barely put a dent in the problem on that beach. I’d say it would take a month to rid the beach of all the garbage that is littering this popular gathering spot.” She noted that there was only one garbage bin in the entire area and that was already overflowing with trash. Once the beach cleanup was complete, the students were treated to a visit to UNEXSO where they got to interact with dolphins. The dolphin interaction was led by UNEXSO Education Supervisor and Senior Trainer Tristan Pratt. This part of the program helps to solidify the connection between cleaning up the beach and marine environment and keeping the animals who call it home safe.
In April, Clarke headed to Behring Point, Andros to work with the students and teachers of Behring Point Primary and Bowen Sound Primary. Earlier in the week of the cleanup, she conducted a virtual tour of Blue Lagoon Island’s Dolphin Encounters facility so that the students went into it with an appreciation for the importance of what they were about to do. Students got to meet dolphins and sea lions virtually and ask their trainers all sorts of questions about the majestic marine mammals.
Additionally, the students had special educational sessions, held by her, at their schools the day before the cleanup. Clarke says these multiple interactions are key to the ongoing education and success as it helps her to build a relationship with the students rather than just showing up one day and asking them to help her pick up trash.
On the Saturday, more than 40 children as young as four as well as some local adults, met at the school to get started. The Bahamas National Trust’s local Discovery Club also joined in the effort. They decided to start picking up trash along their walk to the designated beach and managed to collect 30 large bags full before the actual cleanup even began.
Clarke says the most unusual items collected on this cleanup were a handful of computer keyboards as well as a large number of used diapers.
“I hope the kids and the adults who participate in these cleanup initiatives understand that their actions, whether they are good or bad, have consequences. Not only does this volume of trash look horrible, it is dangerous for the marine habitat that we rely on for food as well as tourism,” she explained, adding “we also need to understand that the micro plastics that we are tossing out and littering our roadsides, beaches and oceans with end up being ingested by the same fish that we in turn catch to eat. We truly are poisoning ourselves by our actions.” Blue lagoon Island is grateful to all of its partners for helping to keep these important cleanup and educational initiatives going.
The Ocean Conservancy, provided a $5,000 grant that covers transportation, accommodation and any additional materials needed.
The Ocean Conservancy is supported by the Coca-Cola Foundation, which is the international philanthropic arm of the Coca-Cola Company. This project is part of a region-wide initiative to have 13 cleanups conducted across the Caribbean. In addition to the beach cleanups, the program seeks to promote recycling through webinars and an online educational platform with a recycling course to prevent marine pollution.
"We are excited about our support of this coastal cleanup program. In this way, we contribute to the promotion of a culture of recycling through tangible cleanup and awareness-raising actions to reduce marine pollution and debris. Caribbean Bottling Company is committed to serve the community in which we operate and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Dolphin Encounters and Ocean Conservancy. The effort is an extension of the Coca-Cola Company’s global “Circular Seas” sustainability project designed to reduce waste from natural environments and foster a culture of recycling," said Gabriella Suighi, Marketing Manager, Caribbean Bottling Company (Bahamas) Ltd.
Other corporate sponsors include Bahamas Wholesale Agencies who provided individual hand sanitizers for beach cleanup participants, UNEXSO who invited the Grand Bahama students to their facility for dolphin interaction and trainer education, the convenience store in Behring Point whose owner was so impressed with the students’ determination that he provided additional water bottles and the drive from S&D Coach Tours in Grand Bahama who helped to motivate and encourage the students as he drive them to the cleanup site.
The grades one through three students were each provided with a Blue Lagoon Island branded lunch tote bag to encourage them to embrace a reusable lifestyle. The older students each received a Blue Lagoon Island back pack. All of their teachers were given recycled tote bags as well as marine debris activity kits to help keep the education going.
Dolphin Encounters, located on idyllic, Blue Lagoon Island, Bahamas, offers visitors from around the world a unique opportunity to interact with and learn about marine animals in their all-natural habitat. Home to native Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, native Southern stingrays and Bahamian nurse sharks, this leading attraction continues to set the standard for marine animal interactive programs in the world. Blue Lagoon Island is American Humane certified and is a Travelife Partner. Blue Lagoon Island also became the first Bahamian business to successfully obtain the Safe Travels accreditation for its COVID-19 safety protocols. Owned and operated by a local family, Blue Lagoon Island is a private island experience that provides guests with authentic, eco-friendly, sustainable, Bahamian experiences through their educational animal programs, nature walking tours, Segway safaris, fun-filled family beach day and adults-only VIP beach day.
Blue Lagoon Island is Authentically Bahamian, Sustainable at Heart. To learn more about Blue Lagoon Island visit www.DolphinEncounters.com.
