Cape Breton Environmental Conservation Association was at it again today cleaning Fisherman's Park in Glace bay. We cleaned this area around this time last year, however this year was much worse. We collected 30 bags of garbage and among the trash were 423 Tim Horton's cups which is no surprise. This is a local hang out for people who frequent Tim's Horton's and it's not hard to tell what some do with their cups when they are finished.

I often ask myself what the heck runs through a persons mind as they fire their trash out the window. When did we decide it was okay to just throw our trash wherever we wanted, have we lost all respect for our communities?

CBECA member Hilary Wellsford holding 2 of the 423 Tim's cups collected at Fisherman's Park

CBECA member Joey Pushie collecting plastic bags which litter the ground at Fisherman's Park Glace bay, NS

CBECA members Hilary Wellsford and Paul Goldring having a laugh

We really need to figure out why trash is such a major problem within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and when I say its a problem I mean it's a major problem. No matter where we go within the CBRM we find trash strewn all over ground, streams, lakes, shorelines you name it. We have garbage cans over flowing, we lack proper garbage disposal in places such as parks and other recreational areas. Last year when Fisherman's Park was brought to our attention, we contacted the Councillor for the Glace bay area and other Councillors in hopes of getting a garbage can put in this park. However we were told the gulls rip the garbage cans apart and they also lack the manpower to empty the cans regularly. We are now working with another great community organization Bayitfoward in hopes of getting garbage cans placed here and quite possibly a few benches. 

We don't mind cleaning areas like this and we often enjoy it to be honest, however what we don't enjoy is coming back to an area a year later to find even more garbage. We aren't the only people out cleaning trash and if it weren't for the many volunteer organizations and individuals picking this stuff up, we'd be in some serious trouble. The amount of garbage that community groups and individuals collect is astonishing, we just wish the rest of the community would follow behind us. It takes a special kind of person to take time of their day to try and make a difference in their communities. Please bare that in mind next time you decide to throw your trash out the window, someone just finished back shift and is out cleaning this stuff up, someone is suffering health issues but is still out there cleaning this stuff up, someone has a big exam to study for but is still out there cleaning this stuff up, show some respect for your fellow citizens. 

Garbage is everyone's problem and the mentality some people have towards not helping is ridiculous. "its not my trash why should I pick it up", hmm.. maybe because it's your community? why not show a little pride. I can tell you from experience it takes little effort to clean an area like Fisherman's Park and if more people came out to help it would make it a whole lot easier.

Glenn Turner shown in the above photo and his wife Paula King-Turner are amazing people they clean the South Street beach on a regular basis. They too requested garbage cans down South Street in Glace bay but were denied. The South Street beach is part of the Big Glace bay Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary and items such as plastics can me very harmful to the birds and marine life in the area. They weren't surprised with the garbage at Fisherman's park as they see it all to often throughout the CBRM. We are hoping that businesses put their garbage cans back out sooner rather than later, especially Tim Horton's as it's the number one culprit. 

This year alone we’ve completed seven community cleanups removing a total of 212 bag of garbage and countless other items such as tires and electronics which we transport to local enviro-depots. As a small volunteer organization with no government funding it is hard to keep up with the mess but we try are best. We are lucky to have so many great volunteers who show up to our cleanup events which makes things a little easier.

Stream clean Sydney, NS May 2018 35 bags of garbage 2 shopping carts 

CBECA president Dylan Yates pulling plastic out of a stream Sydney, NS 2018

CBECA members sprucing up the Downtown Core Glace bay, NS (2018). 

CBECA's cutest little helper 

Bottom of Lake Rd Glace bay, NS (Big Glace Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary) 75 bags of garbage, tires and various household items

Tower Road Community cleanup (2018)

Neil Walsh and his daughter Hannah Tower Road Community Cleanup May (2018)

CBECA members Cleanup in downtown Sydney (2017)

CBECA members cleanup One B road and shoreline Glace bay (2017)

CBECA members cleanup Sand Lake Rd, Glace bay NS (2017)

CBECA members Bayplex cleanup (2017)

Since starting last year CBECA and volunteers throughout the CBRM have cleaned a total of 557 bags of garbage, we are quickly on the verge of passing last years amount, which totaled 345 bags. We really hope this story will encourage you to think before you throw your trash on the ground or illegally dump garbage in our forests and watersheds. There is an entire community of passionate people out there trying to keep these areas clean. Please respect your community and help work towards a cleaner and safer Cape Breton for all. 

We are a proud people filled with so many great qualities, it's time we start taking pride in our communities and show the rest of the province just how passionate we are about the environment and the Island we call HOME.

When someone asks you, where are you from? what do you say? I know what I say..

Cape Breton, Nova Scotia 

2017 Cleanup Season Report (CEBCA) 2017 report.pdf

Illegal dumpsite Presentation (CEBCA) Illegal Dumpsites.pdf

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