Making Progress...

Yesterday, the recycling efforts extended to the Bait Shop area! We'll see how that proceeds... it may take a little while to get it going as mostly men congregate back there. '-D

Positive progress was also made with the Resort. The couple who runs it said they would welcome the opportunity to collect & sort guests' recycling! They've already started cleaning up the beach after I mentioned something about volunteering to do it. '-) YAY!

Things are progressing nicely...! :-D

Making "Green" Progress...

Happy 2010!! I wish you all a new year filled with lots of surprises, happiness, prosperity, green living... and peace!

At my new place of business, I've been fortunate to start a recycling program right in the store! I mentioned the idea of recycling in-store to my co-worker and she volunteered to take the weekly plastics/glass/cans collected home with her to be recycled. I would have done it, however, there isn't any recycling where I live... I'm working on changing that! '-D

We found an unused wire basket, approx. 2-1/2 to 3' tall, and placed it near the checkout area. We've been adding our items to the basket daily (although it's been so cold, we haven't drunk as much tea in cans lately), and the guys who work during the day have even contributed to the basket! We even have customers adding to it now as well! '-) SUCCESS!!

I've found that these kinds of things/changes take time with my Supervisor. I even took an "imaginary" photo of him (with my fingers not the actual camera) cleaning out his bottle and tossing it into the recycling basket!! This was a MONUMENTAL thing to have happened!! I was SO happy when I saw that!

Pretty soon... I'll suggest larger containers outside... for the guys who hang out in "Boys Club" as well as the guests in the timeshare/rentals. I just have to locate a place to put them that is accessible to both, but not unsightly! Then at some point... perhaps the Marina will become a "green" one! '-D Wish me luck!

On the Move & Cleaning Up...

I've been moving AGAIN for the past month it seems (I'm really getting tired of it now, but I'm very close to being done!)... and the one thing I'm really going to miss is the Oceanside park that I've been frequenting since I moved to this area of north Tavernier.

Recently, while taking a break from packing (it seems like that's all I do lately is pack & work, work & pack)... I took my usual bike ride down to the park, stopped on the jetty for a 1/2 hour to enjoy the sun, listen to the wonderful sound of the water rolling up onto the rocky shore, do a chakra clearing... then continue my bike ride down the path. A few WEEKS ago the water was so high and coming onto the land past the barriers they installed (moreso to keep people off the coral I think than to prevent the water from coming onto land :-D), and of course, LOTS & LOTS of trash rolled in as well. Do you know that that trash stayed there for several weeks... people would just bicycle/run/walk/picnic by it but nobody would stop and pick it up!! I guess you can tell this is a "pet peeve" for me. I can honestly say that there are 3 other neighbors who make an effort at cleaning up this park. Three neighbors out of possibly over 200 houses in this development! :-/

So as I rode my bicycle past, I noticed there was a blue fishing bucket that was sitting there amongst the trash. How convenient that this bucket was here ... for me/us to collect the trash in this bucket to put in the trash can. I got off my bike and started to pick up the trash... I filled 1-1/2 trash cans full of ocean trash and there was still more!! But I felt like I did my share of taking care of God's land... he gave us this land and waters to take care of. It felt good to clean it up... I wonder if anybody helped to clean up the rest of it. The most interesting find this time? A ping pong ball! :-D LOL

So how is it that a person who is busy moving out of the development has time to stop and clean up the park so that everyone else can enjoy it? So many other people need to take time to notice their surroundings more and not think that "somebody else" is going to always do it. We're all in this together. I have considered writing a letter to the Editor of a local newspaper about this... but I don't have time... I'm moving!! '-) And I'd rather pick up the trash! :-) It makes ME feel good about it... and that's what counts. '-) Hope you do the same!

I guess I have to add here also that I volunteered to clean up the small stretch of beach at the resort I work at. I talked with the timeshare manager and he said they had to cut back on personnel who would normally do it and "what comes in with the ocean, can roll back out with the ocean". I did my :-/ face and said I would clean the beach... in my spare time. I can only imagine what kind of a message is sent to the resort visitors when they stroll amongst the seaweed & garbage (as well as a LARGE tarp). A little volunteering can make it a nice, enjoyable place for everyone! '-)