I received the latest newsletter from The Marine Conservation Society today, of which I am a supporter, publishing the results of recent Beachwatch Big Weekend beach cleans which indicate a big rise in plastic litter on our beaches.
This reminded me of my walk a couple of weeks ago, on the 17th April to be exact from La Haule slipway to the Gunsite. I was stunned again to see so much refuse and plastic waste along the waterline, and again i want to ask, “Why isn’t more being done by the States to keep our beaches clean?”
What is interesting is that walking along St Ouen’s beach i will see mostly what I call pelagic waste – rubbish blown or washed in from elsewhere, but in St. Aubin’s bay it is, or appears to be mostly local or native waste like bags and sweet wrappers, but also a lot of what appears to be sanitary waste, which would beg the question about whether it is coming from Bellozane somehow, or perhaps trapped by changes in currents and water flow caused by the reclamation site, or if not these, then where?
Either way, for an image that relies, and is publicised so heavily on Tourism, having sanitary towels washing around in the water is probably not ideal. St Aubin’s, especially the west end, used to be popular with beach goers, but now looks like a waste land half the time. If something is not done, it will end up being abandoned as a destination for anyone.
And why should it just be charities, school children, and those that cannot stand by and do nothing alone that try and clean the mess up? Am I alone in saying to the States of Jersey:
“You are responsible for our environment, and I want it to be clean.”