Our first major setback was arranging a time where all three of us can meet and complete our project. It was difficult to sort out what time we were all available and what park is most accessible. When we arrived at Lafarge, we were surprised to find that there was a lot less litter than we had thought. However, we did discover many hazardous materials such as dirty medical gloves, metal wires, syringes, bandages, and broken glass. We had to immediately change our approach by stepping back and prioritizing our safety to ensure that no one would get hurt or injured. Overcoming this challenge meant that we were able to adapt our initial plan, be responsible when it comes to our safety, and understand the ways we can help our environment.
This project shifted our perspective on our community and the public spaces. It showed us that from a distance Lafarge lake appeared well maintained and clean, but on a magnified look, much of the grass, bushes, and near the washrooms hid many harmful materials. It made us realize that community safety is much greater than obvious litter that covers the area. Addressing less visible hazardous materials made us question who would be the one picking it up if it was a risk to the public. Furthermore, seeing the low amount of litter made us appreciate the local city workers and volunteers who work to keep our parks clean and safe. It also gave us hope that people are keeping local recreational areas cleaner than we expected.
In the future, this experience will directly influence our approach and view of the public parks in our community. Moving forward, we won’t rely on medical gloves and garbage bags alone, we will also be able to equip ourselves with trash grabbers (pliers), puncture- resistant glove and masks. Moreover, we learned the importance of collaboration and organization through schedules which can help us communicate much earlier to avoid timeline conflicts. Lastly, we decided that if we encounter harmful objects like hazardous materials we will make the decision to report it to the city officials rather than attempting to pick it up ourselves which will help keep our city officials stay informed and aware of the litter in our public parks.
This project carried deep meaningful impact and shaped our view of our environment. Seeing that there was litter like used needles, wire, contaminated gloves and dirty bandages, it created an immediate safety hazard for families, children, and pets who visit the park. Moreover, even less harmful litter such as paper towels, plastic cups, and spoons can still have an effect on the pollution that builds up. Globally, removing this harmful waste changes and encourages people’s will to care for our earth and the future. It creates a change one step at a time by bringing awareness to the materials that could wash into local waters, travelling into the atmosphere or disrupting wildlife.
