This is not a problem unique to Cozumel. It’s a global problem that will require each and every one of us to change our thinking and our behavior about how we use and recycle plastics. This problem is as serious as any environmental problem we face because plastics never break down into anything smaller than the tiny bits of polymer that are rapidly poisoning our food chain.
My awakening occurred over the Christmas holidays when I realized that I was trying to avoid a large pile of plastic rope while framing an amazing photograph of the surf on the wild side of Cozumel. As I got closer to the pile of shredded and tangled rope, I realized that it was actually quite beautiful. It looked like a masterpiece of contemporary fiber art: aqua, turquoise, yellow, brilliant blue and black. However, it clearly did not belong where it was.
The pile has grown since I first encountered it a month ago. That cannot be an accident. I watched the beaches near this heap being cleaned for tourists. Yet this pile grows. I was tempted to lug it to the trashcan on the road. Then I stopped to consider that encountering this pile opened my eyes to the problem. Perhaps its presence can quietly do the same for others?
So, after passing through the manic phase when I tried to pick up every bit of plastic that I encountered, I resolved to create a purposeful heap whenever I discovered a large tangle of rope snagged on jagged coral. Today I created three and added to several more. If the weather cooperates, I hope to create a few more before I leave on Sunday.
It’s not much, but it’s a start.
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