One of the best surf breaks in the Caribbean is on a popular island off the coast of Panama called Bocas del Toro. And one of the most amazing facts about the island is that it has been allowed to create a massive open garbage dump right on the shoreline.
When I visited Panama last spring, there was about a thirty foot space separating the garbage from the water's edge: apparently, according to the local newspaper, now garbage is filling in right to the edge of the beach. It is gross and disgusting. I tried writing a letter to Panamanian authorities and received no response. I can tell you what my response is going to be now: make sure that as many people as possible know about this tragedy of the commons. (click on 'read more')
Here is what the local newspaper had to say:
"Surfers do not surf Dumpers anymore. They haven’t for almost six months. The few who dared left the water with skin, eye and ear infections and coughs lasting for weeks. The "black" garbage that has been oozing from the dump is now a small creek which flows into the ocean, right into Outer Dumpers. When it rains, the flow is much bigger, and the current slowly but surely takes everything south, affecting other surf spots down the coast. On Sept. 29, a large group of us surfers marched through town with our surfboards, banners and posters, asking that someone give us an explanation and an agreeable solution. We went unanswered. More than a month has passed since the few surfers who cared about their waves marched … and nothing is different. The only change is that now the trash is burning along the entire stretch at Dumpers, in an area three times larger than it was last month. Trees were cut down to accommodate the ever-growing hills of trash, and daily more garbage falls into the sea. The surf spot known as Dumpers is no more. Recently, surfers at another good surf spot farther down the coast began complaining of ear, eye and skin irritations. They shed their rash guards only to reveal ugly red rashes … caused by the water. Paunch."
Here are my photos from last spring.
10 comments:
That's terrible, but typical outside the U.S. It's hard for us to understand but some countries are so poor that garbage is not not their biggest problem.
Surfers are excellent environmentalists. Surfriders is a great organization. Thanks for showing us what surfers are up against in Panama. I think you will find that situation in many other places on the planet. Garbage is a dirty little secret. What do we do with ours?
Gimleteye writes: there is no question that garbage is massive problem here in the first world. As to the first commenter: Panama prides itself on its environmental treasures: the entire economy of Bocas del Toro is tourism related, to the water. When I was in Panama, at Bocas, there was conversation about relocating the dump. But the problem with places like Bocas that have heavily invested in tourism on fragile coastlines is that there is all the money for advertising real estate development and nothing for the serious business of making sure that infrastructure is adequate to the population impacts.
Our situation in Miami with a massive dump on the edge of Biscayne National Park; but there are costly efforts to limit the damage.
What the Panamanian central authority is going to have to do is send out from the mainland a big civil engineering team with lots of equipment and manpower and get the job done in one piece, at one time. It's a big job, but what is going on right now has turned a paradise into hell and that is not good for the tourism economy.
Costa Rica isn't much better, in terms of the water quality. I carried around a nice parasite just under my scalp after surfing a river mouth break there.
m
The problem is a result of consupmtion. But instead of telling developing nations not to consumed like we do here in the US, a better solution would be to put the burden on the manufacturers. You want to sell a can of Coke in this country...no problem...you just have to take it back. Make the companies do the recycling, not the consumers. If the governments stand firm on this, the companies will find a way to create trash / recycling programs themselves.
Re-think trash. There is no such thing. There are only natural resources that can be re-used.
try the owner of the land larrissalandau@hotmail.com
It was cleaned up by the previous owner (a gringa), but after she left nothing has been done to further clean it.
There wasn't a trash problem in Panama, or Costa Rica for that matter until the wasteful Americans started to invade...there's hope on the horizon though:
Startech Environmental Corp.
http://www.startech.net
Startech is the only publicly traded waste-to-energy plasma arc technology company in the world. They presently have three 5 ton/day installations in operation, with a number of other plants in various stages of implementation. A 200 ton/day plant being built by Startech in Panama will be the largest such plant in the world, and will convert ordinary garbage into hydrogen that can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity or directly as a fuel for combustion. The Panama plant is expected to be operational in 2008. "Waste is not garbage, but a commercially valuable, renewable resource."
No if we could run the Mob-run WasteManagement out of South Florida, we could start converting all the trash the slobs here leave laying around...
I have been surfing bocas for the last 2 weeks, one of which was about a 1000 feet from the dump. This is one of the worst things I have ever seen. Even surfing at Isla Carenero, you can see and smell the burning waste of the dump while you surfing. I surfed the wave in front of it, "inner dumpers" I was the only person out and got some of the best waves of my life. It is much much worse than the pictures that you see here in one of the most beautifull areas of beach and coast I have ever seen.
gimleteye - I will be heading to Bocas in the near future, was there last year as well. I am working with a professor at U of Miami who is working on Land Use planning for Bocas del Toro (with the hopes of getting some of the infrastructure and planning and mixed use issues out on the table before all the land goes directly to private owners). My contribution to the work will consist of suggesting the incorporation of surf breaks as a valuable resource (and source of tourism $$$) for Bocas, with the hopes that even with development, the breaks of Bocas will remain open to locals and tourists alike. If we could get together, I would like to chat about your experiences. My email is izink@rsmas.miami.edu. Thank you.
Ian
I understand your concern. But the best way that you can make a difference about this is educating the public about what they can recycle. Do you know how many students could benefit from your knowledge on recyling. Panama is more than willing to help, if your willing to lend them a hand. How would you solve this problem? I'm sure that rioting and writing negative articles is not the best option for you. Please choose a positive route and you'll get a better response. Bocas still remains a wonderful place to visit. I know cause I live here and would recommend it to others. But please if you come be willing to bring solutions and not more problems. We want people who are want to volunteer to make this world a better place. Thank You
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