The Sylvia Grinnell River: a world of garbage

I am so disgusted with the amount of garbage at the Sylvia Grinnell River and all over that area.

I have been picking up garbage all weekend because the garbage is going right into the fishing river and into the fresh water.

I don’t understand why people have to leave their garbage, and think it’s just going to pick itself up by itself. Our beautiful land is looking gross and ugly, especially over at the river.

I have noticed people leaving their old tents with garbage still in them, leaving old belongings and old empty vodka bottles.

There is one area that can’t even be used for camping now, because old garbage and old tents are just left there to rot.

I am so ashamed because I have seen tourists walking around taking pictures of the garbage instead of the beautiful scenery at the river. I also have noticed that people just go to the river to party and drink and leave their garbage.

I know there is no fine for littering here in Iqaluit, but why is that when there is everywhere else?

I am pretty sure that the only way our community will stay clean is when people starts getting fined for leaving their garbage. I also don’t think it’s right to just throw piles of wood for fire wood over at the river, as lots of that gets left all year around and looks like crap.

If people want to have firewood, I think we can pick up our own so there isn’t too much wood laying around, especially when there are nails in the wood.

I can’t get over the plastic bags and plastic vodka bottles I picked up Sunday night for so many hours, and now I am responsible for bringing the garbage into the dump, because the city doesn’t pick up garbage over there.

But now this is why I am writing now for the city to see this and maybe take this into big consideration, by at least putting a large garbage bin over at the river for the campers, and at least pick up garbage once a week, and do this just for the summer, as we do need something to save our land.

There are berries that grow in that area and elders who can’t go too far pick them, so let’s not destroy the land any more with garbage.

There is one more thing I wanted to add about the cabins that are being built over the river. I thought that area was only for tents, and now it is starting to look like it’s cabin country, and that is making it look more dirty because of the junk.

Before you know it, there will be people living in them all year around and leaving their garbage there.

I am not pointing at anyone, just think this has to be brought up, because I have said it already over the radio and it never seem to help.

Please help keep our land clean and beautiful for our future.

Pauline Alainga
Iqaluit

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