Knowing that there are various beaches in Surat and that the most popular ones are maintained and managed by the government, there are countless other beaches located in remote areas that are less popular, which is why people toss massive amounts of rubbish that are not even cleaned. We know that large volumes of rubbish contribute significantly to pollution and global warming. Furthermore, any waste carried away by the waves in the water might kill the fish. Taking this as a CAS experience allowed me to contribute to the reduction of land contamination. All of the waste gathered was then disposed of or recycled.
LO1: One of my strengths is my passion for keeping my city cleaner. I’ve also managed to recruit a committed group of people who share my interest and get together every weekend to clean the beach. However, our efforts are hampered by the lack of public knowledge about this issue, and we can only begin our cleaning operation on weekend mornings owing to the location’s distance, with the possibility of a greater number of people arriving in the evenings. Furthermore, our lack of access to automobiles limits our mobility, requiring us to rely on bicycles and increasing our time limitations. As students, our weekends are the only time we have to clean the beach, and we’re devoted to making sure it doesn’t interfere with our everyday lives, even if it means getting up early and returning by 10 a.m.
LO2 shows that obstacles and challenges have been taken on while learning new abilities. It was challenging to work among so many people since we had to choose a time when we could all go to the beach for cleanup. Also, as we had chosen to go during the monsoon season, it’s sometimes not a good idea to go near the beach due to severe rain, so we had to abandon or postpone the plan.
LO3 was displayed when I began my community service assignment, I wanted to select a spot on the beach that required cleaning. I collaborated with a team to determine what we required and to prepare the equipment and materials for the project. Throughout this experience, I learned how to take the initiative and develop plans.
LO4 was displayed as most of us have trouble sticking to our objectives since we are irregular. Things always get in the way; we put things off, grow lazy, and divert our focus. I showed tenacity as well as dedication to the mission of beach cleaning, which required us to go and pick up trash from various locations all along the shore.
LO5 demonstrates abilities and recognizes the value of collaboration. One of the advantages of working together was that we could collect a significant amount of waste, which might be impossible to do all by ourselves. Secondly, if you have friends doing the same thing as you, they may motivate you, because waking up and going to Dumas Beach so early during the weekend was difficult, as it was when we could snooze for a longer period. Additionally, it was monsoon season, which made it even more difficult as the waves were higher in the rain and the sand was wet. It was really difficult for all of us to work there as it was wet in most of the places. Also, it was really difficult to carry the waste bag as it gets full and gets heavier as wet sand was also coming with it in the jute sack.
LO6 was exhibited because we went to a beach near a tiny settlement where laborers resided. Looking at the waste around them made me feel awful since it may harm their health. Furthermore, waste is already harmful to the ecosystem and has the potential to harm aquatic species and their habitat. These challenges around the world are critical to investigate because they have the potential to kill marine life and contribute significantly to global warming through land pollution. I took this as an experience since I felt horrible that I couldn’t contribute to the cause while understanding the consequences.
LO7 was demonstrated because the activity’s goal was to address a big global and ethical issue that has been circulating across the world. One ethical dilemma that developed throughout the exercise was that I was to finish it with a group of my friends during a specific time frame. Although it did not have a significant impact on us, we were concerned about it and any hygienic concerns that may have arisen as a result of the cleaning. Personally, I overlooked the issue because the exercise was meant to assist solve a larger, more global problem, so we wore gloves and masks; we persisted and completed the assignment.
To summarise, the experience was quite beneficial. We were able to clean up the majority of the beach and dispose of/recycle the rubbish we found. This also benefited the residents who live near/on the beach since their labor was decreased and they could enjoy the clean beach. The most rewarding aspect of the experience was seeing the beach as a whole once everything had been cleaned up, which also represented our achievement in finishing the assignment.
