5 MIN READ
7-08-2024
Boom, Boom, Pow!
Clynton Guzmán | Content Creator | 4ocean Guatemala.
I have learned that trash and solid waste come from bad habits; as long as there are people with bad habits, there will always be those who suffer the consequences. Typically, the environment and marine life suffer the most from this catastrophe. It takes 2 minutes to drink a soda, but it takes 100 years for the planet to process that waste.
The large rivers that pass through communities are the most affected in such cases, like the Motagua River, which crosses a large part of Guatemalan territory as the largest river in the country. Decades of pollution and landfills alongside the river cause major environmental disasters when the rainy season arrives. As the river rises, it carries everything away due to currents and winds and deposits all the plastic and trash on the coastlines of Guatemala and Honduras.
"During the first months of the rainy season, significant amounts of trash accumulate on the coastlines of Guatemala and Honduras."
How does our boom system help the environment?
In mid-2023, we installed the boom in partnership with Corona, a coalition of companies dedicated to fighting plastic pollution.
After extensive trial1s, we gained significant experience and our plan succeeded.Soon enough, we began filling hundreds of super sacks with plastic waste.
Remember the video of the TRASH ISLAND? That was our first major success in intercepting plastic during the 2023 rainy season.
This year, we filled a whole barge with 50 super sacks during our first big catch. Just three days later, over the weekend, we collected another whopping 129 super sacks.
We were thrilled and excited to have collected so much plastic!
Don Juan: "The Motagua River carries a large amount of debris during the rainy season. We must take action to stop it from reaching the ocean!"
The boom intercepting a massive amount of plastic! 07-02-2024
An enormous number of super sacks being prepared for transport to Puerto Barrios. It took three trucks to carry this load.
"The normality of what is not normal."
Educating the population is a real challenge, especially when it feels like you're up against the world.
Changing people's perspectives overnight isn't possible, and many are so used to these conditions that what's shocking to us is their daily reality.
Hearing people say, 'it's nothing, it's gotten worse,' is unsettling.But I believe we can change this mindset. The foundation of every great achievement lies in a deep conviction and a sense of duty.
The crew loading 50 sacks onto the first truck.
Another Day, Another Pound
The boom in the Motagua River has proven to be a crucial element in the fight against solid waste pollution.
By intercepting significant amounts of waste, it has protected the coastlines of Guatemala and Honduras from further environmental damage.
Educating the population to change ingrained habits will be a real challenge but that’s why one of our top priorities at 4ocean is raising awareness about the ocean plastic crisis.
However, the success of this initiative has shown that collective effort and innovative solutions can create substantial environmental benefits.
Our mission will always be to end the plastic crisis and leave a legacy for future generations.
Team Quetzalito celebrates their victory after a successful plastic collection!
The boom, now completely cleared and ready for a new collection. Let's see how many more pounds the future holds for us!
Thank you for being part of this movement!
Clynton Guzmán.