Grade 9 students Jayda Pilakapsi, from left, Karen Ancher (teacher), Avaala Sabourin, AJ Curley, Inuujaq Ignerdjuk, Leonie Sammurtok, Lynda Curley, Cathy Arnarauyak, Precious Maningas, Kyla Kent, Ethel Ford, Damian Kabvitok, Silas Gordon and Joy Gawor (teacher) hauled 30 bags of garbage away from behind the old Ilagiiktut building at Melvin Bay in Rankin Inlet this past month. - photo courtesy of Joy Gawor |
Taking aim at garbage
Students say Arviat and Baker Lake much cleaner than Rankin
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, October 1, 2014
RANKIN INLET
A group of Grade 9 science students did their best to make Rankin Inlet look a little cleaner this past week.
The Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik (MUI) students removed 30 full garbage bags from behind the old Ilagiiktut building at Melvin Bay as part of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
The Melvin Bay area is notorious for being a garbage magnet due to its proximity to the local dump.
Joy Gawor said she and fellow teacher Karen Ancher accompanied the MUI students for their afternoon effort. She said the students selected Melvin Bay because it would be a beautiful area if it wasn't covered in garbage.
"The 30 bags we picked, unfortunately, didn't put a dent in the amount of garbage out there," said Gawor. "The extra-large bags were donated to us by the hamlet.
"We could spend weeks out there cleaning."
Gawor said some of the students felt like they didn't accomplish much. She said they couldn't believe they had picked up all that garbage, and it didn't look like they had been there at all.
"But, at the same time, some students were saying it's our community and we should be trying all we can to keep it clean.
"We already have the annual cleanup in town, but maybe we could look at adding another cleanup that focuses on problem areas.
"A few of the students mentioned there's no visible garbage when you walk into the communities of Arviat and Baker Lake.
"They said it would be nice if we could get Rankin Inlet up to that standard."
Gawor said the garbage problem at Melvin Bay is just a shame because it's so gorgeous during the spring and summer. She said she sees a lot of tourists in that area when she's out walking her dogs.
"The dump is the culprit behind all the garbage, but nobody is doing anything to clean it up.
"We talked, as a class, about the benefits of trying to incorporate something annually as a community-based cleanup.
"Behind the Ilagiiktut building isn't the only area in town in desperate need of a garbage pickup.
"It would be fantastic to get something started, in addition to what we have now, where every spring or fall we try to tackle the entire community."
