Garbage Cleanup

The cadets of 3045 Army, Canada's most northern army cadet corps, spent the last day of August cleaning up the shoreline behind Arctic Bay Airport.  The responsible endeavour would beautify an area that serves as a nesting and feeding area for birds.  As well, the participating cadets would accumulate community service hours.  Cadets are required to complete a certain amount of community service hours every year.  The corps does a cleanup of some kind every year before the first snowfall of winter.         

            

The shoreline behind the airport was chosen because it is the final resting place for various items that were left out on the frozen ice during the winter months.  When the ice in the bay melts, the current carries the objects towards the airport and washes them up on the shoreline.  I had been told that after several years, a substantial amount of garbage had accumulated and something had to be done.  Send in the cadets!

            

Saturday, August 31st, began with breakfast at the Commanding Officer's (CO) residence.  For breakfast, Irene, the mental health nurse, prepared egg 'McMuffins' with bacon and sliced cheese.  For beverages, there was apple juice and orange juice.  Everything was devoured within minutes.  After a quick briefing by the CO, the cadets put on their jackets & boots and jumped into the backs of two pickup trucks, eager to enjoy the rides to the airport.  I decided to ride in the back with the cadets while other adult volunteers rode shotgun.  Two ATVs with loading trailers were also brought along to assist in transporting the collected garbage to the town's landfill.

            

Before arriving at the town's airport, the convoy of trucks and ATVs made a brief stop at a small shed at the town's Gas Station.  The shed is used to store equipment, tools, and other supplies owned by the corps.  Forming a chain, the cadets loaded garbage bags, gloves, Individual Meal Packages (IMPs), and a white tent onto the pickup trucks.  As we drove onwards, I took photos of the town behind us and the surrounding landscape.  The sky was covered with grey overcast clouds and there was a cold wind.  Snapping steady pictures proved to be a challenge because the truck was constantly bouncing up and down.     

            

Upon arrival at the airport, everyone disembarked and walked around the left side of the terminal.  Since there were no morning flights scheduled, the place appeared deserted.  At the foot of runway, the ground turned to mud.  Several cadets who weren't wearing rubber boots hopped into a loading trailer attached to an ATV and were driven to the shoreline.  I chose to navigate my way through the mud with my heavy winter boots.  Thankfully, no water leaked inside. 

            

The land in this area is dominated by rocks of various sizes, but there is also a variety of colourful flora. The colours one can find are: red, brown, orange, beige, and green.  Upon reaching the shoreline, you get breathtaking 360-degree views of Arctic Bay, the red vertical cliffs, the pyramid looking mountain, King George V Mountain, and the seaway entrance to Admiralty Inlet.  After capturing all these natural landmarks with my digital camera, I turned my attention to the obvious sights that couldn't be ignored: garbage.  A substantial amount of litter was strewn across the shoreline.  Not for long, I thought.            

Before getting to work, the cadets were briefed on what to pick up and what to leave on the ground.  Garbage bags, wood, and metal objects would be stacked in separate piles.  They were also instructed on how far they could venture away from the staging area to pick up trash.  The cadets were divided into two groups and started at opposite ends of the designated area, armed with garbage bags and gloves.  An ATV with a loading trailer was also assigned to each group.  When the trailer was full, the adult volunteer would drive over to the landfill and dump all the garbage.  The large pieces of wood would stay behind and be used for a cadet bonfire later in the year.  While the cadets walked over to their areas, I assisted in the pitching of a white tent that would serve as a temporary kitchen, and as a shelter in case the weather turned sour.  Ropes and heavy rocks were used to secure the tent in place. 

            

Wearing garden gloves and carrying a yellow garbage bag, I started picking up all the various pieces of garbage on the ground. I was surprised by what I found.  There were chips bags, large plastic wrapping sheets, torn garbage bags, various items of clothing, shoes, toys, a rubber tire, two motor oil bottles (still full), and a working soccer ball.  The pieces of wood were from sealift crates and qamutiks.  I was surprised to see a small broken boat.  In the distance, I could see rusted oil drums being loaded onto the ATV trailers.

            

We had a short but well deserved hot chocolate break.  The hot water was prepared in a steel pot on a Coleman stove. 

            

The Road to Victor Bay.

Everyone continued with the cleanup and the shoreline looked more and more natural.  By the time lunch rolled around, I had filled five garbage bags on my own, and there was enough collected wood to have a bonfire for several days.  While lunch was being prepared, the cadets played with the soccer ball I had found. 

            

A portion of the amount of garbage and wood that had been collected.

Cadets eating 'delicious' IMPs.

Lunch consisted of IMPs, the Canadian version of America's Meals Ready to Eat (MREs).  Depending on who you talk to, IMPs are either loved or hated.  When I was an army cadet, I preferred IMPs to mess food.  A Coleman stove is required to cook the main course which is enclosed in an aluminum bag.  I forget what the selections were but I remember my meal was beef & vegetables.  Before the IMPs were served, all matches were removed from the bags - we can't have kids playing with matches.  While eating their main meals, the cadets traded the other goodies in the IMP bags.  The adults and I reminded the cadets of the golden rule of IMPs: don't throw away your spoon.  You never know when you may need it for hot chocolate or juice.

            

The Cliffs.

By the time lunch concluded, it was time to call it a day.  The shoreline looked pristine compared to when we first arrived.  Everyone posed for a corps photo in front of the piles of garbage and wood.  The remaining garbage bags were be dropped off at the landfill while the discarded pieces of wood, and a round wooden table were left behind.  The bonfire event in October would be big.  The white tent was taken down and packed onto one of the ATV loaders.            

The Wood Pile.

To avoid the mud patch along the way, the cadets who weren't wearing boots were given a ride back to the airport's parking lot.  The remaining cadets and I walked back.  Everyone posed for one more group photo before climbing into the back of the two red pickup trucks.  We were driven to the CO's house where Irene had prepared hot chocolate for the cadets and adult staff.  I chose to forgo the option because I had work to correct and lessons to prepare for Monday.  In the end, it was a day well spent.  The residents of Arctic Bay were grateful that the cadets took time out of their Saturday to tidy up the area behind the airport.