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Exploring Oregon's Waters 🛶

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My first canoe trip on the Willamette River was an experience of a lifetime. As I paddled along the gentle currents, completely lost in the peace of nature, I was unexpectedly surprised with not one, but two extraordinary encounters – a bald eagle soaring above and an osprey diving into the water to catch its prey. Join me as I share this amazing experience and look into the Oregon Water Futures Project which works to protect and clean up these ecosystems for generations to come. The canoe ride started off a little chaotic for me as I was trying to get figure out how to use the paddle and stay in rhythm with the person in front of me all while a boat passing created some waves for us to ride. After I got the hang of paddling it was smooth sailing. We made our way into a lagoon where we saw a bald eagle soaring gracefully above the river then it landed on a treetop. We quickly pulled out our binoculars to get a closer look. That left me speechless as it was my first time seeing a
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The Columbia River Gorge Pt.2 🌊

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I took another trip along the gorge if you would like to read about part 1 click on the link  https://aplasticfreelife.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-columbia-river-gorge.html . This second time around another source of renewable energy stood out to me. Several dams along the Columbia River, harness the power of water to generate electricity through hydroelectric power. While these dams have undoubtedly brought numerous benefits to the area, their presence also comes with a reminder of the sacrifices made, none more heartbreaking than the story of the once-mighty Celilo Falls.  One of the many dams along the Columbia River.  Hydroelectricity has been a breakthrough in our search for sustainable energy solutions. Let’s explore some of the main advantages of hydroelectricity. 1. Renewable- Hydropower relies on the force of flowing water, a renewable resource. As long as water flows in rivers, this energy source remains available, making it an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels. 2.
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My First Time Recycling ♻️

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We all know that plastic pollution is a huge problem, and we need to find different ways to combat this issue. Recycling can be a really good solution to this and has become more popular as a way to reduce our plastic footprint. Two weeks ago, I got the opportunity to use a reverse vending machine at Costco. I was excited because recycling is a little different in Trinidad, you collect your bottles, cans, cartons, and glass and drop them off at designated bins. There is no cash back. Anyway, as I approached the machine, I realized there was sticky liquid all over the machine and the floor around the base. It was not the most pleasant welcome and I couldn’t help but think about the origin of these liquids. But it was clear that some people had not taken the time to just rinse out their containers before depositing them. It is really important to wash out the bottles and cans to maintain the integrity of the materials being recycled and to reduce the risk of contamination. A simple rin
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The Columbia River Gorge ⛰️

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Recently, I took a drive through the stunning Columbia River Gorge and was in awe of the beauty that surrounded me. The gorge, which stretches for roughly 80 miles along the Columbia River, is a sight to be seen and one that I wouldn't mind revisiting again. Although the drive was meant to be a 3-hour trip from Portland, Oregon to Washington (state), a few pit stops turned it into a 4-hour drive instead.  The Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. On the right is Oregon and on the left is  Washington  (state) and in the middle of them is the Columbia River. Image by: Raeann Gervais  The Columbia River Gorge was formed by a combination of volcanic activity and erosion. Around 15 million years ago, lava flows covered the area, forming thick basalt layers. Over time, the river and weathering broke down the basalt, carving out the canyon walls and creating the deep and narrow gorge seen today. Glaciers also played a role in the formation of the gorge, carving out the hillsides during the last I
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Is becoming a vegetarian a solution to plastic pollution?🥬

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 Dear friends, I haven't written on this blog in a little while time, 5 years isn't that much right. But I must say I've missed it. Life has been unexpected recently, and finding the time and energy to sit down and write down my thoughts has been difficult. Nonetheless, I'm glad to be back and ready to share my most recent experiences and views. So, get a warm cup of tea and let's catch up. So roughly 2 years ago I became a vegetarian. I was abstaining from meat for Lent and was only eating fish. A friend recommended I watch the documentary "Seaspiricy" because of my environmental interest. I sat down and started watching and I did not expect to CRY at the site of dead fish, dolphins, sharks and whales. From that moment I decided to become a vegetarian and 2 years later I still am. It has not been an easy journey but every time I am tempted I rewatch Seaspircy and cry all over again.  Because this blog is about plastic pollution I wanted to research if bei
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The Great Pacfic Garbage Patch 🗑️

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By now, you have probably heard of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch . If not, it's simply a floating island made up of any plastic trash you can imagine such as soda bottles, plastic bags, disposable utensils and many other plastic trash. In complexity, it is also made up of very small pieces of plastic not just large ones.  Photo source: Lifescinceguru There are five oceanic "garbage patches" which are located in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. The largest of them all is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  While large pieces of plastic do accumulate in the gyre, rather than being an island of plastic, in reality, this is more like a plastic soup, consisting mostly of tiny bits of invisible microplastic. Researchers have found higher concentrations of floating plastic in the gyres than anywhere else in the ocean. Photo source: The Ocean Clean Up The 5 oceanic " garbage patches" The Great Pacific Garbage Patch spreads over 1.6 million squ
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The Dangers of Styrofoam ☣️

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You may not think about it but you use styrofoam a lot. Think about it! You receive your snow cones, corn soup, Chinese food and curry in styrofoam. But where does it all end up? Plastic pollution is greatly showcased in the media. H owever,  Styrofoam pollution is quite overlooked. Especially in Trinidad and Tobago . So today I'm going to shed some light on the dangers of styrofoam pollution and the threats posed by styrofoam when emitted into the natural environment. Styrofoam is widely used as an insulating material in the construction industry, for the production of disposable dishes or packaging, crafts, and in the food industry.  Photo source: Indiamart Image showing packing peanuts which are made from styrofoam  Photo source: Brennan Builders Inc. Photo showing styrofoam used to insulate a building  Photo source: DIYwithMe Photo showing styrofoam balls used for crafts  turned into a decorative snowman Photo source: Home for Foam Photo showing st
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