NYCkayaker kayaking and water cleanup

[Erik Baard]

Wonderful to see this idea in use elsewhere in the country.

Just south of the East River's Hell Gate, on the Queens waterfront, the Long
Island City Community Boathouse provides free kayaking and canoeing to all
comers.

Our tiny beach, at the foot of housing projects (and down the road from the
largest public housing project in North America, the Queensbridge Houses) is
cleaner than anyone's lifetime, residents say. Why? Because while people are
waiting their turn to paddle, they are invited to clean the beach area.
People feel a sense of connection to the waterway and shoreline, and act
accordingly.

When we first started offering free paddling, we informed the city
government that we would be undertaking beach cleaning ourselves. The beach
was covered with sheet glass, air conditioners, furniture, tires, needles,
vials, and other nasty items that residents couldn't get the city to clean
in the past. The authorities were frightened that we would hurt ourselves
(people ranging from youth to the elderly), and so did a "pre-cleaning" by
removing the largest items!

Annually, and inconcert with other community groups, we also haul bicycles
and shopping carts that get dumped in considerably quantity off the
retaining wall. I'm happy to report that this form of dumping is declining
as more people extend their sense of community from the streets and gomes to
the estuary a few feet away.

Hooray for growing the circle of relationships!

Erik Baard

www.licboathouse.org
www.naturecalendar.com


On 1/4/08, Cory Trembath <CTrembath at jgwaarchitects.com> wrote:
>
> No rent is due on a kayak if the paddler brings back a bag of trash.
>
> http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/01/eco_heros_cleve.php
>
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-- 
Erik Baard

www.licboathouse.org
www.naturecalendar.com