HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Local volunteers continue their efforts to keep the island beautiful — one group picking up dozens of bags of trash at Marbo Cave one week after the Guam Earth Month Islandwide Beautification cleanup event where 17.36 tons of trash was picked up.
Mayor Louise Rivera noted that two groups held cleanups recently. The first was Army Regional Hub Node, which picked up trash near the area locally referred to as Jimmy Dee’s Beach in Tamuning.
The second group included a group of Tamuning residents who went to Marbo Cave in Mangilao and noticed the amount of trash.
“The group that went to Marbo Cave didn’t expect to do the cleanup,” said Mayor Louise Rivera on Saturday. “Just yesterday, they went…just to enjoy the beauty of our island and saw all the trash so they picked it up.”
Rivera said illegal dumping and just a plain disregard for putting trash in receptacles continues to be a problem throughout the island. She has spoken to Guam Environmental Protection Agency about some potential solutions, like placing video cameras in areas where illegal dumping is known to happen, but that comes with its own set of challenges, including funding.
“Until we figure that issue out, I’m just really grateful for the folks who come out and help to keep our island clean,” she said, adding that her village also has a group of residents who call themselves Love Guam who often clean trash at public areas around the village as well as popular hiking places around the island. “That group is led by Mrs. Lee and I just really appreciate her and all the people who donate their time and effort. Kudos to them all.”
A group of Tamuning residents went to Marbo Cave on Saturday to enjoy the beauty of the islands. They instead helped pick up about a dozen bags of trash in the area.
Photo courtesy of Tamuning Mahyor Louise Rivera
