Plastic waste has been found at every coastal location visited by the Paddle of Hope team during its journey around Viti Levu, prompting a call for people to take greater responsibility for how they dispose of their rubbish.
While speaking to fijivillage News, Reverend James Bhagwan says one of the saddest things they have experienced during the journey is consistently finding plastic waste, regardless of whether they stop at popular beaches or isolated coastal areas.
Bhagwan says plastic bottles, plastic bags and diapers are among the most common forms of rubbish they have encountered.
He says the team, together with communities, has collected an estimated 30 to 40 sacks of plastic and other waste from places where they have stopped.
Bhagwan says at one location, they also found a garbage bag filled with diapers dumped in a mangrove area.
He says they are seeing rubbish being dumped at roadside rest stops, while waste from communities further inland can travel through major river systems and eventually reach the coast.
Bhagwan says the Paddle of Hope is about raising awareness and calling on people to take greater responsibility for the land and sea.
He says people need to look at how they dispose of rubbish, their attitudes towards waste and what needs to change.
Bhagwan says they have also seen communities vulnerable to climate change committing themselves to protecting their environment and taking responsibility for their communities.
He says the Nanukuloa Accord was also signed between representatives of the Vanua, the church, the Ra Provincial Council and the Provincial Conservation Team including a commitment to care for the land, ocean and coastal areas and prevent rubbish, particularly plastic waste, from entering the ocean.
Bhagwan says the protection of the ocean, as part of the Pacific's living water system, is one of the reasons behind the paddle.
He says the team has so far covered more than 276 kilometres from Suva, along the Coral Coast through Nadi, Lautoka, Ba, Tavua and Rakiraki and Tailevu.
Bhagwan says they paddled from Nanukuloa in Ra to Nanuaimanda in Viti Levu Bay on Monday, moved through the Tailevu-Verata area Tuesday and will be paddling to Bau landing today.
They are expected to move into Rewa on Saturday for their final community engagements before paddling into Suva on Sunday.
Bhagwan says changing weather conditions have been one of their biggest challenges, with the team having to adjust its paddling programme according to wind direction and strength.
He says despite the challenges, the community engagements have been excellent and the team hopes its experience will encourage others to take greater responsibility for protecting Fiji's environment.
Bhagwan says everyone, not only indigenous communities, has a responsibility as citizens to be custodians of the nation and take responsibility for themselves.
