Where to dump garbage is a “dirty,” (pardon the pun) issue in any community. For the most part it’s ignored, like the task of cleaning one’s bathroom, but when it is not, it is brought into the spotlight and can become the source of heated debate.
Over the last few weeks, Victoria and the Cowichan Valley have been looking at the issue of where to dump contaminated soils, and the populations of both regions have shown that they feel passionately about the issue.
But regular household garbage is also not only an eyesore, it too has negative impacts upon the environment, and can, in some cases, have negative impacts upon local organizations.
As you will have seen, this week’s cover story focusses on the dumping of household items at St. Christopher’s St. Aidan’s Anglican Church here in Lake Cowichan. While most of the people doing the dumping might have good intentions; wanting to donate gently used items to the church, most of what is being left is proving to be unusable, dirty, or broken and is costing the church time and money.
I tend to agree with Rev. Peterson when he says that he thinks that most people are dumping their stuff as an easy way out of going to the dump. This seems to be another alternative for those who dump beside or on the old logging roads around Cowichan Lake or in the Cowichan River; a mess that is then cleaned up by the local Wilderness Watch group or by the Cowichan Lake and River Stewardship Society respectively.
Give me a break, people. The price for dumping garbage here in the Cowichan Region is but a fraction of what it costs those who live on the Gulf Islands, and most municipalities have curb-side garbage pick up. If you are going to get all fired up about the dumping of contaminated soils near a watershed, I would think you would be just as concerned with where you dump your household waste.
—editor@lakecowichangazette.com
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