ICC: Saipan Grand Hotel

Saturday, September 17, 2011 8:30am
Saipan Grand Hotel to Sugar Dock (roadside)
Sugar Dock to Saipan Grand Hotel (beachside)
Coordinated by: Joe Ada

On September 17, 2011, the staff and management of Saipan Grand Hotel participated in the early morning hours at around 8:30 am by commencing with the clean up from Saipan Grand Hotel towards the traffic light by cleaning on both side of the main highway with a total of 22 participants with additional 5 kids. Once at the traffic section, the cleaning proceeded towards the Sugar Dock and then headed North on the shoreline towards Saipan Grand Hotel.

The clean up took about one hour and 30 minutes with a total of approximately between 150 to 200 lbs of trashes collected. The trashes were piled at the South side of the hotel and CRM staff failed to pick up the trashes after they were informed through the application form. Pictures of the trashes were provided to CRM for their reference and also they were informed that they failed to pick up the trashes. After a week, our Engineering disposed the trashes.

DEQ Island Wide Cleanup April 15, 2011 - Saipan Grand Hotel

Date: April 16, 2011
Group: Saipan Grand Hotel
No of volunteers: 20  
Bags/weight collected: 12 bags, about 150 lbs
Location: Saipan Grand Hotel to Sugar Dock

Rob Stewart Cleans Up Saipan

Photo: Aya Matsumoto

'Sharkwater' director, volunteers conduct Sunday beach cleanup
Saipan Tribune

Rob Stewart, the acclaimed director of the documentary Sharkwater, joined some 30 volunteers during the beach cleanup behind Aquarius Beach Towers in Chalan Kanoa yesterday morning.

The volunteers collected a truckload or about 120 lbs of trash from the beach down by the Sugar Dock and all the way to the Aquarius beach.

Beautify CNMI!: Cinta Kaipat, Rob Stewart, Shawn Heinrichs, and Aya Matsumoto

Having participated in a recent beach cleanup in Hong Kong, Stewart noted the importance of doing beach cleanups regularly.

“It shows a great sense of care and investment in your land,” Stewart told Saipan Tribune.

Shirley's Coffee Shop First Clean Up for 2011

Monday, January 17th, for the MLK holiday, Shirley's staff and family gathered at Sugar Dock behind the Aquarius Beach Hotel for their first clean up of 2011. A total of 21 people participated and collected about 85 lbs of trash. Shirley's adopted the Aquarius/Sugar Dock area in 2009. In recognition of their commitment, Beautify CNMI! awarded Shirley's Environmental Steward award in 2010.

THANK YOU SHIRLEY'S STAFF AND RELATIVES --- keep up the great work! We really appreciate your continued efforts and we know that the families that frequent the beach in that area are ever so grateful!

ICC: SHIRLEY'S

SHIRLEY'S STAFF AND FAMILIES CLEAN SUGAR DOCK
Thanks and please keep up the great job!

Shirley's Coffee Shop maintains its adopted site

Shirly's conducts regular clean ups at Sugar Dock/ Aquarius Beach Tower side. Below are some photos of their volunteers hard at work on March 15, 2010.

Getting the volunteers organized

Before
Volunteers hard at work!













Over 1,200 lbs of trash collected - OMG! Where does it come from?

Great job TEAM!

...and after...

19 Shirley's employees with some relatives participated in the clean up. Collected approximately 120lbs. of trash that day. Their next clean up will take place on Wednesday, June 16, 2010.

KUDOS TO SHIRLEY'S COFFEE SHOP AND ITS VOLUNTEERS FOR BEING THE STEWARDS for one of Saipan's most loved beaches! Please keep up the great work...your efforts are an inspiration and much appreciated by all in our community!

MINA’s Adopt-A-Bin Recycling Project Launched to Minimize Marine Debris

The Mariana Islands Nature Alliance (MINA) will be removing both real and perceived barriers to proper waste disposal at seven popular public sites this month by installing mixed waste and recycling bins at Garapan Fishing Basin, 13 Fisherman monument, Kilili Park, Sugar Dock, and Wing, Laolao, and Obyan beaches. This project, funded by NOAA’s Marine Debris Prevention Program, aims to diminish the amount of litter left on the shore that eventually washes into our ocean to become a floating “soup” of garbage.

Last year’s Coastal Clean up Day confirmed what had already been observed; by installing and paying for weekly trash hauling services three years running, MINA virtually ended the litter problem once miring the beauty of Wing Beach. Chair, Fran Castro said, “The next step is to see if we can also get people at the beach to separate plastic, glass and metal from their garbage before throwing it in a bin. Recycling is the key to lengthening the life of our landfill. The more we separate, the less we have to bury”, said Castro “and what better way to establish recycling than by placing bins in public places”.


Ericco Enterprises was contracted by MINA to build the recycling and mixed waste bins scheduled for installation Saturday, March 27th at Obyan Beach. Regular trash hauling services will begin immediately. MINA has secured funding to pay for the first few months of service for the seven sites, but is asking interested individuals, families, and businesses to be part of the solution to the pollution problem by contacting MINA to “Adopt-A-Bin” and pay for one year of trash hauling services. In return, Adopters will have their name or logo placed on their bin and be internationally recognized as one of Saipan's eco-friendly and community-oriented businesses in a documentary that will be shown at the US Coral Reef Task Force meeting next year in Washington, DC. Adoption fees are 100% tax deductible.

Already four bins have been adopted by: MINA, Brabu Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Ericco Enterprises, and Rotary Club of Saipan. Several other organizations have also expressed interest in the program.

If you would like to adopt a bin or would like more information please contact MINA’s project manager at kathy@minapacific.org or visit the MINA website at www.minapacific.org to learn more from their Goals and Projects page about how you can prevent marine debris.

Invitation to Adopt-A-Bin and be part of the solution to Marine Debris

Saipan’s reefs and marine habitats are at risk from litter washing into the surrounding waters and becoming marine debris. This debris is not only unsightly; it poses a risk to marine life from entanglement, and smothering from its ingestion. MINA has found that beach clean ups alone are not the answer. The barrier to proper waste disposal must be addressed as well. In response MINA proposed and was awarded a grant by the NOAA Marine Debris Prevention program to place conveniently located recycling and mixed waste bins for public use and provide trash collection services at seven beach sites.

Funding has paid for the fabrication of weather resistant recycling and mixed waste bins for Saipan’s most popular beach sites: Garapan Fishing Basin, 13 Fisherman monument, Kilili Park, Sugar Dock, and Wing, Laolao, and Obyan beaches. Ericco Enterprises has been contracted to install the bins on March 27th and provide regular trash hauling services. The grant funding will pay for the first few months of hauling service, but MINA is asking interested individuals, families, and businesses to join the program and be part of the solution by “Adopting-A-Bin”. In return, Adopters will have their logo placed on their bin, a link to your organization on the MINA website, and be internationally recognized as one of Saipan's eco-friendly and community-oriented businesses in a documentary to be shown at the US Coral Reef Task Force meeting next year in Washington, DC.

Three sites have already been adopted! So if you wish to Adopt-a-Bin go to MINA's website under Goals & Projects. Scroll down to the link where you can download the form and send it to P.O. Box 506645 with a check for $1,000 made out to MINA, which will pay for one year of weekly trash hauling services from your site. You may submit your electronic logo and questions to MINA’s project manager, Kathy Yuknavage, at Kathy@minapacific.org.

THANKS, MAX AGUON AND CREW!

Thursday March 13, 2008

Volunteers clean up Sugar Dock, Aquarius Beach
By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

FIVE individuals volunteered to “transform” the stretch of the beach area from Sugar Dock all the way to Aquarius Beach as part of their ongoing cleanup efforts.

Led by Max Aguon, who used to work in a private company, about five to six local residents also put up barriers to prevent people from driving on the beach.

Coastal Resource Management Office Director John Joyner said the area is now totally different from how it looked like two months ago, and the residents who cleaned it up should be commended.

This shows that the spirit of Beautify CNMI! is still alive among members of the community, he added.

The small structure at the end of Sugar Dock which was badly littered before is now clean.

Joyner said volunteers continue to pick any litter they find in the area.

CRMO wants to highlight the activities of volunteers because the agency is also in the business of “catching people for doing right and not only for doing wrong,” he added.

CRMO at the same time will work with the Department of Public Lands, the Marianas Visitors Authority and the Department of Public Works in getting rid of the concrete structure at the end of Sugar Dock, Joyner said.

This structure is being used by children as a “playground” and sometimes a “diving board” even tough it poses danger to them, he added.

“We don’t want to see children diving from that structure. People should dive under safe conditions,” he said.

Sugar Dock Group

Sugar Dock Group Cleanup Leaders: (left to right) Joe Cabrera, Ben Barcinas and Max Aguon at Sugar Dock before a cleanup.

Last week a number of the Sugar Dock Group members cleaned the entire area from Sugar Dock to Aquarius Beach Tower Hotel. According to Aquarius Beach Tower Hotel manager, Will Hunter, it looked fantastic after they were done.

According to Hunter, Max Aguon is out on the beach almost daily cleaning the area. Hunter provides them with bags and drinks.

This is a great example of businesses and the community working together. I hope to see more of this in the coming months.

Underwater Scavenger Hunt

What: Underwater / Beach Clean Up & Scavenger Hunt
When: Sunday November 18th
Where: Sugar Dock
Time: 9AM
Who is this for:
Beach / Topside Clean Up - Everyone.
Underwater Clean Up - Certified SCUBA Divers only!

A PADI Project Aware Event
Tanks and certificates of participation provided by Dive Saipan
Includes a scavenger hunt with prizes!
International recognition


Hello Divers!

As you know Marianas Dive has begun a series of underwater clean ups at popular dive sites around the island. On the third Sunday of every month we meet in the morning to clean a topside area followed by a cool refreshing clean up underwater! So far we've managed to pull out a considerable amount of trash from the beach and dive sites at Lau Lau Bay and Obyan while having a good time doing it!

This coming Sunday November 18th we will be meeting again at 9AM, this time at Sugar Dock. Although not well known as a "dive site” many people, including tourists, take their first real breaths underwater right here- right next to one of the most popular piers on island! While other agencies such as DEQ, CRM, BCNMI and NMDOA have made great strides in keeping this area clean there is always more that can be done, especially underwater.

That's why we are calling on all divers, dive shops and organizations to help support this effort. In addition to being good for the environment and our tourism industry we will also be seeking international recognition by making this a PADI Project Aware event open to anyone that wants to pitch in. Thanks to Mr. Lee at Dive Saipan each participant will receive a Project Aware certificate and a group photograph will be sent to PADI for publication in The Undersea Journal giving individuals and businesses involved worldwide recognition for their help in keeping our environment pristine!

In addition to the Project Aware materials Dive Saipan will provide tanks for anyone that needs one while DEQ will provide trash bags and a limited number of mesh bags for use underwater. At this time we are also looking for surface dive floats and additional mesh bags as we are anticipating a good turn out of volunteers. If you, your dive shop or organization can help out in this regard it would be very much appreciated and recognized in the official press releases.

Another exciting twist to this event will be the placement of prize vouchers underwater turning the clean up into a real live scavenger hunt rewarding those with sharp eyes and attention to detail.

As always the underwater portion is restricted to certified divers but the topside trash collection is open to anyone that wants to help out. As Sugar Dock can be a busy place with boat traffic we are also in the process of coordinating surface support with DPS and boating safety. In addition we plan on having a few kayaks patrolling the surface ensuring divers and boaters don’t meet unless it's for transport to one of our fabulous offshore dive sites following the clean up!

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions and if you are able to help out including donations of prizes for the scavenger hunt please let me know. Also, I encourage you to circulate or forward this to anyone who may be interested in helping make this event a success! Together we can make the Marianas a better place to live and dive!

Thanks again for your support and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday for a dive and a morning of fun with fellow divers!

Sincerely,

Mike Tripp

President
Marianas Dive
scubatrip@mac.com
www.marianasdive.com

January DEQ Cleanup Brigade

On Saturday morning 69 volunteers from Aquarius Hotel, POWER, Marianas RC&D, DEQ, Rep. Kaipat's Office, Church of Latter-day Saints, New Generation Good, and some of Beautify CNMI's super volunteers cleaned up the beach near Sugar Dock in Chalan Kanoa.

More pictures soon...