Burnt Our Garbage at Mono Island

For the last two weeks, we have been slowly stopping at San Blas Islands and villages from South/East to North/West direction. We are about 1/3 up the San Blas. Those islands we have visited are traditional, not touristic, and secluded from the world. Most of the islands are near the main land close by a river which is a source of water to the Gunas. The island itself is beautiful but the river dumps rain water to the sea. We didn’t really do much snorkeling or swimming yet.

One of things we recently have had a problem with is our garbage collected for two weeks. We have been looking for a place to burn it. We brought gasoline and our garbage to a shore and burnt them all including some plastic garbage we collected from the shore. While burning, a Guna man arrived in the island. I explained him that we are burning the garbage and if there is a problem. He said ‘no problem’. I also asked him if they throw their plastic garbage in the ocean. He said ‘Yes’.

While in Colombia, I bought lots of plastic bottles of water and John bought plastic bottles of diet coke. All the cookie wraps and packages of chips, bottles of this and that, it was amazing how much garbage, it ended up. I am now drinking water made from the boat not bought in the bottle. Back in Florida, I didn’t think it is important when people brought their fabric bags for groceries. I now take my fabric recyclable shopping bag so I have one less plastic garbage bag to deal with. We felt freer and cleaner after burning our garbage.