Trash Talk with Michael Crawford-Hick in Philippines

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I had to stay in Cebu City on the island of Cebu for a few days after a quick 2 week visit around the coast. I was on my way to get some food from my hotel and as I was walking over a bridge I heard two cats screaming at each other. I looked to see if I could see them. What shocked me was the amount of plastic rubbish that was on the river. In fact it the whole surface of the river bank to river bank and as far as they eye could see, was at least a layer of plastic, possibly a lot more hidden underneath. I wanted to find out, but decided not to as going down there would be quite toxic, due to amount of rotting food, decaying things that I dared not even touch. Who knows what diseases were lurking down there. I would need a full hazmat suit to even venture down there.

I eventually found the cats amongst the rubbish still screaming at each other, only because they moved did I see where they were. Then as I scanned the horizon and houses I saw (but did not capture) a resident of one of the the houses that backs onto the river just empty his bin full of rubbish out of his back window and onto the already full river. It was sacks full of plastic that much I could see. Well that’s how he got rid of his rubbish.

The worst thing was the smell of this rotting mess, and people were living there just a few bricks away from an environmental disaster. No one cares, as these people are on the lowest wage, so they can only afford to live here. I wonder what is the cost to them and their children health who play in and around this mess on a daily basis? Remember there are thousands of people sleeping here every night as this is a long river and runs through Cebu City. I did not linger long on the bridge as I felt my health could be at risk due to the situation.

I am a passionate photographer who’s mission is to photograph the worlds ocean, lakes, & rivers showing their magnificent beauty and their bad side of being near mankind, e.g. rubbish and pollution that affects us all. It is not man made wars that will kill us, but the plastic in our wildlife, birds, fish and other creatures that we rely on to live e.g.”The Food Chain” this is poisoning our everyday lives if we continue as we are. It is happening silently without us realizing it.