Just 1 Bag

A little bigger bag than I had envisaged

Barry, our new puppy, and I were so upset when we went to the beach this morning, because the high tide last night had brought in a huge amount of rubbish from the sea.

Lots of people on the beach at midday today

Barry and I did our usual bag, but it really didn't make any difference.

I asked for help

So I designed a poster and asked the people on Lanta to help with the clean up and was shocked when I returned to the beach at midday and saw many people on the beach, helping to clean it up. Resort staff, local Thai people and tourists were all helping.

Whilst I would love to claim that I motivated these people into action I cannot:

Lanta Castaway Resort Staff

Lanta Castaway Resort, always clean the beach, but today they seem to have doubled the crew size.

Motivated by what he saw

Local Thai people told me they were motivated by what they saw.

Sarah Duff on her last day of her holiday

Sarah Duff, who was spending her last day on Lanta, said she was devastated when she woke up this morning after enjoying a lovely clean beach for the previous days, she was compelled to contribute.

Two of our guests, Luna and Michael,  asked for 3 bin bags and helped, 3 free beers for them!.

Michael & Luna

And of course Barry and I helped each of these wonderful groups and filled up another bin bag before we left the beach.

What we did today

But there is still plenty to pick up, so please if you go to the beach today, please pick up just 1 bag of rubbish. Imagine if everyone did this today. #just1bag

Other People's Trash

I love low season, because it is a bit more relaxed than high season, so we have much more time to spend with our guests. In the main the weather is really good, but we do get rain much more regularly and we get the occasional storm.

Last week we got our first big storm (which is normal in June), unfortunately this, coupled with the change in the sea patterns, forces rubbish from the sea onto our beaches. None of this rubbish comes from Koh Lanta and if we left it to nature, as the sea changes, the sea will take back the rubbish it has given us.

Mook Lanta Eco Resort sponsors Trash Hero Beach Clean ups

Obviously we don't want our beaches, nor our seas polluted with rubbish and so we have a wonderful organisation on the island, Trash Hero Lanta, who not only organise beach clean ups once per week but also teach the local children about waste and provide reusable water bottles to cut down on waste.

Puppy walking is combined with a daily beach clean up

However the efforts of Trash Hero Lanta relies on volunteers and this is where you can help. Join them on one of their Beach Clean ups or pick up some rubbish whilst you are on the beach. When Mellisa walks our new puppy, Barry on the beach, she is filling 1 big bag of rubbish each day, but her efforts, and the efforts of a few hotels and expats, is not enough.

The Newest Member of the Family

We would like to introduce you to the newest member of the Mook Lanta Eco Resort Team...... Barry.

Our New Pup, Barry!

Barry is about 6 months old and 1.5 months ago he was found by a concerned lady under the Siri Bridge to Lanta. She quickly realised that the dog did not belong on the streets and asked for help finding him a temporary home.

Mellisa, without Nick's knowledge, said she could take him on temporarily and he arrived that night, a scared bundle of fluff.

The next morning it was clear he was used to being in a house and with humans and he quickly adapted to living at the resort. 

After a few 'conversations' it was agreed that Barry could stay, but only if he learns how to behave on the resort. So if you come to Mook Lanta, please remember:

- He loves affection, but must not jump up, but must sit to receive it.

- He is a puppy, so understand he is still learning.

- Never feed him at a table, but if you want to reward him, make sure he sits and gives you his paw.

And why is he called Barry? Well the staff wanted to call him 'Siri' because it is the name of the bridge, but Mellisa felt it was a bit girly. A friend, suggested the dog was named after him, Barry, and it just suited him and it stuck!