Submitted by Bethany Vanderloo on the 2018 winter session program in the Cayman Islands sponsored by the School of Marine Science and Policy…
Going into our final week, I can tell I am going to miss the simple living here. People do not need much on such a small island. Most of the people who come here are here on working permits to help send money home to their families in other countries like Jamaica or Honduras. CCMI has taught me how important sustainable living is and to be resourceful by changing simple habits like not leaving the water running while you brush your teeth or turning off the fan when you leave the room.
Classes and diving have been so much fun and we are now getting the results of our work of analyzing the dive sites for coral along with other things. All of us have noticed the decline in the quality and quantity of corals in the area. It is disheartening to compare our data to the last trips’ two years ago. The oceans are warming and I have seen the effects directly which will push me to help make a change and keep doing little things to try to make a difference wherever I am.
