My watermark took place on Pinetree Lake, in Algonquin Provincial Park, while we were paddling on a four day canoe trip. It had just been perfectly, beautiful. There was a gorgeous loon calling in the background. Then, as we were sitting on the lake, we just saw these garbage bags float right by. We were in the middle of the park, and there was no one really around us, but there was still that impact that we saw. It was kind of shocking, and it ruined that moment where everything was untouched like we wanted to see, and instead there was still that human impact there. That was where it kind of hit me that we need to make a difference to make sure that we are protecting this water space.

We ended up picking up the garbage, and taking it with us. It was really the idea of this untouched and pristine place that we thought it was… but all of a sudden it had been contaminated.

Now when we go on our multiple trips there throughout the year, we’ll bring extra garbage bags with us, and take half an hour to make sure we are cleaning through if we find garbage in the water. It also means that when we are packing for canoe trips, we are looking at what products we are buying and how they are packed. We ask questions like, “Are we reducing waste coming into the park so that we know we’re not going to leave any waste?” That’s kind of how we set up when I’m travelling with my friends and family.