The issue of Sargassum is a concern for the public, who are seeking ways to stay better informed. Many citizens have decided to take action through various initiatives to improve access to information and to alert the relevant authorities.
Facebook and WhatsApp groups
At the initiative of a social media user, a group titled «Sargassum: Understanding the Phenomenon and Its Impact on Human Health» was created on Facebook. It now has more than 770 members. There, users can find all articles addressing this issue, whether in Martinique or Guadeloupe, as well as news bulletins issued by the authorities. This forum also allows residents of the affected areas to share their experiences and post photos or videos, which are often striking.
A WhatsApp group called “Nos sargasses ensemble” has also been created, bringing together residents of Le François. They use this platform to coordinate their efforts and bring their concerns to the attention of the authorities.
Many petitions.
Stéphane LABRO, a resident of Le Robert and manager of the Tropic Notic rental center at Pointe Hyacinte, has launched a petition to «call for action—I can’t work, tourists are leaving the area, and the health of local residents is at risk.» Pointe Hyacinte has been affected since 2011, and there have been few cleanup efforts. I want to call on the government to provide more resources. ” As of this writing, more than 2,414 people have signed the petition; the goal is to reach 10,000. It is available on the Avaaz website.
In Guadeloupe, the Marie-Galante Anti-Sargassum Collective has launched another petition calling for the declaration of a state of natural disaster and the application of the precautionary principle regarding sargassum strandings. You can find this petition by clicking HERE… has already been signed by 26,793 people.
Another paper petition is circulating in the Frégate-Est neighborhood.
Other petitions have also been launched along the same lines, calling for the organization of trash collection, the protection of communities and ecosystems, or opposing school closures. You can find some of these petitions by clicking HERE…
Sargassum seen from the sky.
i-Sea is a startup that offers solutions for monitoring and managing coastal areas using space-based technologies. For the past few weeks, it has been tasked with monitoring Sargassum blooms at sea on behalf of the DEAL Guadeloupe. This solution provides a better understanding of the phenomenon through weekly monitoring to predict strandings.
We have established contact with the DEAL in Martinique to explore the possibility of implementing this program in our territory.
Here on Earth, elected officials also communicate…
Various elected officials from the north and south of the island, in an effort to do the right thing, posted photos on social media of themselves picking up sargassum while wearing outfits that many internet users deemed not exactly appropriate. This inspired some people, who quickly came up with the “sargassum kit” or launched the AzerotChallenge. The idea is to take a photo of yourself wearing an outfit that’s completely unsuitable for the activity and post it with the hashtag ##Azerochallenge. A little humor never hurts.
Kaylan Fagour
Kaylan Fagour
