Paris showed great resilience in the past year following two devastating attacks on the city's people. The world united around the city, but the hard work of recovering was up to courageous Parisians.
Starting this week, Paris will be literally picking up the pieces after draining the Canal St. Martin, a popular spot for tourists and “hipsters” in the city to spend afternoons doing what Paris is all about—living and loving life.
What can be found in the canal once it’s drained?
Well, residents and visitors alike are beginning to give some examples. Or maybe they’re playing “I Spy?” It’s hard to say but here’s what you can see so far.
Chairs
Bikes. Yes multiple...
Why so many bikes?
Also, motor bikes and lots of bottles.
A computer?
A shopping cart, and another bike.
And finally, here is a view of the empty lock system the city drained the canal to do maintenance and repairs on.
Don’t worry all fish were safely evacuated and relocated for the four months the canal will be undergoing repairs. However, there is some cause for concern—the cost of repairing the lock system and cleaning up the canal is a staggering € 9.5 million!
The Canal St. Martin is in need of an upgrade. It’s been fifteen years since the lovely lock system was cleaned out. The last time the canal was cleaned in 2001, 18 tonnes of fish were safely removed and relocated during cleaning, and 40 tonnes of material waste was discovered and removed before the city’s cleaning crew could even begin to work on repairing the lock system. But hopefully the canal will never again harbor this much waste. After all, if people responsibly handled their waste, then this wouldn't be a problem.
The canal, built in 1802, was originally commissioned by Napoleon to provide fresh drinking water to citizens in the city. Today, as you can see, the water doesn't look very appetizing. But it's still a valuable resource for the city.
Taking care the planet and properly disposing of waste saves lives. For instance, in places like Rwanda, damage from waste clogging drain systems and streets can lead to flooding and even fires that put lives at risk.
Hopefully, these spooky images of sunken bikes can serve as a reminder to keep cities clean and stay on top of Global Goals like sustainable cities and communities.
To help prevent city water systems from filling up with rubbish in the next fifteen years, you can take on the Global Goals as your New Year's resolution in TAKE ACTION NOW.