Cobi Jean Sablan
Tinian Long Beach and Masalok Beach Clean-Up organized by the team at Latte Marine Diving and Salvage last April 6, 2024.
The team of Latte Marine Diving and Salvage take a pose after the Tinian Long Beach and Masalok Beach Clean-Up last April 6, 2024.
Appreciation gathering for all participants and sponsors last April 7, 2024.
Trash gathered in Tinian Long Beach and Masalok Beach Clean-Up organized by the team at Latte Marine Diving and Salvage last April 6, 2024.
AT just 21 years old, Cobi Jean Sablan is already making major moves to protect the natural beauty of the CNMI’s pristine beaches and coastal areas. This inspiring young environmental activist recently played a huge part in the awesome Tinian Long Beach and Masalok Beach Clean-Up organized by the team at Latte Marine Diving and Salvage last April 6, 2024 followed by an appreciation gathering last April7, 2024.
So how did this Saipan-born-and-raised eco-warrior first get involved with island conservation efforts? In her own words: “My interest with environmental causes affecting the CNMI started after I graduated high school in 2020. I and a few friends would go hiking to places like DanDan Beach or Old Man by the Sea. Whenever we came across debris washed up on shore, we’d gather it into one area since we didn’t have a way to haul it out at the time. It was the least we could do.”
For the huge Tinian clean-up, Cobi Jean played an essential role in making sure everything ran smoothly. “Latte Marine tasked me with ensuring we had enough resources for participants like trash bags, gloves, and refreshments. I also helped make sure the event went according to plan,” she explained.
This beach clean-up was no small feat – it required a massive community effort to tackle all that plastic pollution and marine debris. But Cobi Jean was totally up for the challenge! “What drove our passion was the amazing people in Tinian,” she said. “When we first met with the Tinian Committee with reps from the Municipal Council, NMC, 4-H, CREES, and Fish & Wildlife – plus the friendly locals – we could tell the community there was stoked to participate.”
“Our main goal was empowering the youth by getting them involved,” Cobi Jean continued. “We wanted to educate them on why keeping our lands and seas litter-free is so crucial. At first, our focus was just Long Beach. But then we learned nearby Masalok Beach also desperately needed a clean-up since not many folks go there and debris constantly washes up.”
Even with the hot sun beating down, volunteers of all ages brought incredible energy and commitment to the dual-beach operation. As Cobi Jean recounted, “We split into two groups – older volunteers headed to Masalok while the younger crew stuck to Long Beach since it’s flatter. The biggest challenge at Masalok was navigating that steep hill down to the shore while hauling bags of trash back up. But both teams crushed it! Surprisingly, Masalok ended up having way more debris than Long Beach.”
This clean-up was about more than just litter removal though. “Beyond that, we raised awareness by encouraging friends, family and others to ditch single-use plastics and properly dispose of any trash, no matter where you are,” Cobi Jean said. “That’s how we can all work together to protect these beautiful places.”
Looking ahead, she has big goals: “In the future, we want to keep promoting marine debris education through more hands-on events – empowering and inspiring the next generation to keep this momentum going as they get older.”
Dina Tenorio, owner of Latte Marine Diving & Salvage, LLC (Latte Marine) and the first-ever female local certified commercial diver in CNMI, gave a glowing review of Cobi Jean’s leadership. “Her dedication to this cause is truly inspirational. We’re so proud to have bright, passionate activists like her involved.”
What initially sparked Latte Marine’s interest in organizing the Tinian clean-up? As Cobi Jean explained, “They were contracted by MINA (Mariana Islands Nature Alliance) to do a salvaging project removing debris from previous typhoons and storms in the waters around there. Hosting an outreach event like this beach clean-up was a perfect fit.”
While this was Latte Marine’s inaugural beach clean-up, it definitely won’t be their last! Cobi Jean revealed, “We aimed for it to be a one-time thing at first. But after seeing how many amazing volunteers turned out and their eagerness to help, we’re now committed to making it an annual tradition – just hitting a different beach location each year to cover more ground.”
This is exactly the kind of energy and environmental mindset we need to combat marine plastic pollution and protect the incredible natural assets that make these islands so special. Thanks to passionate young leaders like Cobi Jean Sablan, the future of CNMI’s beaches is looking a whole lot cleaner!