Our Daily Ocean: Day 3

After my son finished with karate, we headed over to Wrightsville Beach.  We had originally decided that we were going to hit Johnny Mercer's Pier, but as I was driving over I thought since we were going to have ice cream after we picked up litter that it only made sense to go here:

Access 29 is conveniently located by our favorite ice cream shop and Trolley Stop... and lots of other places to eat and shop.

  As we walked up the access, we saw a group of older people talking.  One lady was smoking a cigarette.  My husband decided he was going to say something... so with a jovial attitude he said, "You're not going to throw that butt down in the sand when you're done, are you?"  AND... much to my surprise the lady said, "No, I'm going to take it with me.  We normally go to Morehead City... you know what they have?  These signs that say 'Don't Leave Your Butt on the Beach."  

If only every smoker was so observant and respectful of our beaches.  

Unfortunately, they're not.

Just as usual, we also picked up lots of littered plastics.  From the innocent toys...

to the forgotten drinks... 

to straws...

My son noticed this bright straw under the lifeguard stand... then he picked up 7 more .

 and then these...

 hmmm... for years we've been told how marine animals and birds get tangled in the plastic rings... but yet... they are still found on beaches :(  I have to say that I'm surprised they're still made.  Back to that whole voting with your $$ mantra.  Want to buy soda (or beer)?  Skip the rings and buy it in a box.

On our way back to the car (and to get ice cream), my kids kept stopping to pick up cigarette butts and other litter they saw.  My daughter said, 

"Some people are so trashy."  

20 minutes on August 17, 2010

Litter picked up by weight: 2 lbs
Cigarette Butts: 409

Total amount of cigarette butts picked up in 3 days off of Wrightsville Beach, NC: 952