We're so lucky to live here. Having grown up landlocked in the Midwest, I used to daydream about living at the beach. My kids though have always had this... they don't know what life is like without the beach... and truth be told, they can and do sometimes take it for granted... so I remind them over and over again.
They get to end their day swimming in the waves with sea gulls and pelicans flying overhead.
On Thursday, we sat on the beach and watched as pelicans dove into the water to catch fish. Like a torpedo they'd hit the water. And as quickly as they went down they'd come up and with a gulp they'd eat any fish they had caught. In that simple moment, it's easy to know why it's important that there's no floating plastic in their way.
Connecting to all that is at the beach is one of the best ways to encourage a strong understanding of the reasons to protect it and keep it safe for the animals that call it home. For me, teaching my kids to respect and take care of the world we live in is one of the most important things I can do. And thankfully, there are many other parents in my local area who feel the same.
Big thanks to Mother's United-- Advocating for a Healthy Community for hosting the beach clean up Thursday evening!
20 minutes on July 25, 2013 at Access 28
Litter by weight: 1lb 5.3 oz
Cigarette butts: 136 (not including 1 electronic cigarette filter)
Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 193 days:
55,355
I -love- that your cigarette counts are down from 1000s at a time, to maybe 100 -- to maybe only a couple dozen even. I hope that trend continues! Some day I'm going to come to Wrightsville Beach and admire firsthand all the work that you & your family have put in there.
ReplyDeleteThank you Harry! I would absolutely love for you (and your family) to come to Wrightsville Beach to visit! ... I can even offer you a comfortable place to rest your heads :D
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