Our Daily Ocean: Day 74

For some reason, I had this idea that when warmer weather got here I would be posting our clean ups more regularly.  I guess I forgot that with hot sunny days I'm not inside much and June is a VERY busy month for us!! (More about that later in the week!)  

On Friday, we took a picnic dinner to the beach, played in the ocean and then did a 20 minute clean up.  One of the first things I saw was this plastic bag with million dollar homes in the background.  As soon as I snapped the photo, I immediately thought of this article: "Don't Talk About Fish, Talk About Saving Pristine Oceanfront Property."

I thought about it because every time I do a clean up, I think about how pissed off I would be if I paid a million plus to live on the beach and then had to look at the million dollar view being trashed.  Oh wait, I don't live at the beach and I'm still pissed off that people have a lack of respect for the pricelessness of the ocean and beach.  (ok... I pretty much feel the same about litter no matter where I am)

Though, I have to admit that with many things, I can accept the fact that accidents happen.  Many littered items have been littered by mistake.  BUT...mistakes are an opportunity to learn... an opportunity to make sure it doesn't happen again.  Cigarette butts are different.  Cigarettes are tossed down without any thought or care.  Imagine this:  You're sitting on the beach... you're driving... you're at the park and you see someone throw a plastic water bottle.  How many do they toss to the ground before you say something?  How many do you have to pick up before someone realizes that something needs to change?  I'm not being condescending or sarcastic... I'm serious.  With trillions littered every single year, this problem is not confined to Wrightsville Beach.  This problem is bigger than anyone thinks it is.... so I guess I'm just wondering... when is it going to end?  (yes, I think the same about plastic pollution)

20 minutes on June 17, 2011 at Access 19

Litter by weight: 2 lbs 1 oz

Cigarette butts: 469

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 74 days:

21,975

Our Daily Ocean: Day 68

Ok... so... last night, we did our 68th beach clean up at Access 15.  I have so many emotions running through me as I think about the disaster zone that was Wrightsville Beach.  We parked at access 16 and before we even got on the beach... I knew it was going to be bad.  The trash can was overflowing... trash was littered all over the parking lot.  And what makes me so frustrated is that we saw the same scene on our 58th clean up.  Completely obvious fact:  In order for trash cans to work... they NEED to be emptied regularly!!!  

But the mess wasn't contained to the parking lot.  (deep breath)  I'm thankful that we have the 3 best helpers EVER.  Just look at my kids... my oldest is using a littered beach bucket and filling it with cigarette butts (fyi... my kids picked up 469 cigarette butts on their own!!), my daughter following (she's the inspector), and my youngest... arms full.  When he got to me he said, "Mom this one has coffee."

So... as we walked... I kept thinking to myself... "WHY???"  I mean really... how can people come to the beach and leave it so trashed??  My son wonders the same thing.  Here he is holding a plastic bag full of trash that he found under Johnnie Mercer's Pier.  (The bag and it's contents were thrown away and are not included in the litter weight.) 

And so... I can wonder "why" all day long... I want to cry thinking about it... and so I can keep thinking about the "why"... but the conclusion that I'm coming to is that the "why" people litter really isn't important.  What's MORE important is giving people the reasons "why" they need to take care of the beach.  Showing them the problem. 

Here's a thought.  There are fines in place for littering.  Wrightsville Beach has a $500 fine for littering.  Guess what?!? It's obviously NOT working.  In order for a fine to work, it has to be enforced. It doesn't take a genius to notice that it's not being enforced.  (But... I tell you what... people are quick to fill the parking meters for fear of getting a parking ticket... BECAUSE... parking at WB is enforced to the extreme!!!)  

Another thought that I had while going through all of the litter is that litter fines are great and all... but they don't really teach anything of real value.  What if there were people all over the beach catching litterers in action.  No warning... they get a ticket and have to do community service.  Litterers should be required to do a beach clean up... because then and only then will they understand the enormity of the problem.  (I'd gladly volunteer to have the litterbugs come with us on our beach clean ups.)

Oh... I almost forgot.  I (think) that I want to wear one of those sandwich signs.  On one side, it would say something like "Take Your Trash With You" ... hmmm... "Love The Beach. Don't Litter."  And on the other side it would say, "The Beach is NOT an Ashtray" or "Cigarette butts are litter, too."  (I'm torn)

"Awareness is the first step to creating change in any situation, without it, there would be no desire for change."

20 minutes on May 22, 2011 at Access 15

Litter by weight: 10 lbs 6.7 oz

Cigarette butts: 843

14 aluminum cans, 3 plastic bags, 13 plastic bottles, 29 straws (12 from juice boxes), 24 plastic caps, 4 pairs of shoes... and a whole bunch of other plastic crap.

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 68 days: 

19,916