Our Daily Ocean: Day 229

My friend Kim and I have been meaning to do a beach cleanup together for quite awhile now.  We've emailed, texted, called always saying "we should meet up for a beach cleanup soon!"  But for whatever reason, "soon" took us around 2 years. Some things are worth the wait.

As with all of these "Our Daily Ocean" beach cleanups, our beach cleanup lasted 20 minutes... and while some days 20 minutes can seem like a long time.... my beach cleanup with Kim seemed to pass by so quickly.  Good company and good conversation have a way of doing that. ;)


“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last March, Kim attended the Plastic-Free Living presentation that I did at UNCW with Beth Terry and Bonnie Monteleone and left with motivation to do her best to live with less plastic.  From time to time, she gives updates on how she's finding ways around using plastic and as always shares her creativity and inspiration on her blog: Kim Beller Designs 

When walking to my car after our beach cleanup together, I noticed that there was a (new) sticker on my car. It was a bit of a shock at first until I realized what it said and that Kim had added it to my (ever growing) collection.  love.

20 minutes on January 10, 2014 at Access 18
Litter by weight: 6.4 oz
Cigarette butts: 188

That's my cat Fluffy, I didn't find her at the beach ;)

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 229 days:

 57,619

Our Daily Ocean: Day 202

Back in 2010, months before I started this beach cleanup project, I  became aware of a local nonprofit called Ocean Cure that did free charity surf camps for at risk youth and those who are medically fragile.  Impressed by the idea, I (along with my husband) quickly signed up to volunteer.  We didn't know the founders... we didn't know anyone else volunteering.  But it was something that we felt so inspired by that we knew we wanted to support Ocean Cure in any way that we could.

A few months after our first volunteering experience with Ocean Cure, we became fast friends with the founder-- Kevin.  We quickly learned that Kevin is the type of person who gives without expectation... and he gives so much of his time and energy to helping those who normally couldn't get in the water the opportunity to do so.  AND... his nonprofit Ocean Cure does it for free.

Ocean Cure measures their success by the smiles they create.  And let me tell you... they are definitely succeeding!   

But, they don't just do free surf camps for those in need!  They also participate in and organize beach and waterway cleanups!  I love that Ocean Cure understands and acts on the knowledge that in order to enjoy our beaches and oceans, we need to keep them clean, protect them and nourish them!  Because Ocean Cure encompasses philanthropy and environmentalism... they are definitely my favorite local nonprofit!  If you'd like to volunteer, participate, donate or just learn more about Ocean Cure... please take the time to check out their website and go "like" them on Facebook.

Also, my friend Kim of Big Strong Girl Designs will donate $10 to Ocean Cure with purchase of this "together we are an ocean" copper cuff from her etsy shop.

20 minutes on September 24, 2013 at Access 39

Litter by weight: 2.3 oz

Cigarette butts: 49

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 202 days: 

56,011

Big Strong Girl Designs

I am, by every account, a lover of good quotes.  I find that there is something s0 reassuring about connecting my thoughts and my words to something outside of myself.   For me, they often serve as reminders to the simple connections we have with others in the world...  

When my friend Kim-- a local artisan who makes handcrafted pieces from metal-- told me that she wanted to make me a personalized copper cuff and it could say whatever I wanted... my heart leapt with excitement.  But then, being that I'm indecisive (and a procrastinator), it took me months before I could decide on the words that would be set in copper.  My procrastination paid off and I'm happy that I waited to make the decision because the quote I chose is 100% me.  Not normally a jewelry person (I usually only wear my ring), I'm finding having words to live by on my wrist just feels good... (Kim, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!) 

Months ago, when Kim and I first talked about my bracelet, we discussed her designing a copper cuff that would support a local non-profit.  As we were chatting about Ocean Cure prior to our Backyard Benefit Jam, Kim mentioned one of my favorite quotes:

"Individually we are one drop... together we are an ocean" 

..and just like that the "Together We Are an Ocean for Ocean Cure" copper cuff was created.

 Kim was super kind as to donate one for our Backyard Benefit Jam raffle and is currently selling the "Together We Are an Ocean" copper cuff in her Etsy shop Big Strong Girl Designs with $10 from the sale of each bracelet being donated to Ocean Cure!! YAY!!!


Love that copper cuff and want to get your own?  Visit big strong girl designs

Want to know more about Ocean Cure?  Go here.

Our Daily Ocean: Day 116

Do you ever think that you're just a blip on the map and that no one is really paying any attention??  I do.  I wonder if people are really "reading" the things I say or if the things I say even matter.  These are usually fleeting moments, but I have them.  However, based on some unexpected awesomazing things that happened this week... I think that I need to officially stop having those random thoughts.  Yup, I'm throwing doubt out the window and believing in the difference I can make!!!

So... what sort of awesomazing things have been happening you ask??  First things first: The Surfrider Action Alert for Smoke-Free Wrightsville Beach went live.  YAY!!!  (If you haven't added your name, please do.)  Then on Sunday morning, I woke to read an  "OMG... I want to give him a high 5!" blogpost by Tim Silverwood.  Tim was at his local beach when he saw a man flick his cigarette to the ground... what happened was soooo freaking RAD... that I have to tell you to pause here and go read "Teaching an old dog new tricks..."  Now... I have to share that it turns out the first thing Tim thinks of when he sees butts on the beaches is..... moi! (... of course, I realize this is not a very attractive thing to be known for, but... hey! what can I say? I'm that girl.)  If you're not familiar with Tim, he's an environmental activist and co-founder of Take 3 in Australia.  He's super passionate about helping clean up our world and coming together as a global community to do it!!

The next bit of awesomeness, comes from here in my own local community.  After sending out the action alert to my friends and family encouraging them to add their names, I received an email from Kim that was full of so much support and encouragement that it made my heart run over.  I then shared with Kim something that not everyone knows:  this project hasn't been without harsh criticisms... and that over the past year and a half, I've dealt with a fair share of negativity that has often taken the wind out of my sails.  Not long after I shared all of this with her, she wrote this:  

....so i say to YOU....whoever you are out there making a difference......whatever you believe in......MAKE NOISE....make a difference....keep trying....don't stop believing.....keep up the good work....and don't listen to negative people trying to stop you or shut you up.  get out there and fight for what you believe in,   and in the process...SPREAD LOVE.  spread hope and your message...oh, and give yourself a big hug for being brave. 

 yes!  Yes!  YES!!!  I just LOVE that!!! ... and it's so what I've always needed to hear... it's what we ALL need to hear. 

Read Kim's entire blogposts on Big Strong Girl Designs: make a difference~ and spread love.

Let's get out in our world and make a difference... and let's do it together.

20 minutes on February 3, 2012 at Access 16

Litter by weight: 15.4 oz
Cigarette butts: 290

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 116 days: 

38,875