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

Our Daily Ocean: Day 67

After an afternoon of playing in the pool, we headed to Wrightsville Beach with our friend Tracy and her two kids-- Liam and Emma.  We attempted to go to Johnnie Mercer's Pier, but even at 7 PM parking at the pier was packed... so we headed a few accesses down to Access 18.

It was a good call.  Looking north down the beach strand, people were everywhere... but for the most part everyone had cleared from access 18.  I say that's a good thing because when the beach is covered with people, it's often hard to know what has been left behind.

As usual, when we come to the beach with my kids friends... they do a lot of playing.  But what's great is that in the midst of playing they always find the time to pick up the litter that's around them...  running to us with handfuls of whatever they find.  In fact, Liam ran to me with a rash guard that he found in the water. (not on a person, of course ;) )  Have I mentioned that my kids favorite thing to find is beach toys??  By the end of summer, we're going to have a lot...

While I was walking over to take a photo for Tracy, I stopped in my tracks and said, "Did you accidentally dump your bucket???"  (Her answer was "no...")  4.5 trillion cigarettes are littered worldwide every year... I'm starting to wonder if that number is on the low side...

Awhile ago, someone told me the cigarette pack equivalent to how many butts we've picked up off of Wrightsville Beach.  I just did the calculation.... at this point we've picked up the equivalent of over 953 packs of cigarettes.  YIKES!  Also, this clean up puts our total weight of litter collected off of Wrightsville Beach to over 100 pounds.  *sigh* I have a feeling that number will easily double over the summer...

20 minutes on May 21, 2011 at Access 18

Litter by weight: 3 lbs 14.5 oz

Cigarette butts: 740

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 67 days:

19,073

Our Daily Ocean: Day 66

As I sit here typing... we've already done our 68th beach clean up.  I'm honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.... so I'm happy that I have a day to think about what we found tonight at Wrightsville Beach.  Sooo... since I'm moving slow on getting my posts up, I'm mentally rewinding to Friday.

During an amazing dinner at South Beach Grill, my husband and I had a really great conversation with the owner-- John.  Not only does John own one of the best local restaurants (which happens to serve the BEST local flounder I've ever eaten!)... he has also been so extremely supportive of my efforts.  :)  While talking to John, I (of course) managed to bring up plastic straws.  Planting a seed. ;) Maybe South Beach could be the first restaurant on Wrightsville Beach to phase out plastic straws?!?  The thought makes me extremely hopeful, because all it takes is for one to start the shift...

After dinner, my husband and I did a 20 minute clean up just a short walk from the restaurant at access 29.  In all honesty, when we walked onto the beach I thought that it didn't look too littered.  BUT.... it only took a short time on the beach for us to start noticing the groups, trails, pairs and piles of cigarette butts all over the sand.

There are often many times that we find things at the beach that make me pause... and roll my eyes.  This wrapper is one of those things.  Seriously, SOLO cups are disposable #6 (that's polystyrene) plastic.  Not even accepted for recycling.  Oh wait, what about that little recycle symbol??  Meaningless.    Dump the crappy throwaway cup for a reusable one.  Words to live by: 

Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse... then (and only then) Recycle

20 minutes at Access 29 on May 20, 2011

Litter by weight: 1 lb 1.8 oz
Cigarette butts: 399

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 66 days: 

18,333

Our Daily Ocean: Day 65

 Now that the weather is staying consistently warm... and especially nice in the evenings... we're heading to Wrightsville Beach A LOT more often.... and it's making our kids SO happy :)

On Thursday, I removed litter from Access 24-- my friend (and brother's girlfriend) Gabby's adopted beach access.  Gabby-- a student at UNCW-- does frequent clean ups at Wrightsville Beach and often contributes to the community cigarette butt count.  I was super excited to find out that, while Gabby was nannying on Thursday, they picked up litter at Access 36--my family's adopted access. (woot! Thanks Gab!)

As I was picking up cigarette butts... I started to notice a trend.  Camel cigarettes.  All different kinds, but the one that stuck out to me was this one with the little pink camel.  I keep thinking... "Gee... I wonder who they're marketing to??"  My thought is young women.... err... teenage and college girls.  Yes.  I said it.  And I believe it.  I mean... it's obvious right?!?  

Found this empty pack of Camels by the bench. (yes all of the butts were scattered around the pack)  

The writing-- "Seize the Hump Day"-- on the package caught my eye.  I found it comical, but then I thought about the people that rely on a pack (or more) of cigarettes to get them through the week. :(  

Question of the day:  How do you get over hump day??  (Me?  Wednesday is my favorite day!)

20 minutes on May 19, 2011 at Access 24

Litter by weight: 7.3 oz

Cigarette butts: 148

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 65 days: 

17,934

Our Daily Ocean: Day 64

Ok... so now... I'm feeling excited!  As I'm trying to catch up on my blogposts (yes... I've been slacking!!)... I just realized that THIS post is my 200th blogpost!  Since this is a milestone of sorts, it's no surprise that I found this heart made out of shells at Wrightsville Beach on Saturday :)

No doubt, I have always loved the beach.  When I was a kid (growing up in St. Louis, MO), I used to dream about living by a beach. The smell of the salty water, the breeze, the sand between my toes and the soothing sound of the waves all combine to create a great sense of peace and calm... also known as pure happiness.  Soooooo... How do I love the beach?  Let me count the ways....  ;)

I love the beach for the hours of fun that can be had...

I love the beach because it's a place where I can go to make a difference...

I love the beach because in the waves we become one with the sea...

It is on the beach... where I see most vividly how everything is connected.

And... because of this.  Seriously.  Happiness.

20 minutes on May 14, 2011 at Access 38

Litter by weight: 15.7 oz

Cigarette butts: 178

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 64 days: 

17,786

Our Daily Ocean: Day 63

On Friday, my family and I went to Access 4 for my husband to get his SUP on.   Access 4 (known as "L shaped lot"), is at the far north end of Wrightsville Beach.  I've made a conscious decision to not go to the north end of the beach very often as I've found the middle section of the beach to need the 20 minute clean ups the most.  Before Friday, we hadn't been to 4 since filming and haven't done a clean up there since our 25th clean up back in December!!

The other day, I was reading one of my favorite blogs "The Flotsam Diaries."  Normally one to blog about his discoveries on his local beach in Maine... Harry left Maine to do an archeological excavation.  As usual, Harry shares his observations... but this time while uncovering the "trash" of a forgotten society he makes the connection that their trash is only valuable because it is SO rare.  Being that the trash that our modern day society is creating isn't at all rare....I wonder what archeologists of the future will uncover about us??

But... we don't have to be archeologists in the future to tell a story about a people in a time or place.  Take access 4, for example.  I commonly refer to access 4 as the "family access."  AND... one 20 minute clean up is enough for the trash to prove it.  The number one kid related item that we found were juice box straw wrappers.  I think I've said this a million times... but just in case anyone has missed it.  I get why parents buy juice boxes.  They're super convenient and kids like them.  In fact, my kids used to love them.  BUT... as convenient as they are, there's another super convenient option.  We take reusable water bottles to the beach.  We can fill them with whatever we want and best of all there's no (accidental) littering.

More signs of families... especially kids were everywhere.  I especially love this volcano that I came across. The cigarette butt.... not so much. :(

Whenever I find band-aids on the beach... I immediately think of my friend Sara, who writes The Daily Ocean blog.  She always wonders why people wear them to the beach... they come off in the shower.  Hmmm.... Speaking of Sara.  To date, I've added 97 lbs 2.2 oz to The Daily Ocean Community Count.  Anyone can and is encouraged to add to The Daily Ocean Community Collection Count... go here to learn how :)

20 minutes on May 13, 2011 at Access 4

Litter by weight: 14 oz
Cigarette butt: 112

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 63 days:

17,608

Our Daily Ocean: Day 62

After a brief conversation the other night, I've been mulling over this thought:  "How do we get people to show up to make a difference??" .... and I'm not talking about people showing up to lobby Congress.  I'm talking about the simple things....

As a mother of 3 young children, it would be easy for me to say that I have too much going on... not enough time... and make up so many reasons why I can't do something... why I can't show up to make a difference... but, I don't.  

At some point, I realized that whatever I can do... no matter how small it seemed... I was doing something.  And doing something is always better than doing nothing.  For some reason, I've connected to this idea that "I am the difference." (you are, too ;) ) And I consistently have to remind myself of that fact... especially when I do clean ups.  
Saying those words helps me to connect the things in my everyday life to the bigger picture.  Hence the words "everything we do (or don't do) has an impact on the world we live in" in this blog header.  I strive to connect the dots between my actions and the things that are happening in our world....

That's why I am making a conscious effort to eliminate single use plastics (recyclable or not) from our household.  (This process is taking time, patience and a lot of rethinking)  Knowing that plastics are swirling in our oceans, being buried in landfills, being littered, poisoning, entangling, suffocating, choking... the life out of every living thing on this planet.... forces me to look at how I am connected to it all.

So... I show up to make a difference with my reusables: shopping bags, produce bags, water bottle, glass straw, real flatware and dishes.  I say 'no thank you', I write a letter, I change where I shop, I change what I consume... I consume less.  ....And, of course,  I take 20 minutes at the beach and make it a little bit cleaner.  <--- ok, so my daughter is editing this post and she just told me that it's "not a little bit cleaner... it's actually A LOT cleaner." :)

"I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."  ~Edward Everett Hale

20 minutes on May 11 at Access 36

Litter by weight: 11.6 oz
Cigarette butts: 256* 


*Fact: 98 cigarette butts were removed from the Oceanic Restaurant's employee break area.  Yes, I'm going to call Oceanic!

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 62 days: 

17,496

Our Daily Ocean: Day 61

After a long (and super fun) Mother's Day biking around Greenfield Lake, my husband asked me if I wanted to go to the beach to do a 20 minute clean up (and then get some ice cream)!  Yes please!  So after we ate dinner (at home... Mother's Day is too crazy to eat out!! ;) )... my husband grabbed his SUP, my kids grabbed their boogie boards, and I grabbed my buckets... and we hit the beach.

Since it was Mother's Day, I knew exactly where I wanted needed to go.  Access 36... Oceanic Restaurant.  The weather was absolutely perfect... that meant lots of people on the Oceanic dining pier.  "Oceanic is the only restaurant in Wrightsville Beach, NC situated on the beach overlooking the pristine Atlantic Ocean."  As I walked up to the pier, I started noticing straws.  Though I wasn't at all surprised.... I still couldn't stop shaking my head as I picked up straw after straw after plastic straw.

 I picked up 36 straws in 20 minutes!!!  AND... 28 of those 36 straws-- some clear, some black-- came from Oceanic.  78% of the straws that I picked up from Access 36 were there because of Oceanic's beach front dining.  *sigh*  There's something wrong with that.  Something NEEDS to change. 

I've written Oceanic suggesting some changes they could make such as: not using straws on the pier, switching to paper straws and the possibility of offering glass straws as an upgrade.  Hmmm.... it's my opinion (and it's a strong one!) that a restaurant such as Oceanic should take extra care in selecting the products they use.  It only makes sense that they help keep the main reason people dine at their restaurant... yeah... that's the location!... beautiful.  What do you think?  Contact Oceanic

Every time we do a 20 minute clean up, I share a photo of what we removed from Wrightsville Beach with Two Hands Project.  Two Hands Project is a simple concept that is spreading all over our world.  What's so great about sharing with Two Hands, is that there is such a great community of people taking little bits of time and making a big impact on our world.

Anyone can do it.  Anyone can inspire change.  Yes, even you. ;)  Thirty minutes, Two Hands. Clean up yOUR world anytime-- anywhere.  

20 minutes on May 8, 2011 at Access 36

Litter by weight: 2 lbs 10.1 oz

Cigarette butts: 183

Two Hands. 20 minutes.

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 61 days: 

17,240

Surfrider Spring Beach Sweep

On Saturday morning, we met up with our good friend Bonnie at Wrightsville Beach to participate in the Cape Fear Surfrider's Spring Surfer Sweep.  Doing an organized beach clean up is a little different than when we do our 20 minute clean ups... with no time limit we casually stroll and stop to talk A LOT!!  <--- apparently that's something that Bonnie and I are very good at!  ;)  Having gotten rain the day before (and not usually doing morning clean ups), I wasn't sure that there would be much to clean up on the beach.  BUT... as usual... the litter was there.  In fact, between our family and Bonnie, we picked up 3 lbs 4 oz of litter... which included 499 cigarette butts.  I've added those 499 cigarette butts to the Community Count for Wrightsville Beach (check the totals out on the sidebar). 

If you recall, back in January... one of my "More Than Resolutions" was to become a member of Surfrider.  BUT... for our family becoming a member is more than just donating some $$.  We want to make sure that we are actively involved in supporting and participating as much as we can.  And why wouldn't we all??   Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the worlds oceans, waves and beaches.  That's something we all should be supporting. 

 High Five Facts about Surfrider:  

1. Rise Above Plastics:  Surfrider is on a mission to reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics. Cape Fear Surfrider has ditched handing out plastic garbage bags for clean ups.  Instead, they're now using burlap bags!    
2. Not The Answer:  Surfrider is opposed to any new off-shore drilling and strongly advocates for America to seek a comprehensive and environmentally sustainable energy plan that includes energy conservation.  Save the date:  Hands Across the Sand is June 25!  
3. The Cycle of Insanity: The Real Story of Water
4. Surfrider SOUP:  Surfrider's informative (and free!) e-newsletter with the latest environmental and coastal news.  (Sign up at www.surfrider.org... in the top righthand corner.)
5.  Surfrider has kick ass apparel.  Seriously.  Looking for a "Ban The Bag" tee??  You'll find it here: Swell Surfrider Store

Ok... so anyone can join Surfrider.  You don't have to be a surfer. ;)  Become involved in anyway you can.  Make a donation, do a beach clean up, sign up for the weekly SOUP, share Surfrider's PSAs...  become engaged to protect what we love; our oceans, waves and beaches.

To learn more about how awesome Surfrider is... check out their website: www.surfrider.org

Our Daily Ocean: Day 60

On Monday-- not 5 minutes into our 20 minute clean up at Access 43-- we found the ultimate example of irresponsibility.  A broken beach chair, left for someone else to carry off the beach.  And one thing is blatantly obvious: whoever left it knew that they left it.  Unlike many things left on the beach... leaving a beach chair takes thought...  there is an exact moment when someone makes the conscious decision to pass off their responsibility and walk away.  (Oh how I wish I would've taken a picture of my daughter carrying the broken chair off the beach)

And I'm not going to lie... it's true that it can get a little disheartening going to the beach and seeing how people treat one of my most favorite places in the whole world.  BUT... as much as it's disheartening....I don't feel helpless...

Every time I take a photo, share what we find, exchange knowledge and personal experiences... I feel empowered.  Because everyday is an opportunity to help create awareness.

Awareness creates consciousness that helps to form change.

Something to think about:  We've picked up over 17,000 cigarette butts in 60 days.... making our average about 284 cigarette butts every 20 minutes.  Could you imagine if we picked up 284 water bottles every 20 minutes??  In my opinion, 284 of anything in 20 minutes is absolutely ridiculous.  I have a feeling that the people involved in creating this short video would also agree.

Last week, my Aunt and my cousin were on a 4th grade class field trip to the Mississippi River.  While dipping nets into the Mississippi to explore life in the river, one net came up with a cigarette butt.

With nothing to see, the students were to empty the net back into the river... BUT...a young girl questioned whether or not they should put a cigarette butt back in the river.  Having learned from what we've been doing, my Aunt quickly chimed in and let the teachers know that cigarette filters are made from a type of plastic.  (They had no idea!!)  Later that day, my Aunt forwarded the teachers my Brita FilterForGood film .... and the next day my cousin's 4th grade class-- in a small Iowa town-- watched my film in class. :)  YAY!!  I am so appreciative of my Aunt for saying something... and have so much gratitude for my cousin's teacher taking the time to teach students something that isn't in school books.

Here's what I'm thinking... err... feeling, right now: There are so many people in this world on this same mission to create change... and no matter how big a person's reach is-- whether to one person or thousands of people-- ripple effects are powerful and far reaching.  I have no doubts that change is going to come.

20 minutes on May 2, 2011 at Access 43

Litter by weight: 2 lbs 2.2 oz plus a broken beach chair
Cigarette butts: 151

The beach chair is broken... the aluminum frame is snapped. :( In an effort to keep it out of the trash, I'm going to be dropping it off at Re-Eco to be (hopefully) repurposed!! :)

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 60 days:

17,057