Our Daily Ocean: Day 173

Saturday was an especially amazing and fun day at Wrightsville Beach.  There were wispy cirrus clouds painted across the bluest of blue skies and the air was crisp and cool.  As my two boys and I walked south along the beach, they took advantage of the winter beach erosion and spent their time climbing up and jumping off the sand "cliffs"... nature's playground.

And while my boys played, another one of the most beautiful and awe inspiring natural phenomenons was taking place-- sundogs.  The first time I saw a sundog, I called it a fragment of a rainbow.  Over the years, I have viewed these little fragments as a metaphor for life: a reminder that rainbows are always there... we just have to be in the right place to see them.

On Saturday, I saw sundogs everywhere... I even saw a nearly complete halo of color circling the sun... And after I finished my beach clean up, I sat down on a park bench, let my head fall back and the sky smiled at me.... begging me to ask the question: What does it mean???  

To which I can only answer:  

We live in a great big beautiful world.... and it's worth protecting.

20 minutes on January 5, 2013 at Access 18

Litter by weight: 6 oz
Cigarette butts: 116

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 173 days:

53,842 

Our Daily Ocean: Day 172

Well, hello 2013.  It's a new year and because so much has happened and so many things have changed since this time last year... I'm finding myself super reflective.  I guess that's what New Years is about... reflecting on our past to guide us as we move to the new.  Reminding ourselves who we were, who we are and who we could be.  My head is filled with optimism and hope... a new year brings a new perspective. 

This year, Wrightsville Beach will usher in the implementation of North Carolina's first smoke-free beach.  Very BIG deal.  Successful implementation means there will be fewer littered cigarette butts on Wrightsville Beach!  I'm so excited!  I look forward to seeing a change and helping raise awareness about the new ordinance.  ...and as I reflect back, I can't stop smiling because I was part of something big.  I helped create change because I believed... because I had hope.  Because I read the words "You are the difference" and I believed it.

So let me remind you (as I do every new year) 

You are the difference.

Pass it on.  Everything we do matters.

20 minutes on January 1, 2013 at Access 42

Litter by weight: 1 lb 6.6 oz

Cigarette butts: 271

Plastic caps: 27

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 172 days:

53,726

Our Daily Ocean: Day 147

With the 4th of July falling on a Wednesday this year, it meant that the celebrations carried out over two weekends.  Last night, I picked up the remnants of someone's 4th of July firework celebration at Wrightsville Beach.   It's worth noting that fireworks are illegal at Wrightsville Beach and I picked up 31!  

In my previous post, I wrote about Oceanic's recent switch to "Compostable" straws.  Since we went back to access 36 again last night... and picked up 23 straws... I think it's important to bring this up again.  Though compostable straws are not my favorite solution (favorite "realistic solution" would be for them to only give straws upon request)... all in all, I'm happy that they made a change to something more environmentally friendly.  But, my friend Ginger points out some very important facts when it comes to compostable products and we should all take note:  

"I really do appreciate companies trying to be more environmentally friendly and using compostable products.  However, if those products are on the ground, they are still litter and litter is unsightly, illegal, and sometimes dangerous.  Also, products that claim to be "compostable" are not compostable in the ocean.  Did you know that items compost best in soil, with the aid of worms, and at the right warm temperature?   If these items end up in the ocean, they will not compost because the ocean does not offer the right conditions for items to compost. 


What is the lesson to be learned?  Reduce all disposable, single use items so that they never end up in the landfill, in a compost bin or in the Ocean."  

The best thing that we can all do is to refuse single-use products (no matter what product--plastic, paper, corn, plants, etc-- they're made of).

On Tuesday, July 10... the Town of Carolina Beach is having a meeting to get public input on banning smoking from the Carolina Beach strand.  YES!  With all that has been happening at Wrightsville Beach, I think it's great that another local beach town is starting this conversation.  If you're local, you'll want to be at this meeting!

When: Tuesday, July 10 @6:30pm  

Where: 1121 N. Lake Park Blvd, CB

20 minutes on July 8, 2012 at Access 36

Litter by weight: 1 lb 7.8 oz

Cigarette butts: 126

Straws: 23

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 147 days: 

47,689