Our Daily Ocean: Day 179

From the moment the Wrightsville Beach smoke-free beach ordinance passed in November, I have been waiting for the moment when I go to the beach and take this picture:

It's really official!  "NO SMOKING" is on the signs at Wrightsville Beach! AND... I helped make that happen!  It feels awesome to have played a part in helping Wrightsville Beach become the first smoke-free beach in North Carolina!  Yeah, I'm smiling. 

While I'm super excited, I'm also realistic in knowing that it may take some time before we start seeing the positive impacts of the new ordinance.  The reality is that the cigarette litter problem will never be perfect.  But, what I do know is that it's going to be better.  And, that's something to be very excited about.

20 minutes on February 12, 2013 at Access 29

Litter by weight: 1 lb 3.9 oz
Cigarette butts: 81

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 179 days:

54,415

Our Daily Ocean: Day 36

You ever go to a place over and over again... only to find that as many times as you've been there you've been missing something?  I've lived in Wilmington since 1999... and I'm thankful to say that I've been to Wrightsville Beach more times than I can count....

I realized, today, though.... that just one access over from one of our most visited accesses (43)...  we have been walking past one of the most beautiful spots on Wrightsville Beach.  Rolling dunes, grasses, shrubbery... for a moment I imagined that it was untouched...as nature made it... just the way it was supposed to be.

As we walked down the pathway, I thought about that sign (above)... and wished that there had been another. One about littering especially with facts about plastics and how they negatively impact our oceans and wildlife.

We're redoing our bathroom and today one of the painters said, "That's a nice cigarette butt collection you have in your garage."  Of course, I told him "Thanks." :)  Then I said, "They're from Wrightsville Beach.  That's 35 days worth... 20 minutes at a time.  There are 13,279..."  (Yes, his jaw slightly dropped and his eyes widened... and a conversation began.)  

Want to help bring consciousness to others???  Whatever it is you do... share it.... and take part in conversation....

20 minutes on January 6, 2010

Litter by weight: 12 oz
Cigarette butts: 125

Total amount of cigarette butts removed from Wrightsville Beach, NC in 36 days:

13,404