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Why do a Beach Cleanup?

Our Main reasons to do beach cleanups:

 

1. Clean Beaches

We want to enjoy clean beaches when we go to recreate at the beach, whether it is so that the water is clean, or even if we just want to relax and soak up some sunshine. Who wants to sit on a dirty beach or worse get injured by stepping on a broken glass bottle?

2. Save Wildlife

Keep debris from killing wildlife. Marine animals can mistake trash for food and many have died from consuming plastic bags, fireworks debris, and cigarette butts.

3. Local Economy

Keep our beaches as an ideal tourist attraction to continue the stream of tourism revenue that supports our community.

The Facts About Marine Debris:

Are we beginning to mistake our oceans for our garbage cans?

The following will give you the basics about the problem of marine debris, which may be out of sight for humans but remains a persistent problem for marine life.

What is Marine Debris?

• Marine debris is trash or other solid material, which enters oceans and often washes up on beaches.
• Ten years of beach cleanup data indicates that 60 to 80 percent of marine debris comes from land-based sources

Where does it come from?

• Storm drains: When it rains, trash left on the sidewalks and streets is washed into storm drains, which is then carried to the nearest waterway, and eventually flows into the ocean
• Beachgoers: Trash is often blown away by the wind or left behind on the beach.
  
• Ocean-users: Recreational and commercial fishermen may lose or discard fishing materials or debris overboard into the ocean.

What problems does it cause for marine life?

• INGESTION of marine debris can cause damage to the digestive system of marine life, causing malnutrition or even starvation
• SUFFOCATION can occur from plastic bags or plastic six pack holders, blocking passageways or normal growth
• ENGAGLEMENT can occur when common items like fishing line, strapping bands and six-pack rings hamper the mobility of marine animals. Once entangled, animals have trouble eating, breathing or swimming, all of which can have fatal results.

Plastic marine debris affects at least 267 species worldwide, including 86 percent of all sea turtle species, 44 percent of all sea bird species, and 43 percent of marine mammal species.

What problems does it cause for people?

• Beachgoers can cut themselves on glass, metal or sharp plastic left behind on the beach.
• Marine debris can also impact the safety or livelihood of commercial and recreational fishermen.
• Debris left on the beach is an eyesore, turning our beautiful beaches and waterways into landfills!

What can I do to help eliminate marine debris?

Marine debris is a symptom of a much larger water pollution problem caused by our everyday consumer lifestyle. Recognizing your role as part of the problem is the first step towards finding a solution.

You can be part of the solution by making some basic lifestyle changes:

1. Use your wallet: Buy products with little or no packaging, and products made from recycled materials
2. Reduce you use: Reduce the amount of waste you use and create:
   1. Reuseable bags: Bring re-useable bags to the grocery store
   2. Reuseable containers: Pack your lunch in Tupperware containers that can be washed out, rather than plastic sandwich bags that must be thrown away
   3. Bring your own mug: Bring a reusable mug to the coffee shop, instead of getting a paper or Styrofoam to-go mug
3. Recycle it: Recycle as much as possible
4. Pack Your Trash: Dispose of your waste properly
5. Reduce outflow: Keep streets and storm drains clean. If it gets in a storm drain, it goes in the ocean.
6. Don't Burn Pallets: Avoid burning wood pallets with nails on the beach. Don’t bury your fires, to avoid hot coals and nails underfoot and out of sight.
7. Spread the word! Tell your friends about how to properly dispose of their trash and recycling