Litterbug

Hey, litterbug! Don't make us clean up after you

By Ken Lewis  

6 a.m.Sept. 28, 2014

On Sept. 21, 2014 an estimated 1,000 surfers paddled their surfboards around the Ocean Beach Pier to raise awareness for ocean and beach pollution by participating in the Paddle for Clean Water. Photo by Terry Rodgers 

 

 

An estimated 1,000 surfers paddled their boards around the Ocean Beach pier on Sept. 21 to raise awareness of ocean and beach pollution by participating in the Paddle for Clean Water. The event, now in its 23rd year, is not only a fundraiser for the San Diego chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, it serves to remind us all that we need to take better care of our most precious resource, our oceans. So instead of just paddling, here are some things you can do to make a difference.


Pack it in, pack it out
If you and your friends decide to go to the beach to enjoy some tacos and 64 ounces of diet soda, please make sure you throw everything away in a trash can or take it back to your car. I can’t tell you the dozens of times I have gone to the beach and watched visitors leave their food wrappers and bags of fries unattended as the seagulls moved in and tore it to shreds. The worst part is, most of those same people suddenly felt that it was no longer their duty to get that trash off the beach. If you see those people, tell them to get a clue and educate them on where the closest trash cans are located.


Hold on to your butts
I know some people love their smokes, but next time you decide to blast a cig and feel the urge to flick that butt out of your car window, know that your act will be adding to a terrible problem on our beaches. All trash on our highways and city streets eventually finds its way into our storm drains and into the watershed. Last year during just one beach cleanup in Pacific Beach, volunteers picked up more than 6,200 cigarette butts off the sand. In 2013, there were nearly 60,000 butts picked up on the beach — and that’s just what volunteers counted on a few occasions. That number could be zero if people took a few seconds to dispose of their butts properly. Be aware that your actions matter.


Beach toys
Each summer tourists and locals alike want their kids to have a great day at the beach and often pick up a package of blue and pink shovels, green buckets and orange molds to keep their little sand-jammer stoked while they bronze their pale carcass on the beach. What’s mind blowing is how many parents just leave them behind when the exit the beach, like they are doing the next family at the beach a favor. What really happens is the high tide comes in and washes these items into the ocean where they never break down completely and chip into tiny pieces that are eventually ingested by sea animals. Always remember that if you bring it, you take it home.


We are all stewards for our coast and if you love the ocean, pick up trash every time you leave the beach and look into volunteering at the next ocean or beach cleanup. Check out sdcoastkeeper.org or sandiego.surfrider.org for more information about our environment.