Marine debris
You never know what you’ll find on a pollution pickup!! (We once found Beach Barbie!).
What is marine debris? Well, it is man-made pollution that enters our waterways. Bodies of water eventually drain to the ocean from rivers and other tributaries or if there is a heavy rain it can wash debris into waterways.
Common items like plastic bottles, balloons, aluminum cans, plastic bags, ghost buoys, pieces of fishing gear, or even construction items are some examples of marine debris. These can be an issue for wildlife because some wildlife can ingest marine debris or get tangled & trapped in it. It is often thought of others’ trash being gross but one way we can decrease marine debris is to bring a reusable bag or bucket while we are visiting wild places to collect trash and properly dispose of it. Another way to reduce marine debris is to think about how we can reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose or compost items!
Reducing waste can be done through finding reusable items such as switching from plastic bags to reusable bags or switching from plastic to bamboo toothbrushes! (There are even replaceable bamboo toothbrush heads now!) Recycling programs can be tough but if you rinse out your recyclables and check your local recycling plant information you can stay up to date on what is being taken and recycled. Repurposing is a fun way to reduce waste. A great way to repurpose an old filing cabinet is by taking out the drawers and using the main part for a flower bed or planter! When you’ve done that you can start composting fruits or veggies for your flower bed.
There are several organizations dedicated to removing pollution. Here are a few links to more resources if you are interested in getting involved in clean-ups!
- https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/our-work/removal
- https://www.surfrider.org/volunteer
- https://scaquarium.org/conservationevents/