Museum of Litter

The 22nd Challenge

On Earth Day 2010, I remember someone making a comment about the hype of Earth Day. His point was everyone seemed to feel they were doing so much if they attended a one-day-a-year Earth Day event. He said we should be pitching in on a regular basis (I agree). As Earth Day is always celebrated on the 22nd, he suggested using the 22nd each month to do something special. I LIKE that idea! Also the number 22 has special significance to me -- it's my birthday. So, whoever you are*, thank you for that great idea. I'm running with it. I'm issuing:
 
 The Monthly 22nd Challenge
Using the 22nd as a reminder, what can we each do? Look around as you go through your day. Are there 22 pieces of litter you can pick up? Can you pick up everything in a 22 foot radius? Can you pick up litter for 22 minutes or even 22 seconds?
 
These are the first 22 pieces of litter I saw this morning. It took me a little more than 22 seconds, but not much -- probably 2 or 3 minutes at the most. Some of the pieces are very small pieces of plastic or cigarette butts. They are what I consider the worst... so small that they are easily ingested but not digested by wildlife causing birds, fish and turtles to die. This may not be a lot picked up, but every single piece is important.

Every litter bit hurts. Every little bit helps.
 
I'd love to hear from you. Let's start a conversation about litter to make those who are unaware more conscious. Please share your ideas and experience. *LIKE* us on Facebook.  If you take photos I invite you to post them on Facebook's Museum of Litter page.

If you're on Twitter, follow @MuseumofLitter. Together we can #twitterlittteraway.
 
* I wish I'd remember who's idea using the 22nd was so I could give credit. If it was you or you know who it was, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. Thanks!
 
 

Cuban Toothpaste safely reaches dry land on Florida beach

A toothpaste tube,  believed to have floated from Cuba, landed safely in Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida, in late July.

Julio Omaña, a Lauderdale by the Sea resident, walking with his wife Joan, spotted the plastic litter along the shore. It was discovered on dry land above the high tide line. Under the Wet Foot-Dry Foot policy, it will be allowed to remain in the United States.

Mr. Omaña turned it over to the Museum of Litter for documentation. The toothpaste, going by the name of Perla,  mint flavored, is manufactured in Cuba by Suchel. It was identified by the markings: "fabricado en cuba por Suchel."

It will be housed in the museum's "Personal Hygiene & Cosmetics Collection" where it joins toothbrushes, tooth flossers,  lipsticks, lip balms,  hair curlers, and an eyelash curler.

Literary Litter Freak

Just finished Carl Hiaasen's book Sick Puppy. LOVED it! In the story the eco-hero messes with a litterer!!!!!!

I'd read several of Hiaasen's popular novels, but not this one. My friend, Ted, from Maine, gave me Nature Girl when he finished and said he's reading all of Hiaasen's books. I'd never thought to read all of them. Duh. Thanks, Ted, for giving me the idea. I'm reading them in chronological order, starting with the first ones co-authored with his late friend and colleague, William D. Montalbano.

Although I am surprised no one mentioned Sick Puppy to me, knowing how passionate I am about litter, I'm glad.  Imagine my amazement and delight,  to discover a recurring theme of the book was outrage about littering. Part of the story even takes place, on our street, in our town.

If you haven't read it, it's highly recommended. Hilarious Hiaasen humor. If you daydream about what you'd like to do when you see someone litter, you'll find this book absolutely hysterical. It's not only a fun read, it's informative.  As a Florida  native and nature lover, I learned a lot about Florida ecology and landmarks. For example: I didn't know Florida has a National Crocodile Wildlife Refuge.  I love Hiaasen's writing, and this book is especially near and dear to my heart. Thanks, Carl

Sanibel Island, FL: The water's fine. Come on down.

Happy to report hardly any litter and no oil as of July 26. Sanibel Island beaches are pristine.

Didn't do much litter picking on Sanibel ...not much there. Mostly, played tourist and rode bikes in preserve and bike paths. I LOVE Sanibel. They've done a fabulous at preserving the natural environment of Old Florida. Last morning there I intended to pick up enough cigarette butts from the beach to make an angel. It takes about 12 butts to make a cigarette butt angel and I couldn't find enough. A good sign!

Litter Donations from July 4, 2010, Lauderdale by the Sea, FL beach

Here are pictures of the litter left behind from the 4th of July festivities.

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It was rainy all afternoon and evening of the 4th, with intermittent scattered thunder storms, so there were not a lot of beach-goers for sun or fireworks. I picked up only four bags worth of litter this morning from behind Aruba, Anglin's Pier, Oriana and south to the Datura Portal.

Lauderdale by the Sea has a contract with a beach raker that combs the beach and picks up most of the debris. However, the equipment doesn't go to the water's edge and they are not set up to separate the recyclables. So, I concentrate on picking up litter at the shoreline (to prevent it from joining the Atlantic Garbage Patch); the recyclables and broken glass. I leave the rest for the raker; especially the fireworks, some of which did not detonate.

Of the four bags worth of litter I gathered, one bag was trash, two bags were recyclables and the fourth bag was my 'pick of the litter' to add to the Museum of Litter's collections.

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Who's responsible for litter? YOU!

Who, me? Yes! YOU ....... and me.

Years after the Litter Bug and Crying Indian campaigns of the 70's, we still have litter.  I find this unbelievable, and think WE are the problem.

Litter picked up in about 45 minutes on a relatively clean beach, in LBTS, FL 33308

People litter because we allow them to. As long as we don't expect it to be different or speak up in some way to say litter is unacceptable, nothing will change. There are many problems in the world complicated to solve, but litter isn't one of them

Littering laws that are rarely enforced, despite the fact litter cleanup costs our nation about $11.5 billion per year. This is a huge waste of money that could be much better spent.

Until people learn to toss their trash where it belongs, we need to continue picking up after them. However, at the same time we need to educate about the problems of litter. Lots of people don't even think cigarette butts are litter. They have no idea where all this litter goes or how it affects local communities and the planet as a whole. They have no idea their litter ends up in the Pacific Garbage Patch or the newly discovered Atlantic Garbage Patch.

If people want to litter: FINE! Announce we will begin to enforce the litter laws and issue citations that could fund litter-prevention education. Just like there are traffic schools for drivers, there can be litter schools with Trash Talk Classes for litterers where they could learn the importance of pitching in to keep the community clean.

Any bad habit takes a while to break. To encourage good will and get people used to the idea of using the garbage can we could have Green Ambassadors. They could kindly remind people there are fines, and give them a friendly warning, with a bag to use to tote their trash, possibly printed with litter facts. I think people would care if they knew the danger it poses to people, pets and wildlife. A man in my town had to have his toe amputated after stepping on broken glass on the beach. I'm sure if the person who left their bottle behind had any idea of the consequences of their action they would have made a difference choice.

I think mostly this is a very unconscious act. Most people don't think it's a big deal and are offended and defensive if you say something. Years ago, I used to say something directly to the litterer. But, these days, confrontation is dangerous and does NOT work. Then, I tried handing them their trash and saying, "You must have dropped this."  This approach doesn't work either because they know what you're really saying.

Here's my NEW approach. If I see someone litter I walk over, pick up the object and nicely ask their permission to take it.  Of course they say they don't mind and back off like I'm crazy. I take the object -- maybe take a picture of it first -- smile and sincerely say  "Thank you" and hand them this card:

Then I walk away. If you can't see the back clearly in this post it gives info about how long it takes things to decompose. I am hoping that with no pressure on them of confrontation or being blamed and made 'wrong' they'll read it and think about the facts.  Education is the key. And we have to reach litterers in a way they will be open to receive the information.

We need to keep finding ways to bring this conversation into the open. I invite your comments.  If you're on twitter and share about litter, use please use hashtags so we can find and support each other without wading through all the kitty litter & birth litter tweets. Use #litter, or #littering, or a new fav of mind #TwitterLitterAway. I do believe we CAN #TwitterLitterAway.

Sharon

PS. FREE Thank You Cards are available on Museum of Litter homepage.

Pelican dragging litter has trouble flying

Sunday afternoon, after the Lauderdale by the Sea Arts & Craft Show, sitting on the beach with friends. We saw a pelican out a ways in the water trying to fly, but having difficulty getting lift. As we watched it looked like it was dragging something a foot or two behind.

The pelican paddled to shore and came out of the water. As the surf would recede you could see there  was definitely litter of some kind a foot or two behind him, probably attached to his body with fishing line. It was very sad to feel so helpless and know there was nothing we could do to help this poor old bird.

It eventually did fly away, but with great effort. It will probably be difficult for this creature to survive. If only we were litter-free.

eBay auction of Painting @ $.99 for 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day this painting will be auctioned on eBay, April 16-25 with a starting bid of 99 cents. With NO reserve. One hundred percent -- 100% -- of the profit goes to the Museum of Litter to help fund litter prevention awareness, education and events. Seaside Stroll, Acrylic on Canvas, 43 x 37,  Copyright 2009, by Sharon Huff

This painting shows, what I believe is, the most important place for litter prevention and litter removal -- the shore. If you care about the environment you are probably familiar with the Pacific garbage patch. If so, you know that much of our plastic and debris ends up in the ocean and in the bodies of birds, fish and turtles. And now unfortunately, another gyre has been discovered off the east coast; the Great Atlantic  Garbage Patch. At the shore, we can stop beach litter from going into the ocean and we can retrieve ocean litter as it arrives with each new tide.

The Museum of Litter needs your help. Please help generate interest (and much needed funds for the Museum of Litter) by sharing this auction with family, friends, Facebook and tweets.

Click here to see eBay auction

You're not just buying art, you're supporting litter prevention. It’s a great gift for you or an eco friend and you'll feel good knowing the money goes towards helping  keep our environment clean and green.

Original painting is on view at Frame 'n Art Gallery, 235 Commercial Boulevard, Lauderdale by the Sea, FL 33308. If winning bid is local, painting can be picked up or delivered. If winning bid is out of the area, the canvas will be removed from stretcher bars, rolled up and mailed in a tube. If you have any questions, email me at Sharon@MuseumofLitter.org

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Museum of Litter in the News

There was a great article about us today by Don Crinklaw in the Fort Lauderdale SunSentinel -- in the East Side Forum (pg 11) and the Eastsider (pg 6). Here's a link to a readable copy of the article:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-esb-litter-0128-20100128,0,7058162.story