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!
 
 

BP Oil Spill, Day 49 -- Happy World Ocean Day

Today we celebrate World Ocean Day. How timely.

With everyone feeling helpless regarding the Gulf Oil Spill, today is a good day to ask, what CAN I do to make a difference?

 

I started the day with an hour coastal cleanup at my Florida beach. I figure if I pick up litter, especially at the tide line, it will be prevented from joining the Atlantic Garbage patch and I'll be able to protect fish, turtles and birds that mistake it for food.

 

What can YOU do? What WILL you do?

If you live near the ocean can you pick up litter along the shore to prevent it from going into the Atlantic or Pacific Garbage Patch? Can you clean up a river or lake? Can you be more mindful, just for today, of refusing single use fast food containers? Can you bring your own coffee mug?  Your own reusable water bottle?

Even if you live nowhere near the ocean, we can all volunteer, donate, contribute in some way. Even a conversation. Bringing up World Ocean Day may just be the thing to motivate someone else to take action.

This is not an Obama problem or a BP problem. It's not even a national problem. It's an international, planetary problem. We are ALL in this together.

As the oil spill crisis continues to cloud our Gulf waters, do you think we can find the silver lining? Can we use this tragedy to come together as a global eco-community to preserve and protect the environment and ocean we all share?

From Storm Drain to Shining Sea

Here's a picture of a little litter in a storm drain in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 

Here's a cute video reminder of where the cigarette butts and other litter go from here. Out of the mouth of babes:

The Dolphin & Starbucks Litter

On Naples (FL) beach watched a dolphin frolic in the Gulf waters. The beach was relatively clean but couldn't help but notice the clear plastic Starbucks cup. We need to keep the litter off the beach and out of the water if we want to protect these beautiful creatures from ourselves.

Why do you Litter?

"Why do you litter?" I asked, from across the table.

A few minutes before, I was about to enter a restaurant, with two others, when one in our party, a relative I'll just call Paul, pitched the remains of his cigarette to the curb. I laughed, saying, "Sorry, I'll have to give you one of these," as I handed him a 'Thank You for Your Donation' card from the Museum of Litter.

As we were seated waiting for the waitress, Paul looked over the card which, on the back, informs a litterer how long it takes commonly littered items to decompose.

I asked Paul, "Can I ask you why you litter? When I see people litter, I always wonder what they're thinking. I'd really like to know."

"To tell you the truth," he volunteered, " I don't really litter. I keep everything in my van and throw it out once a week. I only toss cigarette butts. I'll tell you why. It probably sounds strange coming from someone who likes to smoke, but the butts stink and I don't want to smell up my van."

I told Paul I could understand his reasoning and offered my mother's solution. In her car, she put out her cigarettes in a plastic cup filled with baking soda. That eliminated odor in her car until she could throw the butts out in a trash can.

We talked a little more about where cigarette butts end up, in the storm drains, the water supply, the ocean, ingested by fish, fowl and turtles. Paul knew the filters contained plastic but had never thought about what happened to the butts once they left his hand. He freely admitted, "I guess it's really selfish of me just being concerned about myself and the smell in my van."

That didn't stop Paul from littering a couple of more times in my presence. He's been smoking since he was nine so the habit is automatic. However, he did it with a self conscious laugh that shows at least he's catching himself thinking about it. It's Paul's choice, but at least now he'll make it consciously.

Thank you, Paul, for having that honest conversation about littering. If more of us could have that conversation we could quickly find a way that would work for smokers and the environment.