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.

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.

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?

Sunrise Litter pickup May 23, 2010, at beach in LBTS, FL

 

This morning I was happy to meet Scott, Jill and Zoey Zigler who were out  picking up litter at sunrise on the beach just south of Anglin's Pier. Nice family. Between the Zigler family and me we had picked up 11 bags of litter (on this relatively clean beach), that fortunately will never make it to the Atlantic Garbage  Patch. You can see there are lots of plastic water bottles. Luckily, Lauderdale by the Sea, which is fast becoming known as ECO, has recycling containers at most of the beach portals. So, everything that could be recycled was recycled. Thank you Scott, Jill and Zoey for making a difference!

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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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.

A LITTER CHRISTMAS TREE reminds us we share One World - Elaine Devine

This may not be the most unique or unusual Christmas tree, but it's got to be one of the greenest. All decorations are 100% local litter temporarily up-cycled into ornaments.

Thanks to all the adventurous spirits who attended our Litter Tree-trimming party -- it was the most fun I've ever had trimming a tree -- litterally!

There was lots of joy and laughter as we marveled at the nonsensical things that end up littering the beach as well as conversations about whether these items were left behind, lost by boaters or dumped by cruise ships.

The creativity shown was amazing; from using a child's sun-hat as a tree topper to the intriguing vignettes made from various litter combinations.

Thanks for letting us share our Litter tree with you. We hope it brought some whimsy into your day. Please share with family & friends to spread the word about a litter-free environment.