Museum of Litter

Michelle, MLK Day 2012: this beach cleanup was for you (Malia, Sasha & kids everywhere)

Yesterday was a brutal beach day. I'm a native Floridian and a weather-wimp. I don't know how my northern litter-picking friends do this year-round.

It was really windy. I was cold. My ears hurt. My sarong became a scarf and my hoodie was flapping around madly. Each time I'd move the wind would whack me with my zipper.

Any other day, I would have turned around and headed home. But I'd given my word to Michelle Obama. She tweeted (personally with her mo signature) "Here's something dear to my heart: the MLK Day of Service. Will you join me to serve your community on Monday? http://OFA.BO/NTYQkR -mo." I tweeted to her that I would pick up litter. Michelle would have never known, but I keep my word, so I kept walking. And I'm glad I did. On my way to the shore I spotted a wounded bird.

In this video a surfer describe finding the bird an hour earlier. Actually there were two birds tangled in fishing line wrapped around their wings and one with a hook in its beak. Ruth cradles and give comfort to the bird.

 

Within minutes several caring people gathered to help. Someone brought a towel. Someone brought a box.

Ruth's son took the bird -- a Royal Tern -- to South Florida Wildlife Center. A radiograph showed it had swallowed a sinker. If the bird is healthy enough they'll operate and if the bird recovers 100% it will be released.

Bird in good hands, I continued my litter pickup, gathering 2.75 pounds of litter from this empty and relatively clean beach:

Michelle, if it wasn't for you, this litter would not have been collected today. Here's hoping Malia, Sasha and kids everywhere will inherit a litter-free planet.

Fortunately, none of this litter will end up becoming ocean plastic. Here are photos of two pieces of marine debris with barnacles still attached. Luckily they have been rescued from the Atlantic Garbage Patch.

All litter was categorized and at documented at http://www.marinedebris.engr.uga.edu/

If you're interested in documenting litter go to this website to find out about getting an app for your smartphone. It's not only for marine debris. It's for litter everywhere as it all ends up in the ocean eventually.

When I left the beach it was already dark with black storm clouds roiling across the sky. I was eager to get home -- tucked in for the evening. I looked for the homeless woman I'd noticed when I first arrived at the beach. She was no where in sight. I was heartened to see the outpouring of care and compassion by all those I met on the beach yet saddened to know none of us had been able to help this human being.

That's one reason I pick up litter. It needs doing. And it's something I CAN do -- with my own two hands. Any time. Any where.

 

Fondly Remembering my First

No, not my first love. Not my first car. My first real litter pickup.

It was dawn. At the ocean. I'd just moved to the beach community of Lauderdale by the Sea, FL. Sitting cross-legged in the sand, enjoying sunrise with a hot thermos of coffee, I noticed a large object dancing in the surf. As I walked toward the shore to inspect I saw it was a plastic bucket. It kept bobbing back and forth, getting within 10 feet of land, then being dragged back out with the current. I realized I had to grab it quick or it would be swept out to sea. I waded deep into the water, and after numerous tries, was finally able to save the bucket.

I stood there a moment, relieved to have rescued this turquoise, paint-ball splattered, ugly plastic bucket. Looking around I noticed other pieces of small litter sitting on the wet sand glistening with the early rays of morning sun.

I've always cared about littering. Often I'd picked up litter I'd seen someone pitch, handing it back to them saying, "You must have dropped this." I'd called out my Uncle Percy when he threw a soda can out the window on a back road in KY. His response: "Oh, they don't care about that out here in the country."

But I'd never actually done a real litter cleanup.

Sunrise. April 2007. Bucket in hand, I walked along the beach gathering litter for the first time.

INVITATION to all litter pickers. Do you remember your first time picking up litter? I think it would make interesting reading. I bet others would love to hear what personally made you become passionate and proactive for litter prevention. If you'd like to share your experience I'd be happy to add it to this post. Contact me by email at [email protected] or Facebook www.facebook.com/MuseumofLitter or Twitter @MuseumofLitter.

Bernie Paquette of Vermont Litter With a Story to Tell shares the story of the first time he picked up litter.

Willy Jones, 11,  aka 'Willy Jones Whale' or 'Willy Jones Litter', is my new litter hero. PA is starting a filament recycling program because of him. His mother relocated to Maine so he could be close to and act on his passion for whales. He began picking up litter as a way to protect whales after he had a most amazing encounter with one. I sobbed as I read about his experience. Read about this AWEsome, beyond his years, amazing, human BEing here:

http://m.thetimes-tribune.com/lifestyles-people/waverly-youth-passionate-about-whales-1.1088782

http://www.abingtonsuburban.com/news/prince-of-whales-1.1177841

http://www.newburyportnews.com/local/x1592794613/Willys-whale-of-a-tale?mobRedir=false

 

I ONLY COLLECTED 8 OUNCES OF LITTER TODAY

Today was the Lauderdale by the Sea, FL monthly beach cleanup. There were lots of helping hands bagging beach litter today. I concentrated on cigarette butts around the pavillion and behind Aruba.

Can you believe this cigarette butt only 2 inches from this container made especially for cigarette butt disposal? There are others just as close on the other side.

 

 

 

I only collected 8 ounces of litter today but that included:

419 Cigarette Butts..... and

 

1 Plastic Bag

5 Bottle Caps - metal

4 Bottle Caps - plastic

2 Building Materials - ceramic tile

6 Fireworks

12 Food wrappers - paper

18 Pieces paper or Cardboard

1 Personal Care product - used bandaid

11 pieces Plastic or Styrofoam

6 Straws

3 Pieces of foil

3 pieces of cellophane

Only eight ounces. Doesn't seem like much, but at least it's eight ounces that won't kill fish, birds or turtles who mistake it for food and die because they can't digest it. Only eight ounces. But it's eight ounces that won't join the swirling debris of the Atlantic Garbage Patch.

Only eight ounces. Every litter bit hurts. Every little bit helps.