No matter where you live, and no matter where you dive, you've probably seen your share of trash on beaches and shorelines. Our SDTN team has collectively spent countless hours picking up trash - above and below the waterline - in an effort to help keep beaches and shorelines clean, and to promote marine life and wildlife health. Here, we'll take a look at why cleanups are so important, and we'll share some tips for organizing a beach or shoreline cleanup in your own community.
Cleanups Need to Happen More Than Once Each Year
We've noticed that many communities hold cleanups annually, or sometimes quarterly. In some places, beach cleanups happen more frequently. No matter how often your community holds cleanups, it never hurts to organize more. Why? As garbage - especially plastics - degrade, they release chemicals into the environment. Once those chemicals have leached into water and soil, it can take many years for them to break down. Secondly, if a fish, bird, or animal consumes garbage, much of what is consumed is not digested; internal blockages can result, and the animal's life is endangered as a result. Fish and other animals that consume garbage are often malnourished simply because they're not eating the diet nature intends for them to eat. So, if you think it's cute to see sparrows in a riverside park eating potato chips, think again. A little bit of processed food won't do much harm in most cases, but when trash becomes a regular part of an animal's diet, the results are never good. Finally, clean beaches and shorelines build community pride and make our planet a nicer place to live. Everyone loves to see clean, natural places!
Organizing Beach and Shoreline Cleanups
Organizing a cleanup is easy. In the event you plan to host a major cleanup event, you might need to get permission from your community to hold a large gathering; if only small groups are going out on cleanups, you won't generally need permission, unless you plan to focus on restricted areas.
You can begin with a core group of committed people who have a vested interest in keeping the community clean. If everyone wants to go out weekly for an hour or two, great! You'll see a difference right away. Once you've gotten regular cleanups underway, create a weekly schedule. Just a few people walking up and down a shoreline once a week can make an impressive impact. Try to get school groups, social groups, and church groups involved in cleanup efforts, and consider holding fun get-togethers to cement your new friendships.
Finally, consider carrying a small mesh bag with you whenever you dive, so you can collect any trash you find underwater. This is a job only divers can do - and it's an important one. Glass containers often create shelter for marine life, and they're not normally dangerous. Focus on clearing away any plastic items you find - big and small alike. Encourage dive buddies to do the same, and before you know it, your favorite dive sites will be a whole lot cleaner. It doesn't cost us anything to clean up our environment; if we fail to do so though, the costs are too high to count.