Day 281 - May 15, 2012

life guard tower 26 - Ocean Park, Santa Monica CA

trash collected for 20 min. 

3.5 pounds

1,045.9 pounds total 

5 cigarette butts

A shred of non-descript plastic film packaging poking up from the sand like a young plant shoot in sandy soil, except plants don't grow up from the beach like weeds, 

and plastic doesn't belong in the sand.

A jellyfish, or plastic takeout lid? I think you know.

I showed a new friend this view of Santa Monica last night. She's moving to the mega-tropolis that is LA, and after only a few hours in Santa Monica she might well move here. Santa Monica is special. I see it bathed in golden light most nights I'm out on a beach cleanup, but looking at it next to some one witnessing it for the first time, makes me appreciate it anew. 

As we finished up, Swan remarked how clean it was. But after weighing our collection of trash for the night she added, "Clean except for all of that." The trash mixed into the sand and strewn along the tide line is insidious. It's easy to dismiss sometimes, but it's there just the same. 

MAY 14 - THE OCEAN BARFED UP ITS PLASTIC

ALONG A STRETCH OF BEACH ABOUT 50 YARDS LONG, I COLLECTED OVER 2.5 POUNDS OF PLASTIC BAGS FLOATING IN THE SURF. 

I dedicate my early mornings to body surfing. While out on Monday, a tide had come in bringing natural and man-made detritus. The debris choked the impact zone (shallow water just off the beach). I mean it was Pea Soup. While out surfing, I shoved many plastic bags up the arms of my wetsuit. But once I got out, that's when I noticed the immensity of the plastic problem. 

(the flip-flop is mine, shoved into the photo for a sense of scale)

PLASTIC BAGS WERE EVERYWHERE! 

I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MANY IN THE OCEAN ALL AT ONCE. 

AND THAT'S AFTER 280 BEACH CLEANUPS IN THE SAME SPOT AND MANY, MANY MORNINGS IN THE WATER. I WAS DUMBFOUNDED BY THE SCENE. 

PLEASE LA, LET'S BAN THE BAG....