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Acknowledgements

Beach plastic has been contributed by the following beach cleaners from around the world:

Judith Selby Lang—Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Richard Lang—Kehoe Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Anna Kaufmann @anna.kauffman—Ocean Beach, San Francisco, California
Don Elwing—Ocean View, Hawaii
Heather Cremia, @1stcreamiatwin—Outer Bank, North Carolina
@roiolo—Stokes Bay, England
Cate Dine, @cleancoast_angel—Mairangi Bay, New Zealand
@drdross_the_jambo—Monyash (the village), A515 (the road), Derbyshire, UK

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Wave of plastic made with plastic bottle cap liners. . One million plastic bottles are opened every minute around the world, and it is estimated that “In California, five billion plastic caps end up polluting the environment annually.” As anyone who cleans beaches knows, caps are one of the most commonly found items during shoreline cleanups. I also find plastic bottle cap liners almost every time I do a cleanup. . The beverage industry shirks responsibility for the pollution they create and is unwilling to do anything to help solve the problem. In fact, lobbyists fiercely fought California’s Assembly Bill 2779, which would have mandated cap tethering. They argued that the technology doesn’t exist to meet the requirements; however, Crystal Geyser already manufactures water bottles with tethered caps. Unfortunately, industry tactics worked, and AB 2779 didn’t gain enough support. Of course, the ultimate solution is to refuse all single-use items, including plastic beverage bottles, but AB 2779 definitely would have helped solve the enormous plastic cap (and liner) problem. . Hopefully, similar legislation and/or bans will be successful in the near future. Meanwhile, confusion exists as to whether or not caps should be left on plastic bottles when put in the recycling bin. In most municipalities, it’s best to put the cap back on the bottle, but everyone should check with their city’s waste hauler to find out if local exceptions exist. . #waveofplastic #bottlecaps #bottlecappollution #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #marinedebris

I wonder if these 14 balloons were from a graduation party. It’s too far away and very long ago, but my high school’s colors were also green and gold. #balloonsblow #balloons #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #marinedebris #greenandgold

Glow Stick Sun Burst #3 for the solstice. . Most of the glow sticks I find on the beach were probably once tied to fishing line and were used to lure fish toward bait at night. Unfortunately, the plastic outer shell can’t be recycled due to the chemicals inside. When one is activated, it lights up for a few hours, and then it ends up in a landfill or in the natural environment forever. Sadly, it is estimated that “700 million chemical light sticks weighing 7,000 tonnes are discarded into our oceans every year.” . There are many alternatives for holiday celebrations, concerts, and other special events. For example reflectors, flashlights, and glow stick apps can have a similar effect. However, until recently, the options for fishing have been limited. A British company has developed an LED alternative that is reasonably priced and can last forever with proper care. Visit Fishtekmarine.com to read about their Proglow products, and while you are there, you might also want to explore their website to learn about their efforts to design bycatch reduction technologies that will reduce the possibility of harm to marine life such as sea birds and sharks. . #glowstick #sunburst #sun #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #glowstickgo #marinedebris #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #artivism #shoresweep #solstice #summersolstice #shoresweep

In 2016, I posted a graduation balloon That I found on the beach with the following comment: “I wonder what percentage of students graduate without learning anything about the problem of plastic pollution.” I can say with confidence that awareness has grown exponentially since then. When I speak to students now, they almost always know about the problem and can list several solutions. Young people give me hope even when I feel disheartened. #balloonsblowdontletthemgo #balloonsblow #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep

The Martians have landed—or at least, one plastic Martian landed on the beach and ended up in the strand-line with multitudes of unidentifiable microplastic objects. . While real martians haven’t actually made their way to Earth yet, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are working on plans to colonize space, but for very different reasons. Musk thinks that “we must colonize Mars to preserve our species,” while Bezos believes that we should leave Earth in order to save it, stating “I don’t like the ‘Plan B’ idea that we want to go into space so we have a backup planet.” . Musk and Bezos have been mocking each other over their competing ideas, but I tend to agree with Bill Nye who recently shared his opinion with USA Today: "This whole idea of terraforming Mars, as respectful as I can be, are you guys high? We can't even take care of this planet where we live...let alone another planet." . Let’s work together to take care of planet Earth first, because as Bezos and Musk attempt to conquer space, the nurdles are conquering Earth. Watch “The Nurdles Quest for Domination” to discover what nurdles are and how they are taking over. . #planetearthfirst #planetorplastic #plasticmartian #nurdles #microplastic #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #marinedebris

Along with these happy birthday balloons, all the usual things that don’t belong on the beach were there today: plastic cups, bottle caps, straws, cigar tips, bits of polystyrene, nurdles, microplastics, food wrappers, and much more. . I have been cleaning the same stretch of beach regularly for many years, and even though awareness is at an all time high, the amount of plastic debris washing up seems worse than ever. . Positive actions are being taken here in California and around the world, but in spite of these efforts, the fossil fuel industry is ramping up plastic production, and US exports are expected to triple by 2030. . #balloonsblow #balloonsblowdontletthemgo #balloonsrgarbage #happybirthdayballoons #balloonsonthebeach #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #celebratesustainably #refusesingleuse #choosereusable #divestfromfossilfuels

Most felines don’t like the water, but this little leopard seemed to be having fun in the surf. #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #plasticcat #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #marinedebris

Playing with plastic sand castle flags. #litterati #2minutebeachclean #take3forthesea #shoresweep #plasticpollutes #plasticpollution #marinedebris #pickupyourtoys #plasticbeachtoys #leftbehind
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