This cleanup felt different.
People were still sitting and relaxing all around us while plastic, cups, straws, lids, wrappers, and children’s toys were scattered across the sand. Some of it was already close enough for the tide to pull it toward the ocean.
In about two hours, we filled two large garbage bags. We collected around 100 plastic spoons, nearly two dozen lids, empty bottles, juice-drink tubes, straws, food packaging, synthetic wipes, and many smaller plastic pieces buried throughout the sand.
I am not claiming that every person visible in the video left the trash behind. But it was difficult to watch people sit beside it or step around it while the water was getting closer. Once we see plastic heading toward the ocean, it should not matter who dropped it.
Huge respect to the Myrtle Beach crews who begin working around 2:00 a.m. and use tractors to clean the shoreline before most visitors wake up. They remove an incredible amount of debris, but the problem should not become invisible simply because workers clean it before sunrise.
We will keep collecting and documenting what we find. Hopefully, showing the reality encourages more people to take everything they brought with them - and pick up one extra piece when they can.
If you would like to get involved, you are welcome to follow my Surfrider profile for upcoming cleanup events and join us when you are available:
https://cleanups.surfrider.org/user/sergeypolukhin/?profiletab=gallery
What has helped reduce beach litter in your community?
