Instead of collecting shells or searching out glittering pieces of sea glass I've started to collect plastic garbage during my Sunday walk on the beach.
Our beach, the one we head to every Sunday, encompasses the sea side villages of Vierville sur Mer, St Laurent sur Mer and Colleville sur Mer.
It's also known as Omaha Beach.
After a 30 minute walk this morning I was thinking maybe next week I'll need a bigger bag.
In the distance we spotted another couple also picking up garbage, a good sign.
Cleaning up the beach even in this small way is my way of showing respect.
I'm not looking to blow my own trumpet or play the blame game, although I would like to know how a plastic carton that once held semi skimmed milk and was bought at Tesco, UK came to be there.
I'm just looking to raise awareness in us all.
Bon dimanche.
That is such a great way to spend your beach day. I do that as I walk anywhere. At the children's park last weekend I walked around putting garbage into the bins and every time I am at the beach I pick up items left by others. Well done.
ReplyDeleteWow - amazing and what a grand idea to gather up what we can. Yesterday as we left our house for a ride in the country we saw a man with a bag and long handled grabbers picking up trash alongside the street. We slowed down and thanked him for his effort - he waved and smiled - and picked up more trash. I always wonder why people throw their trash out the car window when they are on a street that only goes to a few houses - surely they could wait until they got to their close-by destination and carry it into the house to dispose of it. There is a law in Washington State that every car must carry a litter bag and the fine for littering is over 1,000.00 - but hard to enforce as I'm sure the lazy people don't throw things out the window when they see a police car nearby. We always taught our kids to leave an area cleaner when they left than when they arrived. When our oldest daughter (now the mother of a teenager) was about 4 we were in a park and a man on the park bench tossed his candy wrapper on the ground - our outspoken little miss went up to him and pointed at the wrapper and said "You have to pick that up, my mommy said never to throw trash on the ground!" He did pick it up - and moved away from the area where our daughter was playing. LOL
ReplyDeleteOh Maggie, what a sad state of affairs the world has become - we buy too much, and the lazy then chuck it away wherever without a care for the ecosystem and the future of the planet for our grandchildren/great grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteHaving visited Omaha Beach and felt the history of such an important coastal area, it's really sad to see how much trash you collected. Much of that probably came from ships don't you think, rather than just being thrown down directly onto your beautiful beach?
Thanks for your effort to clean up - you are special.
Mary x
I do think that most of the stuff I picked up today was jetsam, thrown overboard from boats and ships, I found a couple of sad looking deflated birthday balloons in amongst the dross, too.
DeleteI will certainly pick up rubbish next time I visit the coast. Shocking the amount of litter that is found there.
ReplyDeleteWe find ourselves picking up rubbish everywhere, in the mountains along the trails and highways, along the Ohio. It's sad that others are not as conscious as you are. There would be nothing for you to comb the beach for but shells. Have a grand day!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
ReplyDeleteMaggie - I know you are not blowing your own trumpet - and I am glad you are talking about your efforts for ongoing awareness - it helps us all.
ReplyDeleteHere in Montana, many people drive trucks with open beds, and I have witnessed a lot of trash flying out of the beds when the trucks pick up speed on the road. So, while not deliberate, it is careless!
Keep up the great work!
That is such a wonderful thing to do! I wish more folks would do that. :) Kit
ReplyDeleteAwareness is key to change. Good job for doing your part in your part of the world. We all NEED to do more!
ReplyDeleteYou have quite the haul but what a shame you have to do this when it should be someone else's responsibility. I applaud you.
ReplyDelete