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Environment

Toward A Cleaner Coast

Posted: 7/29/2010

Toward A Cleaner Coast

(NAPSA) - Trash, it appears, is all wet. That's because so much of it ends up in the world's oceans, lakes, rivers and streams--but it doesn't have to.

The Problem

In a new report, "Trash Travels," the Ocean Conservancy demonstrates marine debris has become one of the most widespread pollution problems the world faces.

The organization estimates that about two-thirds of all ocean debris starts out on land as items considered "disposable" by today's standards--straws, soda cans, plastic bags, eating utensils and food containers.

What's Being Done

In fact, in a single day's cleanup, almost a half-million people in 108 countries collected 7.4 million pounds--over 10 million individual pieces--of trash. More than 50,000 of the volunteers came from Coca-Cola, which turned out employees in 35 different countries. Bank of America, as part of a 10-year initiative to help address climate change, turned out thousands as well.

"The ocean is our life-support system, and when we trash it we are trashing our own health and well-being," said Vikki Spruill, president and CEO of Ocean Conservancy. "Eliminating marine debris will improve the ocean's resilience to climate change and other threats, but cleanups alone cannot solve the problem--it's time to stop marine debris at the source. We all have a role to play: Corporations can reduce packaging, governments can enact strong marine debris policies and each of us can reuse items, recycle when possible and always put trash securely in its place."

At her organization, they believe it's time to look beneath the surface to see where the health of our planet really begins. All living things are connected to the ocean, she says, and it's time to understand that going green starts with living blue.

What You Can Do

The 25th anniversary International Coastal Cleanup will be held on September 25th, 2010. You can volunteer to be a part of it.

Learn More

You can learn more, sign up for a cleanup or download the full report at www.oceanconservancy.org or call (800) 519-1541.

You can be part of a sea change when it comes to cleaner oceans--the source that sustains you day to day with the food you eat, the water you drink and the air you breathe.

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