Enjoy the beach...take your litter with you!

You enjoyed a day at the beach. The seabirds were diving, dolphins jumping and you even managed to catch a couple of nice-sized fish. You pack up and leave behind, an empty foam cup, a plastic water bottle, 12 inches of twisted fishing line and a half-buried, plastic bag. Have you ever wondered what happens to the litter you leave behind?

Aside from its unsightly appearance, litter ultimately ends up in the ocean. Litter negatively affects marine animals in two ways, ingestion and entanglement. Many marine animals confuse ordinary litter with food and eat it or they become tangled in pieces of fishing line or gear. Whether eaten or entangled, litter causes infection, starvation and death for many animals.

Sea turtles don't know the difference between a floating plastic bag and a jellyfish, their favorite food. If eaten, a plastic bag may cause a blockage in the stomach resulting in starvation and death. A seabird may mistake a small piece of styrofoam for food, ingest it and ultimately starve and die. Pelicans can become entangled in a piece of discarded fishing line, restricting movement and flight. These animals may starve, drown or become severely injured from ordinary litter left on the beach.

The Sea Turtle Foundation estimates that 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and turtles die every year from ingesting or becoming entangled in ocean litter. So, enjoy the beach and remember to take your litter with you. By guest blogger Debi Haynes Photo courtesy snre.ufl.edu

Campaign Signs

As election day nears, most can probably say they are tired of all the negative ads and distracting campaign signs on our roads. The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher encourages campaigners and their volunteers to recycle the campaign signs. And, as you're out collecting, take a trash bag and pick up some litter on our roadways.

Litter, Litter Everywhere...

NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher employees cleaned up Hwy 421 today. The aquarium has adopted part of the highway and cleans it regularly. Cigarette butts were the most common items found (did you know it takes decades for them to degrade?), in addition to beer cans and plastic bottles. But, we also found a huge pile of plastic wrap with a tiny crab trapped inside - another good reason not to litter! How can you help? Organize a clean up, starting with your own neighborhood. Remember to wear bright colored clothing, bug spray, sunscreen, and gloves. Most importantly, dispose of trash and recycling properly, not on the streets!