Pick it up

At out Boat owners Association meeting last nite.

*A presentation was given By Gulf of alaska keeper.

*
<h3 class="r">Welcome to Gulf of Alaska Keeper* click here</h3>The question I have for everyone is .

Do you pick up trash when you are out and about?

I plan on getting involved in this issue this summer.

You would be surprised how much of this stuff from all over the world gets washed up on beaches. From plastic drinking bottles (The biggest Culprit) To fishing nets.

I was told net makers are putting tracers in the nets so they can be traced to the country of origin.

If you watch the slide show you will see what I mean.

SD

-- Edited by skipperdude on Thursday 17th of February 2011 02:47:33 PM

-- Edited by skipperdude on Thursday 17th of February 2011 04:35:00 PM

No, but it looks like*it would be*good group*activity with the opportunity to party/picnic together.* Anybody got a garbage scow/barge?

Tom and I do try to pick up trash while we're underway.* I got a water bottle going*down our old fairway that brought applause from the dock master!* I'm always scoping for markers with the binoculars, so when I see something I run for our "fishing" net.**So far it hasn't been used for fishing fish at all!!*

-- Edited by Besslb on Thursday 17th of February 2011 03:23:21 PM

Thanks for that.

*I am no tree hugger but this plastic stuff really does kill lots of creatures.

Saw a special once on the number of birds killed by plastic trash ingested.
*You could tell by the things in the nest of dead birds what it had eaten.

Bottle caps, cigarette butts. plastic*golf balls. and just little bits of plastic.

I think we have all seen the sealion with the plastic around it's neck.




SD

skipperdude wrote:

Saw a special once on the number of birds killed by plastic trash ingested.
*You could tell by the things in the nest of dead birds what it had eaten.

Bottle caps, cigarette butts. plastic*golf balls. and just little bits of plastic.

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I saw an article about seabird*chicks straving to death b'c their parents are feeding them plastic instead of fish.* The parent birds of course do not realize what they are feeding their chicks isn't really edible.* So sad.*

We don't have any kind of net aboard to get trash out of the water but this makes me think we should! We see the occasional plastic bottle, ballon, stuff like that. *I do pick up trash on land.

Exactly.

That is what I was talking about.

Breaks my heart to be on a pristine beach that you can only get to by boat and find it covered in medical waste.

Interesting fact shoes wash up on some beaches and they will all be left shoes.

on another beach they will all be right.

Something about the curvature af the shoe. One drifts one way the left drifts the other.

SD

We always try to pick up anyhting synthetic floating by if we can. Plastic bags and the like are devastating our turtle population when they ingest these thinking they are jellyfish, for example. I think we all owe it to our environment to try and do our bit in this regard.

I don't notice much actual trash in the water up here. Plenty of natural stuff--- logs, branches, chunks of wood, bits of lumber, and of course the kelp and eelgrass mats and tide-rip debris lines--- but not a lot of man-made trash. We do come across it on the beaches. The yacht club we belong to has an annual work party day on one of the marine park islandss and part of that project is a trash pickup along the shoreline.*

There is also a program in this state to dive on and remove old fishing nets that get caught up on rocks or come loose from their boats. There have been several removed from the Bellingham Bay area in recent years.

One thing I heard on a local radio program not too long ago was the effect throwing food overboard can have in a cumulative way. We had assumed that what you tossed overboard--- the banana peel, the remains of last nights dinner, and so on-- would be eaten by fish, crabs, etc. But, according to the biologists that were featured on the program, for the most part it doesn't. It settles to the bottom and provides "food" for the algae and other organisms that take oxygen out of the water. Like the plastic six-pack holder tossed overboard, their point was that the problem doesn't come from a few big polluters, it's a cumulative thing that is the result of lots of people throwing a banana peel overboard or the uneaten macaroni salad.

In this area the very deep, very still, and low water turnover Hood Canal (which is not a canal but an arm of Puget Sound) has lost a huge amount of marine life due to the diminishing levels of oxygen in the water. The cause is not just banana peels--- there are a number of significant contributors. But it's evidence that oxygen depletion is real and it can have serious consequences for the health of the marine environment.

I know there are plenty of people who pooh-pooh this notion, and say that tossing an orange peel over the side isn't going to make any difference in the overall scheme of things given the size of the orange peel vs the size and volume of Puget Sound. But it does make a difference when you add up all the boaters who are, or could be, out doing this. In any event, what the marine biologists said made sense to us and we have stopped the practice of throwing food items overboard other than the*chicken legs in the crab pot.

Marin wrote:I know there are plenty of people who pooh-pooh this notion, and say that tossing an orange peel over the side isn't going to make any difference in the overall scheme of things given the size of the orange peel vs the size and volume of Puget Sound. But it does make a difference when you add up all the boaters who are, or could be, out doing this. In any event, what the marine biologists said made sense to us and we have stopped the practice of throwing food items overboard other than the*chicken legs in the crab pot.

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Sailboat racing we'd always toss that unfinished bit of sandwich or orange peels or whatever thinking the fish would eat it.* I had no idea,* thank you so much for sharing this.*

We have an island near Port O'Connor called Army Hole. It's only accessable by boat and used to be a military base. Pretty much desserted. We were there one time and the beach was covered with all kinds of stuff, junk mostly but interesting to pick through. Went back after hurricane Rita hit TX/LA border and that same beach was pristine! I wish I had before and after pix. I think everything was covered up with new sand, but it could have been washed back out to sea.

We try, particularly the plastic bags, that some refer to as the national flag. The locals are getting more educated but old habits die hard. The general consensus is it will take a generation. Here's a picture of a kid collecting cans on the beach this morning. It's the one thing that gets recycled but you can see the rest of the junk that comes and goes with the tides. The other is self explanatory.

Larry/Lena
Hobo KK42
Puerto Madero, Chiapas, MX

Great thread DudeHow about we all make a commitment to always take a bag or two with us when we go for a beach walk. It can be infectious.

Carey wrote:

Great thread Dude
How about we all make a commitment to always take a bag or two with us when we go for a beach walk. It can be infectious.

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*

Thanks folks.

That is what I do I also keep a fish landing net on the back deck to scoop the errant trash floating by.

I know I am just collecting ice but you get the idea.

By the way million year old ice takes forever to melt and the way it tinkles in a glass is musical.

Not only infectious but it gives me a sense of satisfaction Knowing That in some small way I did some good.

SD

-- Edited by skipperdude on Friday 18th of February 2011 12:34:24 PM

skipperdude wrote:

Thanks folks.

That is what I do I also keep a fish landing net on the back deck to scoop the errant trash floating by.

I know I am just collecting ice but you get the idea.

By the way million year old ice takes forever to melt and the way it tinkles in a glass is musical.

Not only infectious but it gives me a sense of satisfaction Knowing That in some small way I did some good.

SD

-- Edited by skipperdude on Friday 18th of February 2011 12:34:24 PM

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There really is a lot of satisfaction in being part of the solution. Better that we get to the Root Cause of all the garbage, but that is unlikely.

My wife and I used to camp a lot, and would go to the Washington State Park at the mouth of the Columbia River (can't remember the name). Apparently there is a huge garbage maelstrom about thirty miles across which hangs off the Washington coast, and every time a significant storm occurs, it adds a new batch to the beach (The Long Beach Penninsula). We would take two thirty gallon garbage bags with us every time we beach walked, and come back with four bags full. If we stayed for a few days, we would leave the dumpsters full.

*

It is getting close to the season so I thought I would bring this up again.

we all need to do our part.

SD

*<h3 class="r">Welcome to Gulf of Alaska Keeper</h3>*

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-- Edited by skipperdude on Wednesday 16th of March 2011 03:32:29 PM

-- Edited by skipperdude on Wednesday 16th of March 2011 03:34:18 PM

My wife and I used to camp a lot, and would go to the Washington State Park at the mouth of the Columbia River (can't remember the name). Apparently there is a huge garbage maelstrom about thirty miles across which hangs off the Washington coast, and every time a significant storm occurs, it adds a new batch to the beach

We have become winter storm watchers, and really enjoy heading to the ocean beaches when a big one is forecast. (I love being onshore looking out and thinking how glad I am, I'm not out there) We did just that a few times last winter, and noticed (again) a huge amount of plastic on remote beaches.* I never thought much about picking a bunch of it up, but it did cross my mind.* Perhaps next time, I'll bring along a few garden waste sized garbage bags and see how long it takes to fill em.* Thanks for the nudge.............Arctic Traveller

*

skipperdude wrote:At out Boat owners Association meeting last nite.

*A presentation was given By Gulf of alaska keeper.*


<h3 class="r">Welcome to Gulf of Alaska Keeper* click here</h3>The question I have for everyone is .

Do you pick up trash when you are out and about?

I plan on getting involved in this issue this summer.

You would be surprised how much of this stuff from all over the world gets washed up on beaches. From plastic drinking bottles (The biggest Culprit) To fishing nets.

I was told net makers are putting tracers in the nets so they can be traced to the country of origin.

If you watch the slide show you will see what I mean.

SD

Click to expand...

Skipperdude - I appreciate your starting this thread.* I live this stuff daily, in my life and business.* And, I appreciate the posts that cam in.

WOW You guys are getting right to the point AND, am I awfully glad you are!!
*
Having been brought up on land and water in and around NY City and LI during 1950 70s... here are a few of my fkd-up memories... just for example.* And, back then this crap was simply accepted bur never appreciated!
1.****** Around age 7, and I recall this very clearly: On a 36 early 1950s Richardson power cruiser, with dad at the helm, heading into Hells Gate to go up into the Hudson River for a boat delivery, dodging pallets, tires, and broken telephone poles in the Gates extreme current; I looked over at the towering retaining walls and noticed some 4 or 5 huge (15 to 20 foof diameter) open conduits with an ugly brown flow streaming out of each like massive bunch of side by side hoses.* I asked pop whats that?* Sewer he says, thats Manhattens raw sewer.* I remember thinking to myself then thats crazy!!* And, yes it truly stunk!
2.****** Aroung age 10: I fell overboard in Freeport harbor one day with button down shirt that had a vest pocket, you are correct there was a big hard turd in my pocket when I climbed back aboard.
3.****** Consistantly: when I hauled up anchor line in Flushing NY (what a name to begin with LOL), around every third to fifth overhand haul Id have to stop and pull off the toilet paper that was wrapped around the line.
4.****** When South shore Power Squadron (that pop belonged to) had some big raft-up in a bay, like the 4^th O July with 40 boats or more stern to stern tied together with many anchors extended by us kids in dinks it created a vertual enclosed pool between all the opposing transoms... you know, where the kids could swim!!* In 50s / 60s there was only direct-flush toilets around NY... think about it YUCK!!
5.****** We used to go 65 miles off shore to NYs Acid Waters chumming and fishing.* Now, the best days to go there were the days the thousands of fish were hungry, because it had been a day or so since NYs last garbage dump had occurred off the many, many barges.* Yup!!* Thats right the Acid Waters were where ALL of NYs garbage/refuse was dumped for decades, all year every year, when sea conditions permitted!


*


*
Now that Ive grossed you and myself out re yesteryear circumstances, and please remember that was truly yesteryear... not today and nothing like tomorrow; Id like to describe the bright light at the end of the 21^st Century tunnel:


*
1.****** Human race has become simply too populated due to reasons, that will eventually change and be forced to decrease during the next many decades
2.****** Errant material developments to date created by mature nations will eventually be fully cleaned up and made correct in regard to coinciding with nature, that will occur during the next many decades
3.****** New fuel sources will be fully developed, during the next many decades.* Solar and ambient air will eventually lead the pack, in several unusual ways... youll simply have to believe me I know!
4.****** CO2 overload content in atmosphere and oceans acidic waters will become an extremely valuable net carbon neutral energy-source petrol commodity.* This will result in greatly improved eco-systemic conditions and plentiful combustion fuels
5.****** Third world nations will experience considerably improved societal conditions, because, they will become much employed to assist the developed nations to clean up the mess weve made!* In so doing... those nations development will become greatly expedited


*
Of course, in order to do all this it starts with commitment to make things better by each and every person.* Just as all we boaters with a brain clearly understand and practice.


*
Personally, I see a great future for civilization once the human race works through this growth pain bottleneck.* If you were to liken the entire human race to a single entity (in other words one single person), the human race is currently similar a 15 year old boy who just woke up with his first REAL BIG HANGOVER - - > THAT IS, after partying for centuries as he grew and then got real drunk on success, to the point of black-out, during the most recent 150 years! **So... now that the human race is coming out of its stupor from partying too hardy we are all simultaneously realizing weve GOT TO CLEAN UP OUR ACT!* We can do it, and we will... but there will be some huge road bumps as we shake off our party heads and get back into being correct with nature!


*
The future is bright and getting brighter every day... dont blink, dont look back... forward we go!*


*
As Vince Lombardi aptly coined: The best defense is a good offence!* In this case of cleaning up our ecosystem mess lets help the U.S mount a Great and Global Environmental Clean-Up... a good and smart offence!


*
Happy Boating in and on*a Clean Earth! - Art *


*

What Charles said. Always pick up stuff, including in parking lots, etc. 2nd nature.

Keith wrote:

What Charles said. Always pick up stuff, including in parking lots, etc. 2nd nature.

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As I posted before, the Boy Scouts taught me to leave a campsite cleaner than I found it.* The world is our campsite.

*

Moonstruck wrote:


Keith wrote:

What Charles said. Always pick up stuff, including in parking lots, etc. 2nd nature.

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As I posted before, the Boy Scouts taught me to leave a campsite cleaner than I found it.* The world is our campsite.

*

I do the same all the time, especially when I walk on a beach. Always try to leave the place a little bit better. What amazes me is that people still throw away all this stuff anywhere. Come on. In 2011, we do know better.

*

Fotoman wrote:


*What amazes me is that people still throw away all this stuff anywhere. Come on. In 2011, we do know better.

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*If you looked at any of the pic's on the Gulf Keepers web site you will notice so much of this junk comes from other countries.

Also the people who make nets are placing tracers in the weave so you can tell the country of origin.

We have laws prohibiting most of this stuff from happening but it does little good when the rest of the world has no such laws.

SD

I just got home after a two week trip to the Philippines and Guam (exploring old WWII military relics).* Below are a couple of photos of the plastic waste found in one of the little boat harbors on Corregidor Island.* The plastic largely comes from the Pasig River that flows through Manila.* This harbor is adjacent to the dock that McArthur used when he left Corregidor on the PT boat bound for Mindanao.

First photo shows the banka boat we hired to take us around Fort Drum (the concrete battleship island) and Fort Hughes both on islands off Corregidor.* The second photo is the plastic debris in the harbor.* The last photo is one of the deserted beaches on the north end of Guam (virtually free of plastic debris).*

charles wrote:

Something else that I do that gets THE WIFE everytime.
When I see someone throw a cig butt or paper or whatever on the ground, I very politely, ask "Whose job it it to pick that up?" They get defensive and I say , "IS it my job?"
At this point most pick it up. Some dont and then I tell them that I appreciate just how filthy they are and am glade that I do not live in thier neighborhood.

I do this all the time. I re iterate, all in a very polite voice.

Most of the time in parking lots or entering a building.
CCC

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i like that one, will have to remember it as i also hate when people just throw stuff on the ground.

kids dont do this, but young adults

btw, Marin what you are talking about is much much bigger scale. you know it is still legal to dump stuff in the ocean, as long as you go out far enough away.. not to mention that many coastal communities such as Los Angeles still do run "filtered" sevage into the ocean...

no doubt sooner or later the ocean just cannot keep absorbing all this garbage.