Keeping our seas trash free starts on land with how we dispose of items. According to the group Ocean Conservancy, 8 million metric tons of plastic leak into the world’s oceans every year. Unless the tide of trash to sea is stemmed, there will be an estimated one ton of plastic for every three tons of fish by 2025, creating massive environmental, economic and health issues.

 

Beach visitors on the Alabama Gulf Coast can make a difference every day creating trash-free seas. Leave Only Footprints, the new initiative in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, seeks to create a cleaner beach by reducing the trash going into the Gulf of Mexico. The new rules mandate that all temporary structures (beach tents, canopies and beach chairs), accessories and toys be removed from the beach by one hour after sunset. Beach gear left behind will be collected by crews and recycled. Beach visitors will not have the opportunity to retrieve the gear after it is removed. Holes dug deeper than 12 inches must be filled in before leaving the beach.

 

LOF June 2016 Blog Trash Free Seas, alternate photoAnother way to help: Participate in the International Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 17, 2016. Approximately 560,000 volunteers in 91 countries picked up more than 16 million pounds of trash during the 2014 International Coastal Cleanup Day. The Alabama Coastal Cleanup will take place from 8 a.m. to noon that day. More than 77,000 volunteers have removed 750 tons of trash from Alabama’s coastline and waterways during the 29 years the state has participated in the cleanup. Volunteers are urged to bring sunscreen, water, a hat, gloves and shoes.

 

For more information on the Alabama Coastal Cleanup, call 251-990-6002 or email [email protected].