Several numbers can tell the story of waste left behind on Alabama beaches.

Did you know, for example, that more than 161 tons of materials were removed from the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in 2016?

Or that 101.3 tons of trash were collected in cans on just four miles of beach?

Other collection numbers include 18.5 tons of aluminum cans (the equivalent of 814,000 cans), 23.8 tons of plastic and 18 tons of metal tent frames and chairs.

When you do the math, it’s easy to see there’s still far too much waste being left behind by beachgoers.

There are a few ways you can help reduce those numbers:

1 – Remove all tents, chairs, toys and umbrellas each day when you leave the beach.

2 – Put your litter in trash cans and your plastic bottles and cans in the recycling bins. Nearly 103,000 plastic bags of trash are collected each year during the Alabama Coastal Cleanup, and more than 189,000 plastic bottles are picked up.

3 – Never, ever use the beach as an ash tray. Each year, more than 600,000 butts are removed during the cleanup.

You can see how the numbers indicate there’s still way too much trash, litter and debris being left behind on our beaches. Don’t add to it! Subtract by tossing your trash in the proper place and carrying out what you bring in. Basically, do what you learned as a child: Leave it looking nicer than you found it.