Ocean Conservation

14 10, 2020

Why marine debris is scary stuff

By |2020-10-14T18:54:30+00:00October 14th, 2020|Blog|0 Comments

Can you imagine a floating island of trash that covers an area twice the size of Texas? While it isn’t actually an island, the Great Pacific garbage patch is a large system of ocean currents containing marine debris particles in the central north Pacific Ocean. These particles of plastics and floating trash contain an estimated 87,000 metric tons of plastic. Wow!   Here on the Gulf of Mexico we aren’t dealing with a problem as massive as the Pacific. But we do have marine debris [...]

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9 09, 2020

Eco-friendly fishing practices for your fall beach trip

By |2020-09-23T16:12:32+00:00September 9th, 2020|Blog|0 Comments

As you plan your fall fishing trip to Coastal Alabama, take some time to consider how you can Leave Only Footprints - or in this case, leave only a boat wake.    Marine debris is a world-wide problem and we can all do our part to help alleviate it. Trash in the water spoils the natural beauty, but more importantly, it is hazardous to all types of marine life. A few of the consequences of marine debris include habitat damage; wildlife injury, illness and death; navigation hazards; and vessel damage [...]

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15 08, 2018

Local conservation groups help preserve the beach

By |2018-08-15T16:36:58+00:00August 15th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments

Leave Only Footprints has a mission to keep our beaches clean and healthy for visitors and wildlife, and we’re proud to work alongside other groups that share that mission. You may not know the names of these organizations, but if you enjoy the beauty of our coast, you benefit from their work. The Alabama Coastal Foundation, started in 1993, works to find the balance between protecting priceless coastal resources and the pressure of economic growth and construction. They research issues, [...]

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13 08, 2018

Tips to reduce your plastic consumption

By |2018-08-13T17:27:38+00:00August 13th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments

For most of us, plastics are part of our daily life. Water bottles, straws and plastic bags are just the start. There’s also plastic in food packaging, computer parts and your car. Those plastics can end up in our waterways, causing danger for wildlife. Plastic has been found in more than 60 percent of seabirds and 100 percent of sea turtle specimens, according to the Ocean Conservancy. Reducing the use of plastics is a good way to protect the Gulf [...]

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8 06, 2018

What happens to the trash you leave on the beach?

By |2018-06-08T17:36:16+00:00June 8th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments

Throwing that candy wrapper or plastic bottle into the proper receptacle when you’re at the beach may seem like a small thing. But it can make a big difference in our environment. Each year, an estimated 17 billion pounds of plastic ends up in our oceans. That plastic - along with other debris and trash - poses a threat to wildlife, as they can become entrapped or mistake the items for food. Even fishing gear left behind is a hazard. [...]

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25 04, 2018

How does plastic get into the Gulf of Mexico?

By |2018-04-25T19:08:14+00:00April 25th, 2018|Blog|0 Comments

By now you may have heard of the “plastic soup” in the Gulf of Mexico. Volunteer citizen-scientists who have gathered water samples find permanent fragments of micro-plastics in nearly every sample taken. These microplastics are created when the sun and wave action combine to break up larger pieces of plastic debris into tiny, microscopic bits. The problem, experts say, is more than just plastic drink bottles, though those can be culprits as well. It’s also that so many items are [...]

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23 08, 2017

Help clean the beach during the Alabama Coastal Cleanup

By |2017-08-23T13:56:11+00:00August 23rd, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Want to help keep the coast clean? Be a part of the massive Alabama Coastal Cleanup effort held on Sept. 16. Over the past 30 years, 83,000 volunteers have removed more than 1.5 million pounds of trash from our beautiful coastline and waterways. The first step is to look at the online calendar for times and contact a zone captain in your area to register. But if you don’t register in advance, no worries. Those zones have check-in sites around [...]

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26 07, 2017

Be a conservationist this summer at the beach

By |2017-07-26T16:07:10+00:00July 26th, 2017|Blog|0 Comments

Kids like keeping their planet healthy and clean. They love the beach and want to take care of it. You can help them do that during your visit to the Alabama coast this summer. Below are the basic Leave No Trace principles that kids can learn and implement. Know Before You Go. Learn the Leave Only Footprints rules that prohibit leaving items on the beach after sunset. Teach your kids this rule and let them help you tote the beach [...]

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7 12, 2016

Why Preserving the Beach is Everyone’s Responsibility

By |2016-12-07T16:31:32+00:00December 7th, 2016|Blog|0 Comments

Have you seen the Leave Only Footprints rules posted on signs? Do you know why it’s important to keep our beaches free of litter and left-behind tents or beach chairs? Of course, we want to keep those white-sand beaches pristine and clean for all to enjoy. In fact, we think the Alabama Gulf Coast is just about the most beautiful place on the planet. But litter - including packaging, bottle caps and cigarette butts - is unsightly and takes away [...]

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