I realize I’m a little behind in getting my blog out with all the craziness of getting kids back to school. Time has flown by this month, and September is just a day away. With that said, I’ve decided to combine my August and September blog, which will make it easier for your next challenge.

Since Friendship Day took place in August, and September is when the International Coastal Cleanup occurs, I’m going to encourage you to be a friend to our marine mammals and consider either participating in the International Coastal Cleanup or doing your own cleanup either at the beach, lake or even your neighborhood retention pond.

The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is the world’s largest single-day volunteer effort to help protect the ocean and its wildlife. Each year, nearly half a million volunteers around the world spend a few hours removing trash and debris from beaches, lakes, rivers and other waterways.

The litter from the hands of an Orange County resident may find its way not only to our rivers or bay but into ocean currents thousands of miles away. So by acting locally, you could make an impact on a global level.
Trash travels and impacts our marine ecosystems, wildlife and economy. It’s in our hands to stem one of the worst pollution problems that plague our oceans. The International Coastal Cleanup is a great way to tackle that challenge.

According to the Ocean Conservancy, trash in the ocean kills more than one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and turtles each year through entanglement and ingestion. The cleanup, which originated in Texas, involves volunteers who not only pick up debris along waterways but also mark their finds on data cards. The information collected from the data cards are used to educate people and lawmakers about the problems of marine debris and their origins.

Among the more unusual items found along our shorelines include a handheld vacuum, boombox, bowling pin, car fender and 5,000 pounds of tires. According to a Washington Post article, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans. Cleanup data has shown that 60 to 80 percent of marine litter starts from land.

You can join the worldwide effort on Sept. 15 to pick up trash along coastlines, rivers and lakes during the International Coastal Cleanup. Keep Orlando Beautiful is holding its event on Sept. 22 and is looking for volunteers to clean lakes around Orlando.

Whether you live inland or along the coast, you can be part of the solution. Our trash not only travels through storm drains, rivers and streams, but stands the test of time – lasting hundreds or thousands of years in our oceans. People are the problem, but they can be the solution and work as tides of change when it comes to our marine environment.

For more information on the International Coastal Cleanup, visit www.oceanconservancy.org or to volunteer locally, contact Keep Orlando Beautiful at (407) 246-2257. And don’t forget to bring a friend!