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08/04/2009

Life's not a beach

Entry from 'Thoughts from the Kerbside' - The Big Wheelie Bin Blog

A thoughtful and sometimes humourous look at the world of waste, brought to you by industry observers. We'd like to create a vibrant blogger community going forward, so if you'd like to become a regular blogger for LAWR, please get in touch - we'd love to hear from you!

The amount of litter found on our British beaches has reached an all-time high. This makes a holiday to the seaside this summer all the more poignant.

I grew up in a seaside town, and the shores were pretty filthy back then. The tourist throng during the summer months certainly didn't help - as the fat and lazy families burnt quite contentedly in their deckchairs, cramming chips and ice creams into their mouths, they didn't really care much for picking their litter up afterwards. Obviously too much sea air had taken its toll on their ability to do a simple thing like that.

I used to wander the beaches after the crowds had gone to survey what mess they had left behind. Besides the usual plastic bags, drinks cans and paper bags I'd often find socks, hankies, swimming trunks – even the occasional sandal. But I also saw a lot of fishing litter - nets mainly, but also broken fishing rods and plastic containers. Fishermen, it seems, are also guilty of dumping their waste in the waves.

The reason beach litter upsets me so much is because the impact it has on marine wildlife. The seabirds that get tangled up in discarded netting, or the fish that choke on brightly coloured bits of plastic - often mistaking it for food. Beaches, like most of the great outdoors, are there to be enjoyed. But with that privilege must also come a sense of responsibility.

The latest figures from the Marine Conservation Society found that litter has increased by 110% since 1994 to 2,195 pieces per kilometer. That's a heck of a hike. Personally, if it was up to me, I'd force every single holidaymaker to pick up their litter. Else I'd make them eat sand.

I'd probably get arrested for that ... But do I care? Funnily enough, as I get older, no.

Maxine Perella, editor of LAWR

permanent link

Is waste still a dirty word when it comes to public perception?

Yes, they don't see the potential value of it
Maybe, but attitudes are slowly changing
No, it has almost become sexy!

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