Saving the Beaches
The California Marine Debris Steering Committee, joined by environmentalists, educators, government and business leaders, has announced its “action plan” to halt the destruction of our seas and beaches (Metro, July 10). Their suggestion for household taxes, education, improvements to city storm drains, more trash barrels, stricter anti-litter enforcement and discouragement of polluting Styrofoam and plastics are all well and good.
May I suggest two more proposals: When I go to the beach, I take a plastic bag and fill it two or three times with debris that I find there. I like to concentrate on the trash right at the shore line, because once the tide goes out again, back it will go into the ocean. I also clean up the immediate area around where I’ve settled. If everyone did that, we could clean up our beaches in a week.
Why doesn’t each beach city or district hire a couple of professional beachcombers to pick up? At $20,000 a year for full-time work, that would create a few jobs, while making a modest but powerful commitment to our environment.
ERIC GORDON
Venice
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