Trash on Ormond Beach
Have you ever seen Ormond Beach after a rain?
There are two sources of runoff to the lagoon that drains into the ocean: the Bubbling Springs slough and a drainage channel from Oxnard. The Bubbling Springs slough has a filter that allows the water to pass through but traps the trash. The drainage channel has no filter. Both drain into a lagoon inhabited by myriad of waterfowl, such as herons, egrets, ducks, coots, pelicans, gulls and terns. Some of these are endangered.
Whenever there is sufficient rain for there to be runoff, trash and any loose objects are carried down the streets and into the drainage channel and ultimately end up in and around the lagoon.
No one cleans up the trash. It is either buried by the sand, washed out to sea, decomposes or sits on the sand. In the three years I have lived here, I have seen sofas, recliners, trash cans, syringes, balls and toys in the lagoon and on the beach.
There are signs posted stating that the runoff may be contaminated by bacteria and that contact should be avoided. I have often wondered how the birds that appear so fragile and delicate and so beautiful in flight can live in these polluted conditions. I have counted seven dead birds and one dead seal on a single day.
As a part of our sacred trust with this beautiful planet and all of the environments, plants and animals on it, can we please unite to cherish and care for our beloved home? At the moment, it will take a lot of people and a lot of time to clean the trash from Ormond Beach.
Can we, with all of our great intellect, technology and resources, find a way to implement some sort of filter across the drainage channel that would collect the trash?
Join with my sons and with me on Earth Day, April 22, at Ormond Beach so that we may take responsibility for the care of our beach and show our beautiful planet the tenderness it deserves. Let us teach our children so that one day they may teach their children to love and respect our planet and all of God’s creatures.
JULIANNA KROLAK
Port Hueneme