Spotlighting beach trash

Yesterday I interviewed Angela Haseltine Pozzi, founder of Washed Ashore, a project dedicated to saving the ocean through creating art out of marine debris. One of the key experiences propelling Pozzi into this line of work happened when she was walking on the beach seeking comfort – “The cure for anything is salt water: tears, sweat, or the sea,” the Isak Dinesen quote goes – and discovered her refuge littered with plastics and other trash. 

Most of us already get that litter is bad, but there’s something different about coming upon trash in the wilderness than, say, in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. You’re not usually heading to the Tenderloin in search of peace and beauty. Excellent food and drinks, maybe, and cheaper apartments than elsewhere in the City, but the streets are something to get through quickly; walking through them does not exactly refresh one’s soul. Of course trash wafts over sidewalks, piles up in the gutters – look where you are. It’s appalling on an intellectual level and worthy of note, but lacks the visceral punch-in-the-gut people feel when they are in the redwoods, by the river, at the beach, in the ocean, anywhere we’ve instinctively turned for sanctuary and respite, and find trash blighting the experience.

Recently, stories about the impact of beach and ocean trash have been on the rise. From the search for a missing plane highlighting the massive plastic soup in the Indian Ocean to the ongoing path-crossing between clean beach advocates and homeless folks, debris remains a problem plaguing our ocean, rivers, bay and beaches. Where to start solving it?

The usual litany of buying less, reusing more, recycling what you can and properly disposing of what you can’t remains a legitimate start to a more ocean-friendly lifestyle. So does getting yourself out to any of our ongoing local cleanup events.

For some hands-on action – and in honor of Earth Day – you’re invited to make an impact at any of the following locations on Saturday, April 19:

It feels good to leave the beach cleaner than you found it. There’s a satisfaction that comes with looking across a newly pristine swatch of sand, birds fluttering along the wave slope, that grand blue ocean unfurling across the horizon.

And after you’re done inhaling the salty sea breeze, you can celebrate at the Second Annual Earth Day Hoedown at the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center – HUMBOLDT’S BEST BUILDING – from 3 to 7 p.m. Admission is $5-$10 sliding scale, free for cleanup volunteers, with music by Lyndsey Battle and the Striped Pig Stringband, plus barn dance calling by Nigella Mahal. Want more? Dell’Arte stilt walkers, facepainting and other children’s activities await, and Nature’s Serving will offer food for sale. Let’s not forget that beer, sangria and lemonade will be available as well. 

Radio-related

Tune into Coastal Currents today (Wednesday, April 16) on KHUM at noon to hear yours truly debate midday DJ Mike Dronkers on the pros and cons of dumping garbage into the bay. (Spoiler: There are no pros!)

Tune into The EcoNews Report tomorrow (Thursday, April 17) on KHSU at 1:30 p.m. for an interview with Washed Ashore Founder Angela Haseltine Pozzi and Mad River Alliance’s Dave Feral.

Save the Date for DamNation

This’ll be a big one. Join the NEC, Humboldt Baykeeper and Humboldt Surfrider for a showing of DamNation, one of the most requested movies Ocean Night coordinators have experienced, on Thursday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the Arcata Theatre Lounge. Also showing: Southern California Steelhead: Against All Odds and Swing North. CalTrout and Friends of the Eel River join this special night. More details next week.