The Surprising Source Of Pollution Trashing San Diego’S Beaches

By Todd Woody

When San Diego environmentalists tallied up how much trash they collected from local beaches in 2014, they found, not surprisingly, a lot of plastic. In fact, volunteers removed 23,477 pieces of plastic and 17,438 pieces of plastic foam.
But that pollution was dwarfed by the 75,069 cigarette butts fouling beaches, according to a report released Monday by San Diego Coastkeeper and the San Diego chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.
“Littered butts continue to be a major concern because they are nonbiodegradable and leach toxins into the water, poisoning marine life,” the report states. “They also move with ease through our storm water systems, meaning a cigarette butt need not be dropped directly at the beach in order to find its way there.”
Although smoking rates have been in decline for decades, more butts are finding their way to the beach. This year, volunteers picked up nearly 30 percent more cigarette butts than in the 2013 cleanups. (Cigarette butts are also a form of plastic pollution, as they contain a plastic foam filter.)
The question is, why?
“I believe this is because people who wouldn’t normally throw other types of trash on the ground don’t seem to have a problem throwing a cigarette butt out their car window or onto the sidewalk,” Kristin Kuhn, San Diego Coastkeeper’s community engagement coordinator, wrote in an email.
Haley Jain Haggerstone, manager of Surfrider’s San Diego County chapter, said cigarette butts are not just a California problem. “Cigarette butts are the most commonly found item at cleanups around the world," she said in an email. "This is true here in San Diego County and has been for the several years. I think many smokers are unaware of the impacts of cigarette litter, especially when it comes to the environment.”
Despite years of beach cleanups and efforts by environmental groups to educate the public about ocean pollution, the volume of trash found on the Southern California city’s coast is growing.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/12/29/surprising-source-pollution-trashing-san-diegos-beaches
http://www.scienceclarified.com/Ph-Py/Pollution.html
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/AirCare+pollution+control+program+Metro+Vancouver+ends+Wednesday/10688174/story.html

 

Quite cheers of some doing anything for a great cause is unbelievable. Environmentalism keeps our world full of opportunity. It takes one to know one,along with sensitivity for Environmentalism. Great job The city of San Diego.