March 9, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(PHOTO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST)

Contact: Tina Haisman, ASBPA Media Relations, 239-292-2882 or media@asbpa.org
Mario Rabago, Galveston Parks Board of Trustees, 409-939-0594 or mrabago@galvestonparkboard.org 

A whale of garbage litters America's beaches

Clean beaches promote health, safety and enjoyment for people and pristine conditions for marine life. Read on to learn how the people in Galveston, Texas, are keeping their beaches clean.

FORT MYERS, FL - The total weight of garbage collected during a one-day worldwide beach cleanup in 2008 was more than 7 million pounds -equal to the weight of 18 blue whales. The international cleanup effort is lead annually by the Ocean Conservancy, an organization dedicated to removing trash and debris from the world's beaches and waterways, identifying the sources of debris, and changing the behaviors that cause marine debris in the first place.

In addition to this annual coastal cleanup, many cities and states in the U.S. run their own events.

On Galveston Island, Texas, beaches, coastal cleanup is a daily operation. Staff members clean up more than 3 million pounds of garbage on the32-miles long island every year. It's an effort that costs $3 million a year and consumes 20 percent of the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees $15 million annual budget.

During its high season, Galveston unleashes a crew of up to 60 employees to accomplish the task. Off-season, the city employs only 20 people to get the job done. Some staffers walk the beach and pick up trash manually, while others drive trucks or use heavy equipment for larger items, including natural debris that washes in from offshore.

Why all the effort and expenditures into picking up trash? "The beaches in Galveston are our Number 1 tourist attraction," says Mario Rabago, deputy executive director for the Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees. "We have to make sure they are kept beautiful."

Plus, the safety of the beachgoers and the health of the local marine life depend on it. According to the Ocean Conservancy, of the 43 items tracked during the 2008 cleanup, the top three items of trash found were cigarette butts, plastic bags and food wrappers/containers. Animals can choke or become poisoned when they eat trash; and they can drown if they become entangled in bags, ropes or old fishing line.

Rabago says most people use the trash receptacles on the beach, but it is surprising how many people will leave something on the ground when a trashcan is situated only a few feet away. "We all pay for the trash cleanup," he said. "We could save more money if more people would use the trash bins."

How can you help? The number 1 rule is: Leave nothing behind but footprints - what you carry in, you carry out.

For more information about clean beaches, visit www.asbpa.org.

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ABOUT ASBPA: Founded in 1926, the ASBPA promotes the integration of science, policies and actions that maintain, protect and enhance the coasts of America. For more information on ASBPA, go to www.asbpa.org, facebook or www.twitter.com/asbpa.