Week 5,6,& 7 Renee in zone 2 finds places to "reuse" the treasure she finds on the beach.

Renee  Zone 2 – June 2, 9 and 16
I’ve collected about 3 ½  large tote bags of trash over the last three weeks.  (this is 14 bags according to my (ginger's) conversion---and since these are "large" tote bags; 14 is likely a conservative number) 


They have been filled with the regulars:
*Food wrappers, plastic utensils, straws, plastic bottles, beer and soda cans, juice boxes, popsicle sticks and lollipop sticks.  In this category are also Styrofoam cups but I’m mentioning them separately because unlike the other things that usually don’t disintegrate on the beach….styrofoam does start to come apart and it is impossible to pick it all up.

                                    
*Personal hygiene items including diapers, band aids, barretts, rubber bands and scrunchies, suntan lotion, hand sanitizer and chapstick;  
*Strings, nylon and twine cords,  ribbons and balloon pieces, and a bungee cord.
*I usually don’t collect cigarette butts….but on June 9th I decided I would.  I started counting and quickly got to 50.  I was going to stop at 100…but once you get into the mode of noticing them it’s difficult to walk on without picking them up.  I finally stopped counting at 250.
*Not included in the “bag count”:  broken chairs, umbrellas and and boogey boards.

*Plastic bags all sizes and shapes.  Speaking of plastic bags, have you ever gone to pick up a plastic bag only to find out it wasn’t a plastic bag at all?  It’s easy to see how a turtle could mistake a plastic bag for a jelly fish!


I’ve been recycling some of the “trash”.
I’ve been taking flip flops and shoes to the Flip Flop store in Independence Mall.  They collect them and it is my understanding that they send them to people around the world who literally have nothing to protect their feet.  
I have found a Day Care Center close to where I live that can use all the beach toys, pails, shovels, frizbees and balls.  They have also been able to use the (cleaned) clothes that are left on the beach for smocks or just to have in case there are “accidents”.
My vet uses the (cleaned) towels and blankets that are abandoned on the beach.