A letter was sent to SKABC asking for our help collecting trash from beaches in remote areas -- it is below. Here's a link to their website: http://www.livingoceans.org/initiatives/clear-the-coast
Help Living Oceans Clear the Coast
At Living Oceans we're doing our best to reduce and recover marine debris. Nobody likes to see our pristine wilderness cluttered with plastic. Did you know that much of this debris is not just an eyesore, but also a real threat to the many species of wildlife that live near the coast?
Lost or abandoned fishing nets entangle whales, dolphins and sea otters and can slowly kill them, by suffocation or starvation. Plastic debris washing up on the shore breaks down into small particles that are eaten and enter the food web. It's highly toxic--plastic picks up many of the pollutants in sea water--so it can cause long-term, genetic damage.
You can help us solve this problem!
First, please make sure that the equipment you use when paddling and camping is secured against sudden wind or waves. Don't leave trash behind: plastic never biodegrades and in most small communities on the coast, recycling is very expensive. Far better to take it home to your own recycling centre.
Next, help us clean up! You may have already come across our collector bags, left on remote beaches to encourage you to collect marine debris while beachcombing. We organize boats, helicopters and trucks to remove the collector bags at the end of the season.
And of course, we would appreciate your financial support, too. Removal of this debris is a costly affair, especially in more remote areas... (editor's note: Please visit their website to donate to their campaign.)
Living Oceans is a non-profit organization incorporated under the B.C. Society Act, with its head office in Sointula on Malcolm Island, B.C. Our coastal community roots keep us mindful that we all depend on healthy oceans and we have been a leader in the effort to protect Canada's oceans since we were formed in 1998. With your support, we can Clear the Coast!
With thanks from the Clear the Coast Campaign team,
Will Soltau
Carmen Pendleton
Living Oceans Society
