Do What You Otter, Clean Up the Water (North Carolina)
Marine debris, or trash that ends up in oceans and waterways, is harmful for wildlife, humans and ecosystems. Curious animals such as seals, dolphins and otters accidentally ingest or become entangled in these items. Other animals, such as birds and turtles, mistake trash for food. Ingested trash can choke and poison them, as well as build up in their digestive systems. Marine debris can also harm people — from a beach-goer stepping on a sharp object to a reduction in tourism at a public beach. Whole ecosystems such as coral reefs and wetlands can be affected, especially when marine debris enters the food chain.
Viewer Tip: The International Coastal Cleanup, a volunteer event organized by the Ocean Conservancy to clear trash from oceans and other waterways worldwide, takes place each year on September 19. Last year, 18,330 volunteers removed 127,867 marine debris items from North Carolina’s oceans, beaches and waterways, including:
- 23,256 cigarettes/cigarette filters;
- 17,451 food wrappers/containers;
- 13,909 plastic beverage bottles;
- 1,993 pieces of fishing line; and
- 1,574 tires.
You can help! Get outdoors and enjoy the early fall weather by lending a hand for your local beach or waterway. Visit http://www.signuptocleanup.org/ to learn more and find a cleanup site near you.
Season: Fall
(Source: Ocean Conservancy, www.oceanconservancy.org/icc.)
