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Every spring, summer and fall, hundreds of humpback whales feed off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts in the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine. The Gulf ecosystem provides the perfect seasonal conditions for plankton – microscopic plants and animals that form the base of the ocean food chain. When winds and [...]

Fall in Puget Sound is the time for sports, picnics, trips and other family events. These outings usually come with an assortment of plastic water bottles, plastic plates, plastic silverware and plastic containers. Fall is also the time when strong winds and fast currents are prevalent. What happens to the plastic garbage that is picked up [...]

The Great Lakes are blessed with picturesque sand dunes, especially along the western edge of Michigan along Lake Michigan. According to the Alliance for the Great Lakes, the pitcher’s thistle has special adaptations — including a six-foot taproot — that enables it to live in the sand dunes. Unfortunately, this plant is threatened by habitat [...]

As weather warms up, people head to outside to enjoy time with family and friends. This is a good time to remember that trash travels!  The majority of trash in our waters comes from land-based activities like eating fast food and discarding the wrappers, beach trips, picnics, sports and recreation and festivals. Even if you [...]

No matter where litter starts, it moves.  From streets, highways, and even your own backyard, litter items – especially light-weight plastics – are transported easily by wind and rain and often end up in our waters. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that up to 90 percent of the debris floating in our [...]

Did you know that most littered trash has a life span of more than one year?  This means that once a trash item ends up in the environment, it sits for a long time before it degrades or disappears.  Here are some  lifespans of the most commonly found litter items: Glass Bottle:  Approximately one million [...]

Did you know that more than 350 species of birds can be found in Mobile Bay each year?  Some of these birds make the Bay their home, while others pass through the area during migrations and reside in the Bay for a period of time each year.  Some areas of the Bay are especially important [...]

It’s fishing season! Did you know that monofilament fishing line consistently tops the list of debris found in and along Mississippi waterways and coasts?  Fishing line is a non-biodegradable material, and it can last in a marine environment for up to 600 years.  This debris also poses a huge threat to marine animals who may easily [...]

The Gulf of Mexico offers a variety of diverse habitats and species for those looking to fish for fun.  Among the favorite catches are spotted sea trout, red drum, king mackerel and red snapper.  In 2006, the Gulf of Mexico accounted for 40 percent of all U.S. marine recreational fish catch, with 3.6 million residents of the [...]

During the 2007 swimming season, 32 percent of the more than 3,600 monitored coastal and Great Lakes beaches in the U.S. reported at least one beach advisory or closing.  2005 data for Great Lakes beaches shows that 74 percent of beaches stayed open for 95 percent of the swimming season, 19 percent posted advisories or [...]

Did you know that trash and debris in the ocean kills more than one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles each year?  Marine animals may confuse trash for food or become entangled in debris, often resulting in death.  This is especially a problem for sea turtles species, six out of seven of which are considered endangered [...]

Did you know that the north-flowing St. Johns River reverses its flow twice per day? The reversal is caused by the Atlantic Ocean’s incoming tide, and when there are strong, sustained northeasterly winds, the flow can stay reversed for many days. This flow reversal, combined with the slow-moving nature of the St. Johns, means that [...]

In 2006, Keep America Beautiful and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs conducted a “visible litter” survey, counting the number and types of litter items in 96 sites along roadwaysthroughout the state. The study found more than 5,300 litter items within three-feet of the roadway sites, and more than 16,500 items within 15-feetof the roadway [...]

The New York/New Jersey Harbor watershed covers about 16,300 square miles – including eastern New York, northern New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont – and has an extremely high population density of more than 3000 people per square mile.  One of the side effects of this large population is a large amount [...]

According to the Southern Nevada Take Pride in America team, placing all of the waste the team has removed from public lands in cubic yard-sized boxes (3 ft x 3 ft x 3ft) would result in a 2,679-foot high stack.  That’s just over half-a-mile! On windy or stormy days, light trash items – such as [...]

San Francisco has more than 500 acres of natural areas in 35 parks for you to enjoy!  These areas are made up of many different habitats – oak woodlands, dunes, grasslands, and others – and provide important natural resources for local wildlife, including the red-tailed hawk and the gray fox!  On breezy days, litter that [...]

The city of Los Angeles collects an average of 6,652 tons of trash, recyclables, yard waste, and other throw-aways every day!  On breezy days, light trash items – such as plastic bags – can easily blow away from landfills, trashcans, and other disposal areas.  Birds and other animals can mistake trash items for food or [...]

The average person in the Houston-Galveston region produces over 7 pounds of solid waste per day!  On windy days, light trash items – such as plastic bags – can easily blow away from landfills, trashcans, and other disposal areas.  Birds and other animals can mistake trash items for food or become entangled in them, and [...]

Rhode Island residents use more than 190 million plastic bags each year!  On breezy days, plastic bags can easily fly out of trash trucks and trash cans, and can be blown out of landfills, ending up in trees, rivers, and the Narragansett Bay.  Seabirds and marine mammals can mistake plastic bags for food or become [...]

In 2005, South Carolinians threw out an average of 4.5 pounds of trash per person per day!  On breezy days, light trash items – such as plastic bags – can easily blow away from landfills, trashcans, and other disposal areas.  Birds and marine animals can mistake trash items for food or become entangled in them, [...]