Trash thoughts

No, really, this post IS about trash.  Not trash as in trashy novels or trailer trash, but actual trash.

So, the last two Saturdays I have gone down to a little beach in my neighborhood and picked up trash.  I just couldn't bear to look at it any longer every time I walked past.  There used to be a volunteer beach cleanup the first Saturday of every month, but I don't know if they stopped doing it or if a particularly large amount of trash washed ashore recently.  It's not a fancy swimming beach or anything, as it's not on the ocean, so it isn't cleaned up by the county.  It's also not a sunbathing or swimming type beach, so I guess people don't care as much, but people do take their dogs and kids down there for a romp on the beach, surrounded by trash it seems.

Anyway, what is it with plastic drinking straws, America?  I think I've picked up dozens of drinking straws in the past two weeks.  I mean, we get drinking containers (which we also throw away indiscriminately) and then add additional plastic on top because why?  We are too lazy to wipe the top of the container?  Don't want to reapply our lipstick?  Don't want the ice to hit us in the nose?  I've been really disgusted with straws just from the sheer number I've been picking up, and I'm going to try hard not to use them again.

And, if you're having a day out on a boat, or anywhere really, please don't throw your plastic water bottles overboard.  I picked up 50 bottles and cans yesterday.  50!  I picked up 38 last week.  And both times I was only hampered by the size of the bags I took with me.  In fact, please stop using disposable plastic water bottles, and buy a refillable bottle for goodness' sake. Oh, and if you do have a disposable bottle that you kindly take home for recycling, (and thank you for that, by the way) please don't just toss the bottle cap away.  I think the bottle caps and the straws are vying with each other for "most discarded item of trash".

Sincerely,

Grumpy McTreehugger