It was a good day

On Saturday, Gail and I helped with a beach clean up and we found it to be a very rewarding experience.  Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii organized the event and gathered together a great group of volunteers to clean up an isolated, but very trashed beach in Kahuku.  Also, later in the afternoon Gail and I helped with the separation of the plastics, trash, and derelict commercial fishing nets that had been collected.

Upon our arrival at the beach, we were met with a very somber sight.  The would-be wonderful stretch of coastline was blanketed with a myriad of items that washed ashore from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (also known as the North Pacific Gyre).  As this particular locale is at the northern tip of Oahu it gets the brunt of the currents and as such, it collects an inordinate amount of garbage deposited from the GPGP.  

It is crazy to think that with all the trash we picked up (over 800 lb.), we only made a negotiable impact in the overall cleanliness of the beach.  Which isn't to say that it was for naught; on the contrary, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii had over one hundred volunteers involved and that made a huge impact in educating, raising awareness, and giving everyone a first-hand glimpse of the sheer magnitude of debris floating in our oceans.

Another very good outcome of the clean up is that Adam Lowry, co-founder of Method, was there to join in the clean up and to help with the sorting of plastics.  Method is - to my knowledge - the only company that is taking ocean debris and recycling it into bottles for their soap products.  This step, albeit a very small one, is geared towards raising public awareness as they help rectify the problem of plastics in the oceans.  It is a very crucial first step by Method in demonstrating that ocean debris can indeed be recycled into industrial-grade plastic, thus opening the door for future ventures involving the harvesting and recycling of ocean plastics as a viable commercial endeavor.  

Of course, this progressive move by Method is but a stopgap measure to help alleviate the devastating consequences of the GPGP, with the real solution being in keeping plastics, trash, and derelict nets out of the oceans to begin with.  And that my friends, will take a collective, herculean effort from all of us in taking responsibility for the creation, usage, and disposal practices of plastics, trash, and jettisoned commercial fishing gear.  And, this impelling need has to be addressed not only at a local or regional level, or even just at a national level, but rather, this has to happen on a worldwide scale.  It is a tremendously daunting undertaking to be sure, but can you imagine the escalating and dire repercussions should we choose to not embrace this challenge?  

Ok, so obviously I get wrapped pretty tight on this matter, but I'll get off my soapbox and get back to the story.

At the end of the day, Gail and I were invited back to the SCH campsite to share in a celebratory beer for a job well done.  As we were sitting on the beach basking in the glow, we were kept company by two sleepy Hawaiian monk seals.  Talk about a payback for our efforts!  Getting to see these animals was indeed a wondrous experience and served as a confirmation that what we did earlier that day did matter.  

I have said this before, and please bear with me as I say it again...I love this place!!!

Take care and enjoy,
- Mahalo