The last weekend of January, Turtle Island Restoration Network held a beach cleanup with Girl Scout Troop 142142, who did amazing work removing over 244 pounds of trash from Fort San Jacinto Historical Point in less than one hour! Thank you to this group for volunteering their time to make our community and beaches cleaner. Groups like this have helped remove thousands of pounds of litter from our Galveston Island Beaches, finding everything from tiny plastic pellets all the way up to discarded tires and coolers abandoned on the beach.
Reducing litter on beaches is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it’s vital for marine life as litter poses threats such as ingestion and entanglement, particularly from non-biodegradable materials like plastic. Secondly, litter on beaches can endanger human health, with sharp objects causing injuries and improperly disposed waste fostering bacterial growth. Economically, clean beaches are essential for tourism, and litter-strewn shores deter visitors, leading to economic losses for local communities. Lastly, promoting responsible waste management on beaches fosters long-term sustainability, preserving these environments for future generations and safeguarding marine ecosystems. Our group beach cleanups help reduce this major issue on Galveston Island and it is important for individuals to do their part too. Many of the parks on the beach provide trash bags at the entrance for members of the community to utilize during their time spent at the beach, helping reduce pollution.
If you or your organization wants to participate in a beach cleanup, registration requests can be found at https://seaturtles.org/clean or email info@seaturtles.org for more information!
