It was a lovely day at Bastendorff Beach, where over 60 people celebrated the new year with our annual New Year's Day beach cleanup. The surf was high, and both the clouds and sun were beautiful! We shared treats – coffee (thank you, Bayside Coffee!), mimosas, and donuts – conversation, and the joy of being at the beach.
Maybe it seems like a little thing . . . to pick up cigarette butts here, a discarded candy wrapper and bottle over there . . . but there is immense satisfaction in doing it. For every piece of litter that we pick up, the beach and surrounding areas are easier on the eye, and we've removed something that animals or birds might try to eat, or we've prevented something from being washed into the ocean. Every action makes a difference.
It's a new year, and there's something about 20-20 vision – our vision of beaches that are clean, accessible, and protected. Our bay, our beaches, and our coastal waters are important – for our local economy, for our livelihoods, for recreation, and for our ways of life.
For this cleanup, we partnered with Rogue Climate to stand up for our bay by saying NO to Jordan Cove.
May this be a year of 20-20 vision, and envisioning, for you. What do you want for your community and your beaches, bay, and coastal waters this year . . . and for the future? And how can that become reality?
It can be fun, and it can be easy: 60 people + 3 hours + a dozen kids + a dozen dogs = connecting, conversation, being at the beach, and cleaning up 700 pounds of litter . . . we rock!
Small actions, combined, can make a big difference.
See you at our next beach cleanup – Love Your Beach, Feb 15, from 11 - 2!