clean the beach

When I think of summer I think of spending long days at the beach. What is better than spending the day at the beach with friends, or reading a great book under an umbrella, listening to the soothing ocean sounds, breathing in the fresh salty air. Being at the beach always gets me a little nostalgic watching children run around, burying each other in the sand, collecting sea shells, and having the time of their lives makes me think of summers as a kid visiting the beach with my family. The beach has given me so much joy in my life, my husband Jesse and I actually met each other for the first time at the beach four years ago this July. Since then we have visited the beach together at least a hundred times. Jesse grew up in Malibu, so the beach has always been a major part of his life and always will be, we talk about raising our kids at the beach and how we want the beach to be as much a part of their life as it is a part of ours. 

 Jesse and I talk a lot about getting more involved in beach cleanups. In fact I got a reminder email last week that Heal the Bay, a local non profit environmental group  was doing its monthly Nothing but Sand Beach Cleanup this past Saturday morning. Jesse and I spoke about going to the clean up as we do every month after I get one of these reminders, but somehow Saturday afternoon comes around and we forgot, or a friend was in town visiting. There are always things that come up. Well something different happened this past Saturday afternoon. Jesse and I were spending our first (presummer) day of the year at the beach, the weather was gorgeous, we were so excited to be at the beach! Then we realized that there was so much trash and junk all over the beach, this gradual change in the beach is not so gradual. It is happening and we need to do something about it. Sunday morning Jesse and I came out early to the beach with two giant trash bags within a half an hour they were both busting at the seams. Together we disposed of about  100 straws, 75 bottle caps, 15 cans of soda, 25 plastic bags, 15 plastic bottles, a pizza box and many more disgusting mostly plastic items. After we were done we put up our umbrella and enjoyed an exceptionally beautiful day at the beach. We decided that every time we go to the beach we are going to bring two trash bags and do our own little beach cleanup, we owe it to the beach after all of the years its taken care of us, relieved us from stresses, and nurtured us, its the least we can do, and we are encouraging all of our friends to do the same. I am always looking for ways to get involved and give back to the world but its hard to find the time, this is such a direct way to really make a difference and it will make you feel so good, bring your kids! What a great way to get them involved. If you would like to find out more ways to get involved in saving the oceans visit Heal the Bay and Conservation International let me know if you have any other ideas or questions I look forward to hearing your comments on this one.    mario vitali, photo