“In the spring, when waters are high, Rivers for Change sponsors paddling races and other California river events to highlight the importance of clean water. Starting in September and continuing through the winter months, they partner with water use organi- zations and land trusts to help clean up waterways like the Sacramento River.”


~ Matt Palmarillo, California 100 event director, RiversForChange.org


(Tinyurl.com/LakeMeadOperationZero). The improved natural environment


attracts visitors to the lake to try new sports like wakesurfi ng, riding the water behind a wave-producing boat by dropping the tow line once


waves form. The more adventurous go wakeboarding, which combines water skiing, snowboarding and surfi ng skills as the rider becomes airborne between waves. The more advanced sport of waterskating requires more stylish skateboarder moves. Further inland, Adopt-a-Beach


volunteers help keep the Great Lakes clean. More than a beach sweep, volunteers regularly monitor litter throughout the year and perform a complete beach health assessment on each visit. The eight Great Lakes border states—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—benefi t from teams of volunteers continually working to improve beach health (GreatLakes.org/adoptabeach). Moving south, Project AWARE cleans


up Iowa’s waterways, “one stretch of river, one piece of trash at a time” (Tinyurl.com/IowaAware). Stand up paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing are popular river activities. Paddlers collect litter en route and leave it in


designated bins at access points. In Missouri, the Big River beckons.


Jeff Briggs, an insurance adjustor in High Ridge, tubes the mile-plus stretch between dams at Rockford Beach Park and Byrnes Mill. “When we’re tubing, it’s just for enjoyment,” he says. “For a longer fl oat, we take the jon boat so there’s space to stow trash.” Table Rock Lake, in southern Missouri, draws fi shermen and water sports enthusiasts. Their WK Lewis Shoreline Cleanup has removed 179 tons of trash in 10 years. In 2013, 670 volunteers fi lled 11 dumpsters (Tinyurl. com/WK-Lewis-Cleanup). “It takes love and commitment, patience and persistence to keep cleaning up habitats,” says Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D., co-founder of four grassroots water advocacy groups. “Clean water is important though, to sustain fi t life on the planet.”


Avery Mack is a freelance writer in St. Louis, MO. Connect via AveryMack@ mindspring.com.


How Trash Impacts Marine Life by Avery Mack


“No matter where you live, trash can travel from your hands to storm drains to streams and on to the sea. The problem of ocean trash is entirely preventable, and you can make a difference,” advises the Ocean Conservancy. The Ocean Trash Index provides information by state and country on how much and what kind of trash enters our waterways. Each fall, data is collected during the organization’s International Coastal Cleanup one- day campaign both on land and under water. About 10 million pounds of trash was collected worldwide in 2013; of that total, 3.5 million pounds, or nearly 35 percent, originated in the U.S. The most common offenses include discarded cigarette butts and fi lters, food wrappers, plastic bottles and bags, beverage caps and lids, cups, plates, utensils, straws and stirrers, glass bottles, aluminum cans and paper bags. All of it could have been recycled, including the cigarettes (see RippleLife.org/butts).


Trash enters the water from illegal or thoughtless dumping, extreme weather events, a crashed plane, sunken boat, lost fi shing traps, nets or lines, movie props or windblown litter. For example, a plastic bag blows out of the trash can or truck, enters a storm drain or creek and moves into rivers and the ocean, where it endangers marine life, swimmers and watercraft. Water boards in Los Angeles and the


San Francisco Bay Area recognize that voluntary measures aren’t enough to solve the problem. Some cities in the Los Angeles area have implemented full- capture systems designed to trap debris greater than fi ve millimeters in size. Prevention is obviously the least expensive, safest and easiest way to keep water clean. To protect local, regional and global waters, follow the familiar refrain of recycle, reuse, repair and repurpose. Be thoughtful about what’s in the trash can and keep it securely closed. Move the car on street


sweeping days—along with dust, dirt and leaves, a street sweeper picks up animal waste and oil from cars. Ask for and advocate less packaging on commonly used products, stiffer fi nes for polluters and increased funding for enforcement and research. Knowing what comprises most trash helps consumers demand product redesigns and new policies that address the most problematic items and materials, explains Nicholas Mallos, a marine debris specialist with the Ocean Conservancy.


Rippl is a free mobile application that can help users practice what they preach in making simple, sustainable choices by delivering weekly green living tips, available at OceanConservancy.org/ do-your-part/rippl.html. A safe, fun day near, on, in or under the water starts with green practices at home.


For details visit Tinyurl.com/ CoastalCleanupReport.


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