 |
 |
Published 09/20/09
Oregon Coast is 54,000 Pounds Lighter Saturday
 |
| Stevens Beach, at Fort Stevens |
(Oregon Coast) - Facing the threat of cloudy skies and rainy conditions on much of the coast, more than 3,700 volunteers turned out to participate in the 25th anniversary of the SOLV Great Oregon Fall Beach Cleanup on Saturday. The entire Oregon coast, over 362 miles, was cleaned of debris that had accumulated since last spring. Volunteers removed an estimated 54,460 pounds of trash from Oregon’s beaches.
“Today citizens from across the state demonstrated their commitment to maintaining a clean and healthy environment by turning out to keep the Oregon coastline pristine” said SOLV Program Coordinator, Diana Bartlett. “Oregonians should feel proud of their efforts over the past 25 years to preserve our incredible public beaches for future generations.”
 |
| Near Agate Beach, Newport |
In the north at Fort Stevens State Park, the sun broke through the morning clouds and coordinators saw one of the largest volunteer turnouts ever for this event.
Among the many interesting items found Saturday were a car bumper, a pacifier, a box of baby wipes, an unopened package of hotdogs that expired last year, a small refrigerator, a life vest, and over 125 shoes and flip flops. Volunteers reported finding an unusual number of homeless camps on the beach. At Beverly Beach State Park near Newport, four goats joined volunteers to help keep the coastline clean.
Some of the most common items found on the beach included Styrofoam, plastic caps, lids, bottles and cigarette butts. While these are often small items, if they accumulate they can do big damage to marine wildlife and the environment, particularly the plastic debris that never fully degrade or disappear.
Scientists have discovered that more than five million square miles of the Pacific Ocean is covered with trash, and it is believed that most of is comprised of the remnants of plastic trash from the world's shorelines.
“Data from past cleanups indicate that nearly 80 percent of ocean trash comes from land-based activities, meaning this problem is preventable if we all did more to reduce, properly dispose of, or recycle trash,” said Bartlett.
 |
| Barview, on Tillamook Bay |
Along with SOLV, the cleanup is coordinated by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) and local coast sanitary companies. Zone Captains from coastal communities and partner organizations such as OPRD and the Surfrider Foundation worked to coordinate volunteer registration and disposal points along the coast. Disposal fees were covered by coastal counties and hauling services were provided free-of-charge for this year’s cleanup from the following companies: Western Oregon Waste, R Sanitary Service, Nestucca Valley Sanitary Service, Thompson’s Sanitary Service, County Transfer & Recycling, Central Coast Disposal, North Lincoln Sanitary Service & Southern Oregon Sanitary.
Other Nature News from the Oregon Coast
Oregon Coast Second Summer Begins It's still a bit of a secret to fans of the beaches
Coast Coughs Up Kooky Creatures and Critters From whales, weird phytoplankton to sea lions popping up places they shouldn't, to funky bugs and interesting birds
VIDEO: Manic Tour Guide: Oregon Coast Zombies, Wacky Weather, Ghosts and Glowing Sand In search of zombie whales, ghosts on the coast, glowing sand, the green flash at sunset, and strange, alien bar life
VIDEO: Whales Spouting on Oregon Coast, Emerging from Ocean Watch as a whale tries to watch you
Whales an Unusual Sight on North Oregon Coast, Other Oddities Whales are getting spotted in an unusual place on the Oregon coast – in Seaside, and it's taking state whale officials by surprise
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
RELATED STORIES
Unusual Travel Articles TravelParanormal.com allows you to submit your own creepy tale or debunk one - or see up-to-the-minute news headlines about travel and the paranormal.
Watching Transformations of Oregon Coast Beaches Seasons change and so do beaches, revealing different sides and a variety of eye-popping sights
Staggeringly Cool Ideas for Oregon Coast Romance Be it the season of Valentine's or be it any time of the year, Oregon's coastline has essentially cornered the market for cuddle-inducing possibilities and gushy activities for the hand-holding set
Day or Night Mysteries and Merriment on Oregon Coast It's more than just nightlife that comes to life, but the beaches offer major opportunities
News Headlines from All Over Oregon Need to scan Oregon headlines? Constantly updated news from all over Oregon: a comprehensive, up-to-the-minute display of news headlines from a variety of media.
Secrets of the Season |
