What do you think is the most common kind of garbage found on our shores? Pop cans, food wrappers or cigarette butts might come to mind, and while they are in the top 12, the most common kind of garbage found on shorelines in 2017 was tiny plastic and foam pieces.
This was discovered by our friends over at the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup (GCSC). They teach people across Canada about the problems with shoreline litter and encourage them to get out and start cleaning it up. Over the course of the 1,849 cleanups done in 2017, GCSC volunteers collected more than 88,700 kilograms (195,550 pounds) of garbage. It’s about as heavy as 15 Elephants!
Of all the trash that was collected, tiny pieces of plastic and foam were definitely the most common items, followed closely by cigarette butts. Rounding out the rest of the dirty dozen were plastic bottles, food wrappers, bottle caps, paper materials, plastic bags, miscellaneous packaging, straws, foam materials, pop cans, and rope. Take a look at how many pieces they found:
As an Earth Ranger, you know that tiny trash can be a BIG problem for animals and the planet. If an animal spots one of these tiny plastic or foam pieces, they might mistake it for food and choke. If they do manage to swallow it, these tiny pieces can fill up their stomach, taking away valuable space for actual food, causing the animal to go hungry and even starve.
This isn’t a pretty picture, but don’t worry! There’s something you can do that will make a big difference! You guessed it! Go out and clean a shoreline!
Do your part to help animals and keep our shores (and other habitats) clean by becoming a Shoreline Saver!
Accept your Mission today!
aww so sad hope animals will be ok
That sucks how much plastic and other stuff is on our shores.
this needs to stop
It dose.
this has to stop FOREVER or else our future is doomed
this is too much garbge
We need to help pick up the garbage from the sea and not litter and pollute the sea because all of the beautiful animals are dying from water pollution. Please keep in mind fish and belugas even are mistaking it for food.
it sure is alot i meen 10 elephants wow
yeah that is a lot of garbage I feel sad for the animals 🙁
aww I will do my part in this
Wow! That is a lot of garbage poor sea
I agree, there are a lot of garbeg on the beach, it remines me of the time we whent to the city and litary every
wher was coferd in garbeg, it amoste made me cry.