TRUE BLUE Archives
TRUE BLUE
June 2008
Volume 8 Issue 1 Number 1
Welcome to this issue of TRUE BLUE - the Clean Beaches Council’s monthly electronic newsletter. We have provided this e-newsletter, free of charge, to keep you up to date as to what’s happening with the world’s beaches, oceans, and coasts.
****Current News****
1. Clean Galveston Beaches
2. Beachcombing in Puget Sound
3. No Butts About it in Surf City
4. Boston Harbor Boating Update
5. A Clean Beach Tax?
***Clean Galveston Beaches ***
Beginning Memorial Day weekend, visitors to Galveston’s Stewart Beach will have the opportunity to help clean up the beach. Visitors and residents both use the beach so it is unclear where the litter is coming from, but litter abounds along the entire length of Galveston’s beachfront. In a trial, 1,200 trash bags will be handed out to Stewart Beach visitors after entering the beach, supplementing the beach cleanup crews that already work seven days a week throughout the year. Increased fines for littering may also be imposed for those littering Galveston’s beaches.
Read More
***Beachcombing in Puget Sound***
Some of the lowest tides of the season in Puget Sound recently allowed for some great beachcombing, and more than 35 volunteer naturalists, sponsored by the Seattle Aquarium, were on hand to share tips on how to preserve and protect Puget Sound. More than 20 years of hard work and investment in sewage treatment plants, pollution reduction, and restoration of habitat helped to bring back the diversity of life in the low tide zone. Next low tides? The July 4th holiday weekend.
Read More
***No Butts About it in Surf City***
Long Beach Island may be a cleaner place these days thanks to shop owner Cherly Kirby. After seeing too many cigarette butts wash up in from of her store, she took matters into her own hands and made 1,000 containers to store used cigarette butts. These containers could be stored in someone’s beach bag or car until properly disposed of. Cherly and her husband got the idea during a trip to Australia. Less butts mean a cleaner beach. No butts would mean healthier beachgoers. A step at a time, I guess.
Read More
***Boston Harbor Boating Update ***
The campaign to ban boat sewage throughout the Massachusetts coastal waters is gaining momentum and Boston Harbor could be next. Efforts are underway to make Boston Harbor a no-discharge zone but they thankfully have boaters in mind before enacting this legislation. There are areas south of the harbor with limited pump-out facilities and those areas are being analyzed for more mobile and fixed pump-out sites. Further action may be taken on the Neponset and Charles Rivers as well. Good to see environmentalists, legislators, and boaters working in concert.
Read More
***A Clean Beach Tax? ***
The Beaches and Shores Advisory Board of Highland Beach, Florida wants the Town Commission to create a separate taxing district for those who have beach access. Most of the shoreline is private and residents are responsible for picking up their own litter either by themselves or by hiring a private cleaning company. Under the new taxing proposal, residents who have beach access would pay taxes that would go toward the $210,000 a year needed to hire a private cleaning service to clean the beach. Those without access would not have to pay. Increasing patrols on the beach alone to control litter would cost $175,000 a year.
Read More
**** About Clean Beaches Council *****
The mission of the Council is to promote awareness and volunteer participation in sustainability while ensuring a legacy of clean beaches for all generations to come.
*** Contact Us ***
Clean Beaches Council
700 Thirteenth Street, NW
Suite 600
Washington, DC 20005-3960
voice/fax: 202-380-9300
Email: beaches@cleanbeaches.org
Visit our website at: www.cleanbeaches.org
Editor: Rich Weissman (email: bradleybeach@comcast.net)
Rich Weissman was born with salt water in his veins and sand in his shoes. This New Jersey native spent the better part of three decades summering and generally hanging out in Bradley Beach, where his family established deep roots back in the early 1900's. Currently a college professor and author in the Boston area, Rich researches, writes about, and celebrates all 127 miles of the Jersey Shore, from Sandy Hook to Cape May, all while enjoying, year round, the gorgeous Crane Beach in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Rich holds an MS in Management from Lesley University and a BA in Economics from Rutgers University.
TRUE BLUE Archives:
2005
January
February
February, 2nd Edition
March
March, 2nd Edition
April
April, 2nd Edition
May
May, 2nd Edition
June
June, 2nd Edition
July
July, 2nd Edition
August
2004
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
August, 2nd Edition
September
October
October, 2nd Edition
November
November, 2nd Edition
December
December, 2nd Edition
2003
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2002
January
January, 2nd Edition
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December 2001
December
December, 2nd Edition
