The City of Folly Beach, along with volunteers from the Charleston Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and the Southern South Carolina District of the Eastern Surfing Association, installed degradable mutt mitt dispensers at several key beach accesses, parks and visitor spots on the island.
The mutt mitt dispensers are part of the ongoing efforts by the City of Folly Beach to keep the beaches, marshes and entire island cleaner.
The initiative was made possible by a grant from the City of Folly Beach to the Charleston Surfrider Chapter and the Eastern Surfing Association. Volunteers will install and maintain the dispensers. Thanks!
The Charleston Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is sponsoring a Beach Access Stewardship Program on the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island and Folly Beach. We are organizing volunteers for the beach accesses of their choice and they are tasked with three things:
- pick up trash along the access paths and out on the beach itself whenever they visit
- provide the municipality with any maintenance needs for the walkways or parking areas
- provide the Chapter and/or the municipality with maintenance information for things such as pet waste bag dispensers, cigarette butt buckets, and/or access blockages which need to be addressed.
This program was created to provide not only Surfrider members, but anyone who wants to volunteer, an opportunity to get involved with keeping our beaches clean and safe. We recognize that not only are our beaches some of our greatest local natural resources, but also the chief economic draw for our area.
Our goal is to have at least one volunteer or volunteer group “assigned” to each major public access path. If several individuals choose the same path that is also fine. We also welcome school organizations, hobby groups (kite sailors, board sailors, biking clubs, etc.), or families that visits frequently or live nearby.
The City of Folly Beach elected to team up with the Charleston Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation to aid the Chapter in the upcoming 07-08 campaign against cigarette butt litter on Folly Beach. The program is part of an area-wide effort initiated by Surfrider to directly address the accumulation of cigarette butts in our area beaches and marshes.
The kick off took place during Spring Break 07 when personal ashtrays were distributed throughout the area and Cigarette Cannons were installed at all of the public access walkways along Folly Beach. A special thank you to Keith Merril for leading this important campaign!
Similar efforts have been initiated on the Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island. Addressing the accumulation of cigarette butt litter directly benefits our area municipalities by inhibiting the huge amount of cigarette butts that ultimately pile up in storm water runoff . According to beach municipalities, the renewal of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits is much more difficult for area beaches if this problem is not addressed.
City of Folly Beach Degradable Mutt Mitt Dispensers Installed
Butts Out! Program
Surfrider Beach Access Stewardship Program
Hailey Merrill spreading the world in El Sal
Get yourself some of our cool new Charleston Chapter stuff! It's what all the cool kids are doing.
PROJECTS
A letter from Mike Arendt
Frivolous, adjective:
1a: of little weight or importance. b: having no sound basis.
2a: lacking in seriousness. b: marked by unbecoming levity.
Given this Merriam-Webster definition, there may be no better description for plastic bags. In light of re-usable bags it is apparent that plastic bags are indeed unnecessary; however, the thought that simply not using plastic bags can reverse environmental degradation is rarely taken seriously, perhaps because plastic bags do weigh so little, rendering them perceivably harmless.
However, when viewed from the perspective that plastic bags represent a symptom of a larger problem, as opposed to the full extent of the problem itself the merits of forgoing frivolous items such as plastic bags becomes clear. Human behavior generally adheres to the first law of physics which states that a body in motion stays in motion. As such, the choices we make really do have society-wide implications: do we allow indifference to diffuse through a collection of in-actions, or shall we correct self-created problems through meaningful actions that inspire further action?
Plastic bags are just one example of non-biodegradable materials that only exist because of human beings. Although man-made materials have provided many positive benefits to society, they are also accompanied by environmental costs relating to their disposal. On average, South Carolinians generate 6.3 lbs of waste each day, of which nearly 70% ends up in a landfill or incinerator1. In Charleston County, more than 300,000 tons of household waste is generated annually1. What’s the logical first step to reducing that figure? Eliminate frivolity.
Below is a proven approach to reducing the amount of household waste you generate each year. We hope that you will join us in curbing unnecessary consumption beginning this year.
1)
Shop with re-usable bags rather than single bags. Re-usable bags accommodate the same amount of items as six plastic bags. Only 1% of the more than 500 billion plastic bags produced annually are recycled due to the excessive cost associated with recycling plastic bags. In line with a high discard rate, plastic bags constitute 10% of U.S. shoreline litter and have been implicated in the death of more than 200 species of sealife2.
Shop with re-usable bags rather than single bags. Re-usable bags accommodate the same amount of items as six plastic bags. Only 1% of the more than 500 billion plastic bags produced annually are recycled due to the excessive cost associated with recycling plastic bags. In line with a high discard rate, plastic bags constitute 10% of U.S. shoreline litter and have been implicated in the death of more than 200 species of sealife2. 2)BYO (Bring Your Own). Re-usable doesn’t just pertain to bags for carrying goods it also includes packaging for those goods. Packaging is often added to items just before we purchase them, which can be eliminated through choice. Purchasing a fountain drink? Why not use your own cup. Taking part or all of a meal home, or picking up deli meat or green beans? Why not provide the container?
BYO (Bring Your Own). Re-usable doesn’t just pertain to bags for carrying goods it also includes packaging for those goods. Packaging is often added to items just before we purchase them, which can be eliminated through choice. Purchasing a fountain drink? Why not use your own cup. Taking part or all of a meal home, or picking up deli meat or green beans? Why not provide the container? 3)The four P’s: Ponder packaging, practicality and passage. We naturally consider cost when deciding between similar items, but shelf price doesn’t always reflect true cost. Avoid unnecessary packaging. For example, skip the sliced carrots in a plastic bag in lieu of whole carrots that just need to be sliced, or frost fixing frozen food and instead make a healthier meal with whole ingredients, the waste products of which are generally compostable or recyclable. Purchasing local or regional products also generally reduces transportation energy as well as support economies closer to home.
The four P’s: Ponder packaging, practicality and passage. We naturally consider cost when deciding between similar items, but shelf price doesn’t always reflect true cost. Avoid unnecessary packaging. For example, skip the sliced carrots in a plastic bag in lieu of whole carrots that just need to be sliced, or frost fixing frozen food and instead make a healthier meal with whole ingredients, the waste products of which are generally compostable or recyclable. Purchasing local or regional products also generally reduces transportation energy as well as support economies closer to home.Sources:
1Charleston Green Plan, p. 112.
http://www.charlestoncity.info/shared/docs/0/charlestongreenplan%282010.01.26%29optimized.pdf
2City of Charleston’s Green Initiative, Recycling and Waste Management Subcommittee: The Dangers of Plastic Bags. http://www.charlestoncity.info/dept/content.aspx?nid=1499
Rise Above Plastics
Below are some ongoing projects you can get involved in.
Come on out with the family and join us.
MONOFILAMENT RECYCLING -
We assist the SCDNR in their monofilament recycling program by caring for and emptying the monofilament recycling stations at the Folly Beach boat landing and the Sol Legare boat landing. When the containers are emptied, the old fishing line is sent to DNR who then sends it off to be recycled into plastic fishing lures.
MARSH SWEEPS -
During the Fall months (or as needed) we organize marsh sweeps with local schools. It's a great way for schoold children to get a close look at how much garbage works its way into the marsh from the roadside. The hours the students spend doing the sweeps can count towards their required school service hours.
BUTT CANNONS -
We have built and installed over 20 of our "Butt Cannons" all over Folly Beach to give smokers a way to dispose of their cigarette butts when they come to the beach. Later in 2011 we will be purchasing and distuributing personal ashtrays for beach goers thanks to a donation from Clemson Extension project Carolina Clear.
MUTT MITTS -
We have purchased, installed and maintained over 25 mutt mitts dispensers at Folly Beach, giving pet owners a way to clean up their pets waste when they walk on the beach. They are well used and need to be re-filled every month!
