|
|
NC BIG SWEEP 10/1/05
Official Big Sweep Website
from Iredell Neighbors
Environmental Eye
7-24-05
Waterway Cleanup - Big Sweep Coming soon!
The heat of a hot summer day and longer evenings take many
toward the water in the summer for fun and cooling off. In Iredell
County many head to Lake Norman for water activities. It might surprise
you to hear some of the statistics about careless boaters and
beach-goers and it might encourage all of us to help keep our waterways
and our county cleaner. If you have been to the beach this summer or
walked along the shores of any public lake or sat on the banks of a
river or even waded in a creek you won’t be surprised to hear about all
the litter in our waterways. Did it amaze you that other people could
leave so much trash for someone else to clean up? Did you have to watch
every step you took barefooted so you wouldn’t step on glass or an old
cigarette? I can’t understand why people think they shouldn’t leave a
place cleaner than they found it. What would we do if some people didn’t
help and clean up after others?
Many people want to help protect our environment but don’t know where to
start to help. We all help everyday as we pickup after others and take
care of our own waste properly but often we feel like we are doing more
if we are part of a bigger effort.
There is an event coming soon that you can be a part of helping.
Consider this your “save the date card.” No you don’t have to save a
date for a meeting or a wedding but you can mark your calendar now for
Big Sweep 2005. Big Sweep is an international event held each fall where
people all over the world clean up our waterways. There are 88 countries
involved retrieving over 7.7 million pounds of debris worldwide last
year. North Carolina had 13,000 volunteers in last year’s 18th annual
event. Last year 420,350 pounds of debris were cleared from 1224 miles
of shoreline in North Carolina.
Many Iredell County residents participated in Big Sweep and were
contributors to that clean up. The top three most common littered items
recorded were cigarettes, food wrappers and plastic beverage bottles.
These three items accounted for 40 percent of the items collected
statewide.
Almost 10 percent of all items retrieved during Big Sweep were
considered dangerous because wildlife could die after they eat or become
entangled in it. Included in this category were bags, plastic sheeting,
tarps, fishing line, rope, balloons, strapping bands, six pack holders,
fishing nets and syringes. Floating bags were the most common and
dangerous items because they are often mistaken for food by turtles and
other wildlife. Globally, there were 186 entangled animals discovered
during the cleanup.
Land based recreational activities accounted for almost three quarters
of all debris recovered. This included food wrappers, food containers,
bottles, cans, bags, cups, plates, eating utensils, caps, lids, straws,
stirrers, clothing, shoes, toys, pull tabs, balloons, six pack holders
and shotgun shells. This may seem like a picky list noting each and
every little item retrieved but during Big Sweep this is how reports and
statistics are gathered. Each participating group counts how many of
what is picked up so we can see the overall amounts and realize what a
huge problem it is.
This years Big Sweep date will be Saturday, October 1 2005. If you are a
Lake Norman resident you might also be interested in the Island Keepers
or the Lake Norman Keepers that work year round to keep the lake clean.
You can contact them through the web site www.islandkeepers.com to find
out more. If you aren’t a water person don’t be sad because the Fall
Litter Sweep for roadside clean up is coming soon too. The Fall Litter
Sweep cleanup event will be Sept 17 - October 1, 2005.
Whether it’s waterway or roadside litter we can all help by encouraging
others not to be a part of the problem and we can get ready to volunteer
and help our county. Call 704-928-2023 now to get your name on the
volunteer lists.
Statistics from NC Big Sweep
|