On Saturday August 29th, it was National Beach Day and I attended a beach clean-up from 6-8pm. It was hosted by the Plastic Ocean Project, which aims to keep the oceans and beaches clean, for the sake of the wildlife, and so we can better enjoy the beaches as well. I went with a group of friends, so some of us held the trash bags open while the others used a tool to pick up trash, then we traded jobs. The purpose was to honor the beaches by helping pick up litter for National Beach Day, and celebrate the beach. There have been times I have been at the beach and it is hard to enjoy it because of all the litter around the area. I used to feel annoyed by it, and not do anything to solve the problem. Now, I got to be a part of the solution, and I really like that I was able to help improve this issue. This served the community because the people in the area did not have to worry about the beach being too trashy. Something cool about this experience that I would like to share is that we found so much blue confetti everywhere. Almost half of our trash was blue confetti. We believe it was probably for a gender reveal which is really cool and special, but we did not like how much litter it created. However, we were not sure if the paper was biodegradable or not, so we decided to pick it up anyway. I learned that many people do not care about the beach, they only care about their convenience the moment they decide to litter. I think the earth is truly beautiful, and we are privileged to live here near a beach, so people should do their part to keep it clean by not littering. After doing this service project, I also think that everyone should volunteer to help keep the earth and beaches clean. This experience made me happy and excited because it felt great to serve my community and it felt like I was really making a difference. There were also tons of members in the Plastic Ocean Project club, which made me feel hopeful and excited that the younger generations care about keeping the earth clean. I think after doing this project I may join the club, or at least attend a few more beach clean-ups. This experience made me appreciate the beautiful beaches here in Wilmington, even more than I already have. This is something I would definitely do again because if I can visit the beach multiple times per week, then I can help clean it up occasionally too. This experience also made me eager to do more service projects, since I enjoyed this one so much. I especially like the feeling that I was making a difference for the animals and the ecosystems in the area, while also improving other people's beach experience. My favorite part of the experience was towards the end of picking up trash, we spotted a rainbow. Right before we finished, the rainbow had gotten so much brighter. I love seeing a rainbow because it reminds me of God's promise, and how much he loves and cares for me. It was also fun to be able to hang out with friends while knowing I was doing it for a good cause and helping the planet. It was a perfect ending to the day! Overall, this service project was great and I am looking forward to doing more in the future!
This was super fun! It was really cool to see how much waste was left in just a small part of the beach.
It was a great experience! I went to the table to pick up a bag and a tool to grab garbage on the beach. After we were done we would put them in permanent trash bags. It was really special for me to be a part of this because in my major I hope to have a positive impact on the environment.
Was a super fun experience where you were able to give back to the community while also being at the beach!
For National Beach Day, I met up with my freshman year roommate at Johnnie Mercers Pier and spent time walking along the beach picking up litter. It was a simple way to give back to a place I love while spending time outside with a friend and leaving the beach a little cleaner than we found it!🌊