01/07/2025
On a Disney Cruise, when you go to Lookout Cay on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera, you’ll notice the pristine blue of the ocean and the flecks of pink in the sand. The low pollution environment allows for a bright blue sky to reflect off the water, and the pink in the sand is from crushed coral.
You’ll also notice bits of plastic trash on the beach. While some of it is inland litter, a lot of it is actually coming from the ocean. Plastic trash that has fallen out of an outdoor trash can or garbage truck can end up in the ocean and travel thousands of miles before it gets washed up onto a beach on the other side of the world.
In 2020, scientists put tracking devices on plastic bottles they dropped into the Ganges River in India. In three months, one bottle traveled 1700 miles! That’s about the distance between the most northern part of Maine and the Bahamas.
Plastics are no good for our oceans where they can be mistaken for food by marine animals or break down into chemical-leaching microplastics.
Minimizing your use of plastic disposables is a great way to prevent plastic from ending up in our ocean and beaches. Otherwise, ensure proper disposal:
-do not put plastic bags, wraps, and films in your recycling bin; most municipalities will not recycle these curbside; find a store drop off location
-ensure non-recyclable plastic (straws, chip bags, utensils) is secure in a sealed trash bag; do not put items loose in your curbside garbage bin
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