Dr. Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful
Going to the beach is a fun activity, especially when you’re with Keep Liberty Beautiful. This Saturday is our annual beach sweep and we are looking to have a great time cleaning up the waterways.
We are blessed in Liberty County and nearby areas to have several boat ramps to use, such as Sunbury Boat Ramp, Riceboro Boat Ramp, Half Moon Boat Marine, Jones Creek Recreation, and South Newport River Boat Ramp. You can even walk around the ponds at Bryant Commons for a very relaxing day near the water. Liberty County is a coastal county, and many houses are right off the water.
St. Catherine’s Island is one of the prettiest barrier islands on the Georgia coast. But it will only be as long as we protect its white sandy beaches, the ocean, and the water flowing around it.
Keep Liberty Beautiful has been sponsoring volunteer beach “sweeps” with goodhearted local boaters and volunteers since 2007 to clean up the public beach on St Catherine’s Island. It is hard to believe this somewhat isolated beach would have that much trash unless you realize the significance of marine debris and beachgoers leaving their trash behind.
Litter is a sad, continuous problem, whether roadside or in a park, but it is unfortunate when it affects our waterways.
Marine debris poses a significant threat to our aquatic ecosystems, including the habitats of coral reefs. The most heart-wrenching consequence of marine debris is the entanglement of wildlife. Abandoned nets, ropes, fishing lines, and other debris can become deadly traps for marine life. Turtles, fish, and birds can suffer injuries, suffocation, starvation, and even death due to entanglement. Many animals also mistake debris for food, leading to internal damage and blockages. It’s a stark reminder of the urgent need to address this issue.
Everyone in Liberty County should be concerned about the importance of water issues. These are issues that all of us, young and old, must confront. Over 40 percent of our county is wet: marshes, wetlands, ponds, creeks, and rivers. We can all help out by doing these things:
• Keep streets, sidewalks, parking lots, and storm drains free of trash - they can empty into our waterways and oceans.
• At the beach, park, playground, and even at work or in town, dispose of all trash in the proper receptacles or take your trash home with you. Pick up any debris you see while out.
• Recycle as many items as possible. If they are recycled, fewer items will end up as litter or debris.
• Boaters, fishermen, and beachgoers should remember to: Bring all of their trash back to shore for proper disposal in trash cans or recycling bins, including all pieces of fishing line and other fishing gear. Recycling any used fishing line.
• Think about the materials and packaging you might take to the beach or for a day on the water. Choose reusable items and avoid single-use, disposable ones. Never dump trash in the water; report any illegal dumping you observe.
• If you are a marina operator, participate in a Clean Marina program. Provide clearly labeled and adequately sized garbage and recycling bins for your staff and customers. Keep trash cans, dumpsters, and recycling bins from overflowing by emptying them regularly. Ensure they are covered, secured, and protected from strong winds or animals.
The only way to ensure clean waterways is to actively prevent items from ending up as marine debris, whether on land or water. The other meaningful way we can fight marine debris is to participate in area cleanups around our community or at cleanups, like our beach sweep on August 16 on St. Catherine’s Island. We will meet at Half Moon Marina at 7 a.m. We need more boat captains. Sign up on our website, www.keeplibertybeautiful. org, or contact us at (912) 880-4888 or klcb@libertycountyga.gov to get involved today.