The Beach During Plastic Free July

Yesterday we headed our early to the County (Prince Edward County, to the south of us. The beaches and dunes of this almost-island attract multitudes of visitors to the extent that the two provincial parks and municipal beaches must close public access by midday. We walked a more secluded beach which is about two kilometres long with the waves rolling in a breezy morning. We also sat under a tree and read, looking out to the water.

As we strolled we saw plenty of evidence of a birthday party which may have happened on the beach or kilometres away. It was in the form of mylar balloons scattered along a wide swath. We had a bag with us so we began picking them up, along with other pieces of abandoned plastic. We quickly ran out of room in the bag and probably could have filled at least another one with what we saw. This doesn't take into account the plastic which was buried, or back on the dunes amidst the wild grape vines, or micro-plastic bits, the almost invisible killers of birds and fish. 

We are almost at the conclusion of Plastic Free July and this was certainly a reminder of the insidious presence of plastic almost everywhere. Our couple of hours on the beach were idyllic, and a spiritual experience. All that discarded plastic pointed out that we humans "eat of the apple", in our Garden of Eden and throw away the core without much thought.  I do believe that the Creator invites us into a very different way of reducing our plundering of the world's resources and of "living with with respect in Creation." (UCC New Creed.)