A blank canvas?

One of the things I enjoy when strolling along the coast is seeing beach art of all kinds.  Elaborate and inventive sandcastles are the result of hours of fun and imagination.  As a kid I was never that good at the construction (my enthusiasm for tall structures overtook my knowledge of sand physics and engineering!), but I was great at finding shells and pebbles to add the finishing touches to my siblings’ masterpieces.  But I don’t think I achieved the artistic heights of these beauties:

Check out more of these great images, and share your photos by tweeting us @natures_voice, or post on our Facebook page Share your love of the seaside!

I have a sneaking admiration for anyone spending all that effort creating something that will be washed away with the next tide. But I have even greater admiration for people who prevent some things from being washed away with the next tide.....

Beach litter isn’t just unsightly, it is a serious threat to wildlife.  In some quarters, a 6 pack of beer held together with a plastic yoke is called ‘6 tinnies and a swan killer’.  Wildlife can also get entangled in fishing line and netting, causing strangulation or drowning.  Floating plastic bags do a great impression of a tasty jellyfish, but spell death to the diner.

So if you love our coasts, here are a few tips to help keep it a blank canvas:

• It's in the bag: Reuse plastic bags – the fewer we all use, the fewer end up as stray waste (as well as cutting down on unnecessary use of resources)
• A little pick me up:  Reuse one of those plastic bags when you go for a stroll and collect beach litter.  Some people use beach litter to make colourful art to raise awareness of the problem  – see some great ideas here and here. 
• It’s a snip: Snip those drink can yokes before disposing – landfill is not a perfect waste management solution, and it only takes a second to make sure they don’t end up a strangler.
• Don’t flush!: Don’t flush your cotton buds away in the toilet. They block our sewage systems, causing floods of sewage, and are one of the most common items of marine litter.
• Barbie with Ken: Have fun at your beach BBQ, but dispose of all your litter carefully.

As they say, leave only footprints.  But sand art is OK too.....