A beach lover in California has had just about enough of trash scattered across local shorelines.
They posted several pictures on the r/longbeach subreddit of various debris they found at the Alamitos and Junipero Beaches.
"I've noticed that the amount of trash being washed up and dumped at the beaches is getting out of hand and it annoys me that the city is more worried about lesser problems that can be fixed in a few years while environmental problems can last forever," they wrote. "If it's not trash it's the near monthly sewage spills causing the ocean to be unsafe to swim."
They asked for others' thoughts on the issue, which is making beach days disgusting and hazardous for both locals and tourists.
"I love Long Beach, California, but yeesh I don't love its beaches," one user replied. "And honestly even if all this trash wasn't a thing, yeah, the water is always nasty around here. I hate to say it but my beach days are definitely more in OC."
"Because people don't know the rules about nature," another said. "What you pack in, you pack out. Don't leave your stuff and put trash in the trash and if the trash can is full take it home with you."
It's a sad situation. While it's stopping people from enjoying the shoreline, it also presents a threat to wildlife.
That trash can easily be washed into the ocean, and the animals that call those waters home — including seals, sea lions, sea otters, and whales — might unknowingly ingest these items. That can lead to health complications and even death, as plastics and other debris get stuck in their digestive systems.
The trash also encourages the spread of bacteria and disease, both in the water and on the sand.
Beaches are a gift from nature, and leaving trash behind is no way to say thank you. Whether you just want to relax on the sand or enjoy your favorite watersports, you can show your gratitude by cleaning up after yourself — and others, too.
You could even take part in a community event to improve the state of these beaches. One Redditor shared a link to a post on X, formerly Twitter, advertising Long Beach Parks' Earth Day Beach Cleanup, wherein volunteers could join together to pick up the trash that causes so many problems.
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