On September 17, 140 SeaWorld team members and their family members, collected more than 40 bags of trash from the Canaveral National Seashore during the 2011 International Coastal Cleanup. The top three items found included cigarette butts, plastic caps and food containers.
Did you know?
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Each cigarette contains over 3,900 chemicals, and cigarette butts contain their toxic residue and can last up to three years in the ocean!
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Plastic caps, often mistaken as fish eggs to seabirds, can last up to 20 years in the ocean.
- Plastics, such as food containers, often float on the surface where many food sources lie, making it a constant threat to marine life.
Here are a few things that you can do to make a difference:
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Organize and participate in river and beach cleanups. When you visit or play near a waterway, clean up after yourself and leave the environment in better condition than you found it.
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Don’t pour the environment down the drain when disposing of chemicals. Storm drains and even your kitchen sink are connected to local waterways...and it's true—all drains really do lead to the ocean.
- Look, listen and learn more at SeaWorld.org.
SeaWorld has rescued more than 18,000 animals in the past 40 years, and many of their injuries or illnesses came from human pollution like pelicans entangled in discarded fishing line or sea turtles that ate a floating plastic bag thinking it was a jellyfish. Turn the tide by putting trash in its place, recycling monofilament fishing line and choosing reusable bags and bottles.
International Coastal Cleanup is a one day annual event, but our team members make a difference every day by putting trash in its place and supporting our park recycling programs. All of the garbage collected potentially saved the lives of countless animals.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the International Coastal Cleanup.
