EARTH DAY BEACH CLEAN UP

This ever happen to you? You arrive in paradise and find it's beaches covered in garbage?

As a tourist faced with massive amounts of pollution in your dream paradise you've likely had one of two reactions :

1) Overwhelmed and not sure how to make it stop

2) Feel that it's not your country, so it's not your problem 

As a Sweet Harriet subscriber you likely felt as I did, heartbroken + unsure how to help.

Luckily I was travelling with my design-studio mate: Katie Quinn of Downtown Betty fame. She is a living example of individual activism. She simply started picking up the garbage and I witness a quick ripple effect; locals and fellow tourists started pitching in to help us. Odd as it sounds, prior to Katie taking the lead, every one else just dodged the garbage or sunbathed on top of it!?!  

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RESULTS: Beach garbage picking is a great little work out + you still get to work on your tan + enjoy nature + connect with the locals. Instead of lying there feeling hopeless you leave feeling fit, connected and warm + fuzzy for helping mother earth.

If you are of the opinion that it's not your country therefore its not your problem then I've got some news for you:

Pollution is a human being problem. Therefore if you are a human being, it's your problem too. Your country may have better infrastructure to handle garbage, but more than likely you and your country create just as much or more garbage than these tropical oasis and sadly a lot of it ends up in our oceans. 

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Thailand before and after my sunbathing sessions ;)  

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Your actions create reactions. When the locals see tourists cleaning up their beaches they are motivated to become proactive in beach care + garbage disposal. When fellow tourists see you picking up trash they get off their beach blankets and clean the area around them. Everyone leaves feeling better.

The giant plastic bags used to dispose of the trash were conveniently found amongst all the garbage, but it doesnt hurt to arrive at the beach prepared with a bag or two. We'd often bring our hotel laundry garment bags to the beach with us.

Pollution is a large and complex situation but this one simple thing you can do: pick up beach garbage and dispose of it properly. 

Magically after a couple of beach clean up sessions you become hyper aware of all garbage you create thereafter. You start making smarter, more environmentally aware decisions and become proactive with recycling and proper disposal of unwanted items.  Awesome after effects of your vacation in paradise! 

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One of the strangest finds in Thailand was live fish in a plastic bag filled with styrofoam?!!

There are some great organizations leading beach and ocean clean ups if you'd like to join in and helping out:

 Surf Rider, Bye Bye Plastic Bags, Shoreline Cleanup, LivingOceans.Org  

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 Stunning Sunset....can you spot the environmentalist?!

Happy garbage picking little globetrotting gypsies!!

XOXO Sarah