Thursday, February 23, 2012

litter to light

If you read this blog, you know that I often post photos of weird items that show up in the wrack. Amazing amounts of trash show up on Plum Island all along the refuge beach. The trash comes from many sources -- stuff thrown or washed into the Merrimack River that flows downriver and gets picked up by the longshore current, stuff that gets left on the beach by visitors, stuff that comes off boats ... and of course, the infamous Hooksett discs.  This stuff isn't just an eyesore for visitors, it messes with the use of the wrack line by shorebirds. With spring already here (in February!), it's time to pick up the trash. This year's beach cleanup is scheduled for March 31 and the trash will be turned into energy at the Haverhill trash-to-energy plant. That's a great twofer -- clean beach and several hours of power. Check out this article in the Daily News for details.