Thing 20: Do something environmental

I told my friends about my list for the year and welcomed them to join me on any of the things I want to do. It's always more fun with friends. They seem very excited and I have a few things in the works already thanks to their enthusiasm.

My friend Wanda already had planned something that happened to be on my list so I decided to join her. We cleaned a beach! China beach on the west coast of Vancouver Island to be exact. The Vancouver Island chapter of Surfrider foundation holds monthly cleanups at local beaches as a part of a Combing the Coast campaign.

It was a nice drive out there and a lovely walk along the beach considering it's January and cold. There were about 25 - 30 people there and it's well organized. There wasn't a lot of garbage which is a good thing. With the news going on about the garbage from the tsunami created by the earthquake in Japan, I was expecting more garbage.

We did find the usual beer cans, coffee cups and random bits of plastic. All in all, If I were to do it again, I'd pick a beach or shoreline closer to home. Somewhere I actually use and see more than once every 10 years or so. I live along the Gorge Waterway and every year our community association has a clean-up. I think I'll join them this year.