Advocating for a Litter-free Neighborhood in Houston, Texas
The issue of litter is not local to one area, but widespread throughout the United States and the world. From different types of pollution from bits of plastic on the beach to trash flowing into storm drains, as stewards of the Earth, we have the responsibility to take care of our neighborhoods and the interconnected systems of the environment. By getting involved in local litter efforts, you can help clean up the environment and potentially teach others to do the same. Here in Southern Texas there are many ways to get involved in the Harris-Galveston County (H-GAC) area as well! Some examples of how to get involved with litter clean-ups are included below:
Nurdles are tiny plastic pellets that are the base for all plastic products. Chances are if you have anything that is made of plastic, it once was a pile of nurdles before manufacturing. These nurdles find themselves all along the coast of Texas as there are many plastic pellet factories located in Port Houston, and other coastal areas. Since there are spills, some reported and others unreported, the Nurdle Patrol, a citizen science initiative out of the University of Texas, encourages citizens to keep an eye out for nurdles and even document how many you found and how to dispose of them. This organization does such a great job at engaging and educating people of all ages on the dangers of plastic nurdles on local beaches. By supporting this organization, the severity of nurdles on beaches can be potentially raised on a legislative level and prevented in the future.
If you want to learn more about the Nurdle Patrol initiative, listen to this podcast episode hosted by NOAA.
The Don’t Mess with Texas Campaign takes the reins and teaches Texans not to litter, and the consequences of littering. From star-studded advertisements with Matthew McConaughey, decorated trash cans, and outreach partnerships, Don’t Mess with Texas’s 35+ years as an organization has been quite successful. You can get involved by ordering the free merchandise on their website, cleaning up and preventing litter from happening in the first place, reporting litterers, and engaging with their education campaigns (i.e. games, scholarships, contests, etc). By supporting this organization, you are supporting a state-wide, 35+ year campaign that will continue being successful as more people get involved in aiming for a litter-free environment.
If you are interested in city or state-wide campaigns such as Don’t Mess with Texas, check out Keep Houston Beautiful too!
Every March or April, the Trash Bash organization hosts a beach clean-up in Galveston, TX. Since this year was virtual, the organization hosted a virtual trash bash that encouraged participants to clean up their neighborhood, backyards, or whatever area they have access to. They encouraged participants to sign an online waiver for participation and follow all safety guidelines posted. They also provided guidance on how to perform your clean-up during the trash bash weekend, and beyond that weekend as well. This organization promotes the health and water quality of the Galveston Bay, and how we play an integral role in protecting the Bay. Supporting the Trash Bash would only help their presence in the H-GAC area increase.
There are so many other groups advocating for litter-free neighborhoods and cities all over the world— you just have to look for them and get involved!