Thank you for printing the article about plastics (page 1, Aug. 23 Beacon, “Plastics, cigarette butts focus of renewed Surfrider campaign”). As a regular beachgoer and ocean swimmer, I am shocked and dismayed by the amount of plastic I see everywhere, in and out of the water.
In my lifetime it was not always like this. Even in remote places, it is now impossible not to see plastic trash. It can be carried by environmental factors such as wind and current. An area such as San Diego, “America’s Finest City,” should be addressing this issue. On an individual level, people can stop purchasing things with too much plastic packaging, telling stores and manufacturers why [they oppose their use]. Every piece of plastic that is generated never leaves.
If something cannot be reused or recycled (in a low-energy way), it must be viewed as a manufacturing defect. A greater awareness is needed to mitigate an extreme environmental impact.