When you think of the word ‘ban’ you automatically think of something bad. Today though we are pleased with the word ‘ban’ because it will help our local ecosystem.
As you know, living in a shore town we take extra special care of our beaches.
Back in 1999 when I was taught how to surf from our friends over at Ocean Outfitters in the Crest, the first thing they made us do was pick up at least 5 pieces of trash.
You see, the beach and the ocean isn’t a trash pit. Any debris small or large could be eaten by a fish, turtle, or whale. If this happens often, it could cause large amounts of wildlife to die and not return to our shores.
Here in the Wildwoods, we have many awesome organizations that pick up trash throughout the year. Between the city that rakes the beaches each summer day, the North Wildwood Beach Beautification Brigade, andLove Blue we have some of the cleanest beaches on the East Coast.
Sometimes though, there is only so much these organizations can do. In their time of cleaning the beaches, the two most common things found on the beach are cigarettes and balloons.
Most balloons found in the ocean are from balloon releases. This is when someone intentionally released many balloons at once into the sky. You may not know that they find their way into our vast ocean and pollute them.
Because these balloons are latex they don’t break down. The same goes for the strings attached to them.
Wildwood Crest has recognized this issue and has come up with a solution; to ban balloon releases.
Two weeks back the Crest voted to adopt a new ordinance that will fine folks for releasing balloons.
The 1371 ordinance (chapter 41) amending will put balloon released in the same category as littering on the street.
We hope that the other shore towns will pass a similar ban.
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