Most of these balloons are those falsely marketed by the balloon industry as “biodegradable latex.” All photos were taken by Balloons Blow on Hutchinson Island, Florida, USA – unless otherwise noted. All photos with citations may be used for education purposes.
Flotsam and Jetsam 16
11 Balloons & Other Debris
Tried to collect as much as possible before the sandpipers that were feeding nearby ate any plastic bits as they were picking through the sargassum, if they didn’t already. And 11 balloons 9 latex & 2 mylar.
Beach Cleanup - 17 Balloons
Every piece of plastic ever made is still in existence. We must reduce our use. All washed ashore a desolate beach: Plastic single-use beverage bottles, plastic straws, plastic caps, plastic containers, plastic oil bottles, plastic cutlery, plastic chair, styrofoam packaging, styrofoam cups, styrofoam buoys, rope, part of a jet ski?, more items with bites from sea creatures, lots of foreign flotsam – Cuba, Guyana, Greece, Spain, Dominican Republic, Mexico. And 17 balloons – 12 latex & 5 mylar.
Coquina Beach
Very little trash accumulates on Coquina Beach at the Outer Banks. Still the usual culprits, mostly styrofoam & plastic crap.
Beach Cleanup 2-23-13
Not much fresh flotsam, most had been washed up & hiding in the dune for months. Single-use plastic beverage bottles, single-use plastic containers, plastic with bites from baby sea turtles & other marine creatures, styrofoam cups, plastic utensils, plastic straws, plastic caps, plastic Cuban debris, shoes, styrofoam chunks, fishing gear, plastic trap vent & 16 balloons – 8 latex & 8 mylar. Didn’t get any surfing in today, but a pair of dolphin friends did! Watched them jump & play while we were cleaning the beach ♥
Beach Cleanup 2-24-13
Other favorite beach few miles down the road. Not the same amount of debris as the usual beach.. but the same crap: plastic caps, plastic straws, plastic water bottles, plastic shreds. And 4 balloons- 2 latex & 2 mylar.
Beach Cleanup 3-9-13
All washed ashore. Even things consumed thousands of miles inland can find its way to the sea (and onto a desolate beach). Recycling isn’t the answer, consuming less plastic is. Single-use plastic water bottles, plastic beverage containers, loads of plastics caps, straws & microplastics amongst the sargassum, plastic oil containers, styrofoam, yards of fishing line, Caribbean & South American debris, a long piece of aluminum, a huge light bulb, a 10ft barnacle-encrusted net and 19 balloons – 10 latex & 9 mylar.
Beach Cleanup 3-16-13
Collected from a beautiful half mile stretch of desolate beach. All washed ashore, not brought in by beachgoers. Single-use plastic water bottles, single-use plastic beverage bottles, styrofoam cups, plastic oil containers, plastic straws, plastic utensils, plastic caps, South & Central American debris, lightbulbs, styrofoam, VHS tape, 8 balloons – 5 latex & 3 mylar.
Plastic Pollution
Mahler - Gautemalan food product.
Plastic Band
Hope they’re not missing the skydiver too.
Plastic Pollution
Single-use plastic bottle getting consumed by the dune.
Plastic Polluting Dunes
Old plastic bottle breaking apart behind the dune.
Styrofoam Pollution
Denny’s styrofoam cup in the dunes, alongs with some other plastic.
Styrofoam Pollution
Old styrofoam cup being constricted by the rotting beach fence wire.
More Lost Shoes
Sole of a shoe packed in the dune.
VHS tape. Unreel!
Unusual find on the beach.
Plastic Pollution
Real old plastic bottle way back behind the dunes.
Plastic Pollution
Foreign Brake Fluid.
Bottle Cap!
Chewed bottle cap.
Styrofoam Pollution
Young triggerfish bites a styrofoam cup.
Plastic Pollution
Foreign plastic bottle.
Single-use Plastic
Plastic bottle from Cuba.
More Plastic Pollution
Sea friends picked the wrong place to call home.
Cape Hatteras, NC
A chilly day couldn’t keep us away from one of our most favorite places – Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Took a long walk as the mighty lighthouse looked on. Lots of plastic sheeting, plastic bags, plastic beverage containers, plastic caps, plastic straws, cans, rope, piece of a stereo, clumps of vegetation tangled in yards of rope, nets, fishing line, riggings, hooks & lures. And 4 balloons – 3 latex & 1 mylar. Saw some dolphin friends feeding, too!
Beach Cleanup 3-30-13
There is no “away” & recycling is not the solution. Like our friends at Two Hands Project say, ” There’s no excuse for single-use!”
All washed ashore, collected from a mile stretch of beautiful beach: single-use plastic water bottles, single-use plastic beverage bottles, single-use styrofoam cups & plastic containers- many with sea turtle & fish bites, plastic straws, plastic caps, plastic oil containers, plastic hose, plastic grate, fishing gear, shoes, chunks of foam, debris from Venezuela, Mexico, Bahamas & Haiti. And of course, 24 balloons – 10 latex & 12 mylar, & 1 latex-in-mylar combo.