Annual Jones Beach Breast Cancer Walk Set for Sunday

CATJOE October 22, 2012 at 05:13 pm

SHOCK AND DISMAY!
Yesterday afternoon, my boyfriend and I decided to go for a walk on the Long Beach boardwalk. Eventually, we arrived at the dedication site, for those who had been lost to breast cancer. We were both touched by the hope given by the walk but were unfortunately, absolutely shocked and dismayed by the hundreds of empty bottles thrown, mainly in the vicinity of the dedication site, however, also, in other locations on and around the beach. There were stickers, papers, ribbons and bows totally and utterly littering the beach and surrounds. As genuine lovers of pristine parklands, my boyfriend and I spent considerable time and effort, cleaning up the area and filling bins with the irresponsibly discarded empty and full water bottles, etc. The total and utter lack of both garbage and recycling facilities, coupled with the general public's 100% inappropriate actions toward the surrounding environment, was simply disgusting and totally unacceptable. An area, usually filled with the wonders of aesthetics and nature, was now an extremely polluted dumping ground. The most ironic part of this story, is the fact that one of the leading causes of cancer is caused through the inhalation and digestion of PCB's, that are leached from plastic water bottles, when subjected to SUNLIGHT, heat and cold, such as being placed in the freezer. So, there they were, the residual effects of the dedication, leaching out the dangerous chemicals, from lying all morning and afternoon, in the heat of the day's sun. Surely there is an all encompassing and mutually responsible way to show our dedication/respects, that does not absolutely cause havoc and mayhem, in it's wake. Preventative steps simply MUST be taken to immediately halt such devastation, in the aftermath of ANY cause. Catherine Tatlock

CATJOE October 22, 2012 at 06:29 pm

SHOCK AND DISMAY!
Yesterday afternoon, my boyfriend and I decided to go for a walk on the Jones Beach boardwalk. Eventually, we arrived at the dedication site, for those who had been lost to breast cancer. We were both touched by the hope given by the walk but were unfortunately, absolutely shocked and dismayed by the hundreds of empty bottles thrown, mainly in the vicinity of the dedication site, however, also, in other locations on and around the beach. There were stickers, papers, ribbons and bows totally and utterly littering the beach and surrounds. As genuine lovers of pristine parklands, my boyfriend and I spent considerable time and effort, cleaning up the area and filling bins with the irresponsibly discarded empty and full water bottles, etc. The total and utter lack of both garbage and recycling facilities, coupled with the general public's 100% inappropriate actions toward the surrounding environment, was simply disgusting and totally unacceptable. An area, usually filled with the wonders of aesthetics and nature, was now an extremely polluted dumping ground. The most ironic part of this story, is the fact that one of the leading causes of cancer is caused through the inhalation and digestion of PCB's, that are leached from plastic water bottles, when subjected to SUNLIGHT, heat and cold, such as being placed in the freezer. So, there they were, the residual effects of the dedication, leaching out the dangerous chemicals, from lying all morning and afternoon, in the heat of the day's sun. Surely there is an all encompassing and mutually responsible way to show our dedication/respects, that does not absolutely cause havoc and mayhem, in it's wake. Preventative steps simply MUST be taken to immediately halt such devastation, in the aftermath of ANY cause. Catherine Tatlock