Saturday, July 1, 2017: Santa Monica Beach Trash Report

Familes and individuals in cars pay $10 to park at the beach and in return they get a filthy beach. What a deal!

Dateline: Saturday morning, July 1, 2017 at Santa Monica State Beach. I started today's audit at Ocean Park adjacent to Lifeguard Tower #26 and walked to the Santa Monica Pier and back to Ocean Park.  There was a staggering amount of natural debris in the form of broken and sharp pieces of bamboo, driftwood, tree branches, etc... all of which has no place on the beach near the water's edge where families and children are gathered.  Additionally, there was a great deal of #beachtrash (e.g., glass bottles, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, etc.).

This is yet further evidence that the City of Santa Monica does not, in fact, hand pick up #beachtrash, etc. near the water's edge on a daily basis.

This stretch of beach from Ocean Park to the Santa Monica Pier was especially filthy this morning and this is in spite of the City Mayor recently stating in a published newspaper that City staff daily walk the beach near the water's edge and hand pick up #beachtrash.

(x-ref: http://smdp.com/five-ways-to-keep-santa-monica-beach-trash-free/161380

excerpt:  City of Santa Monica Mayor Ted Winterer stated, and I quote:  

“The City of Santa Monica has a dedicated beach maintenance team that uses specialized equipment and handpicking to keep the beaches clean every day.” (emphasis added).

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In any case, here are the photos and videos that I took today of the #beachtrash and debris which represent a continuing public health and safety issue which both the City and the State of Calif. (Cal. State Parks) continue to resolve.

Below, illegal fireworks and an empty glass bottle... neither of which were collected and/or removed from the beach by the City of Santa Monica.  Why?!... Because the City does NOT daily hand pick up #beachtrash near the water's edge.

You would have to be BLIND to miss this large hunk of a pier piling near the water's edge OR in the case of the City of Santa Monica..... AWOL!...

This is what you get for $10 in parking fees at Santa Monica State Beach!...

Empty discarded glass bottles litter the sand near the water's edge?  Why?  Because some beach goers are careless AND because the City of Santa Monica sucks when it comes to collecting and/or removing #beachtrash from near the water's edge.

*** Video Alert ! ***

Video #1: July 1, 2017 Santa Monica Beach Trash

     https://youtu.be/qXd39aYdbUQ

Below, a broken bottle next to an empty glass quart bottle of Corona beer... uncollected and not removed from the beach by the City of Santa Monica.... Why?!... because the City does not give a hoot about #beachtrash.

*** Video Alert ! ***

Video #2: July 1, 2017 Santa Monica Beach Trash

     https://youtu.be/wgQdk5Ez-98

A dead bird, below, in the sand near the water's edge and families that have paid $10 or more to park at the beach...  What a deal!

*** Video Alert ! ***

Video #3: July 1, 2017 Santa Monica Beach Trash

     https://youtu.be/9U6RJ0YATtY

Needless to say, the City of Santa Monica continues to ignore the #beachtrash and debris on the beach which obviously represents a public health and safety issue.  The City does NOT hand pick up #beachtrash and debris on a daily basis. If the City did so, then we would not have all of this photographic evidence.

It's time for the citizens of Santa Monica and beach patrons to communicate to the City that a safe and clean beach is what is expected and what has been promised and promoted by the City.

Respectfully submitted,

William Maguire,
concerned private citizen
and Santa Monica business owner

(All photos and videos by & Copyright William Maguire 2017.)

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