KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Two weeks ago Kodiak residents took to road system beaches and cleaned up marine debris during the first ever Coast Walk. Participants signed up to clean 31 of the 81 identified beaches and collected more than 1,645 pounds of marine debris.
Tom Pogson is the marine debris coordinator for Island Trails Network, the organization that hosted the event, and said in an email that items are still coming in and that number will definitely go up. Not all of the debris bags have been collected or turned in to ITN, and the preliminary poundage is only from marine debris that has been sorted.
Pogson said the event definitely helped open the community’s eyes to the extent of marine debris washing ashore, and he was pleased with the outcome. He said there is more work to be done, especially since 50 road system beaches have yet to be cleaned.
ITN still has clean up kits available to the public and encourages folks to check ITN’s website for remaining beaches and information about other marine debris clean up and incentive programs taking place throughout the archipelago.
