September 7, 2021

by drplasticpicker

I don’t know if people are listening. I don’t know if anyone cares about the planet. Sometimes I get so sad. The news is dire but we knew that. Wildfires throughout the west and the Mediterranean. Catastrophic hurricanes displaced Mr. Plastic Picker’s family on Long Island. It’s here. The future we had predicted. Are people acting? I have to believe they are. I have to believe that I am a very ordinary pediatrician who is trying to do my part in making the planet livable and that I’m not that special and others aren’t that selfish. Knowing how ordinary I am gives me hope, because it’s ordinary people like me who can help stop this climate crisis.

I’ve already done much more in the last two years than I thought humanly possible. But I always return to plastic picking because that is what taught me that I can make a difference with a simple act. Yesterday was two bags along the stretch of Pacific coast that is very special to me. I also saw many snowy egrets, more than the last few years. I have to believe I am part of the reason there are more.

Choosing to live a regenerative life in the end has brought our family so much joy. That’s a large part of why I keep on posting on Instagram, Facebook and the blog. I want to show everyone that by choosing to live a less consumer driven life and choosing to embrace environmental activism, you will be healthier as will your family. It’s a fallacy – much of it. The idea that you need to buy bottled water in plastic bottles. The idea that bagged popcorn is anything but sugar and salt and packaging, whereas you can just pop popcorn yourself. The idea that you need to pay anyone to be your lifecoach if you are burned out. Just walk along the beach with me, and you can figure it out yourself with the sound of mother nature’s heart beat which is the ocean waves and our fellow creatures the shorebirds.

But I digress. I’m here today to be accountable to myself and the earth, and not just wax poetic. I have hope because it’s hard earned through action. I pledge to take action every month, pick up plastic to help combat the ocean plastic pollution crisis and donate strategically to try to #fightfor1point5.

Here are my August 2021 Plastic Picking Totals.

August 2021 I picked up 23 Bags of Ocean Plastic Pollution and Salvaged 13 Things

Object	Total	Fate
Aluminum Cans	3	Recycled
Plastic Bottles	7	Recycled
Sand Toys	0	Gifted
Flip Flops	0	Donated
Clothing Items	0	Donated
Toys	0	Gifted
Glass Containers	3	Recycled
Hats	0	Donated
Tennis Balls	0	Gifted
Swim Goggles	0	Donated
Office Supply Items	0	Used

In total which includes August, I have gathered 534 bags of ocean plastic pollution and salvaged 1678 things that would have gone to landfill. Click here to see my totals page https://drplasticpicker.com/plastic-picking-round-up/. I am proud of it. I like to keep track.

I also donate every month. [PAUSE] Did our monthly donations to the Rainforest Trust https://www.rainforesttrust.org/projects/central-african-republic-save-a-vast-wilderness-for-lions-chimpanzees-and-elephants/ to establish a National Park in the Central African Republic, $150 that is doubled by matching donor so becomes $300. Therefore at $1.54 an acre, helped preserve 194 acres to help established a much needed National Forest in the Central African Republic. About 29,100 trees preserved. In total that brings us to almost 890,000 trees either preserved or planted and almost 14,500 acres of mostly rainforest preserved. I’m at Bag #544 lifetime total since starting 2 years ago as I’ve picked up 10 for September already. Salvaged 1669 items from the ocean or landfill. Mr. Plastic Picker had to do 5 extra overtime shifts over the weekend because no one wanted to pick up extra work. He loves the earth as well and he told me to keep on keeping on with our family’s activism. He’s one of the biggest environmentalist out there, but the quiet kind. Much love to you all. I can look my children and my patients in the eye and know in my heart, I tried. I tried so much and will keep on trying. Hugs to all.