Pawleys Island, South Carolina, is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, historic district, and charming shops. But with all those visitors comes a lot of trash.
Mayor Brian Henry is taking on the trash problem head-on. Every day, he walks the beaches and fills up a grocery bag with trash. He’s also encouraging locals and visitors to do their part to keep the island clean.
“Each day, we fill up a grocery bag with beer cans and bottles, cigarette butts, bottle caps, plastic, and other items,” Henry said in a Facebook post. “If you are a local or regular visitor, consider adopting a stretch and toting a grocery bag on your walk and help pitch in.”
Brian Henry’s efforts to clean up Pawleys Island are part of a larger movement to reduce plastic pollution. In recent years, there has been growing awareness of the environmental impact of plastic waste. Plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose, and it often ends up in the ocean, where it can harm marine life.
Pawleys Island is no stranger to plastic pollution. In 2018, volunteers collected over 1,000 pounds of trash from the island’s beaches in just one day.
Henry hopes his efforts to clean up Pawleys Island will inspire others to do the same. “Especially important after the 4th of July Parade,” he said in his Facebook post. “We will need all hands on deck!”
The 4th of July is a major holiday in Pawleys Island, bringing in thousands of visitors. This means there is even more trash to be picked up after the holiday.
Henry is asking for help from locals and visitors alike to keep Pawleys Island clean. He is also working with the town council to develop a long-term plan to reduce plastic pollution on the island.
“We all have a responsibility to care for our environment,” Henry said. “By working together, we can make Pawleys Island a cleaner and more beautiful place for everyone to enjoy.”
