Ban and Replan

Environmental conservation is a topic I am extremely passionate about and do activism work in. For this post, I wanted to highlight areas in which Ocean City can improve its contribution to environmental conservation. Islands specifically, and the waters surrounding them, have extremely delicate ecosystems. It is important to give attention to the drastic harm single-use plastic is causing to our land and ocean. Living on the edge of both of these, I believe every island has a duty to be a leader in environmental conservation and preservation. There are many ways in which Ocean City can improve its current laws and ordinances to consider all forms of life and nature. The banning of certain single-use plastics, such as straws, would be a big step in making real change.

In the media today, a new popular “trend” is emerging that calls for a ban on plastic straws. Participants encourage everyone to refuse plastic straws and instead bring their own reusable one. Many argue that since straws only make up less than 4% of the worlds plastic pollution, it is not what people should be focusing their attention on. While it is true straws are not the number one killer, it is still a way for an individual to make a difference. A very popular quote that is circulated throughout environmental platforms is “It’s just one straw, said 8 billion people.” This quote really puts things into perspective and causes an individual to think of the bigger picture they are playing a role in. Every little bit helps, even if it does not seem like it. For this reason, I would like to call on Ocean City to ban single-use plastic straws.

Today, there are many different alternatives to plastic straws that can be bought individually or in bulk. It is a small price to pay for the betterment of our environment. However, it is currently up to individual business owners to make that decision, and sadly many take the cheap and easy route. Without the option to purchase these harmful plastics, business owners will have to pursue greener practices. This would certainly anger many and seem unfair, which is a reasonable reaction. People typically do not like being forced to make purchases they cannot control when it comes to restaurant essentials. However, I believe Ocean City has every right to implement this ban, and if individuals are truly enraged I think that they should consider the infinite benefits that would come from a non-polluted world. By banning plastic straws on the island, Ocean City can drastically cut the amount of waste the city produces. Straws are not the only contributing factor to the worldwide plastic pollution problem, plastic bags are also extremely detrimental to the environment.

The deadly dangers that plastic bags present to our oceans should not be ignored. It is estimated that 500 billion plastic bags produced annually. This figure is completely absurd when considering that plastic bags:

• Are mistaken for food and ingested by sea turtles, which results in their slow and painful death
• Smother our coral reefs and other seabeds
• Require fossil fuels to be produced (millions of barrels of oil are used annually)
• Clog sewage drains, causing floods and runoff
• Take multiple decades to break down, and even then not completely (there are an estimated 51 trillion microplastics in our ocean)

This list could certainly go on, and each of these could be drawn out into harsher detail, but the clear reality is that plastic bags are not something we should continue producing and using in our everyday lives. 

Somers Point, or what Ocean City residents refer to as “the mainland” is the city right before the bridge onto the island of OC. This past December Councilman Ron Meischker of Somers Point passed an ordinance that single-use plastic bags will receive taxation. Some people, like myself, were excited to see some real progressive movement in environmental conservation. Others were unhappy about the inconvenience. However, Meischker stood by his decision saying, “They are a danger to marine life, and they are in the marshes, in the water, in the osprey nests and trees. This is avoidable by curtailing the use of them.” This is a great start to the complete ban of these bags altogether. A big struggle of removing single-use plastic from the everyday world is the need for people to break routine. Once someone becomes set in their ways it is hard to convince them to change. By enacting this ordinance Somers Point is nudging its residents out of the routine of getting single-use bags at the store, in hopes to completely remove the need for them at all. These are the important ordinances that Ocean City must implement. It is time we follow our neighbors in the preliminary stages of removing these harmful products from our beautiful island.

Don't get me wrong, Ocean City still has plenty of pro-environmental efforts in place. There are many programs they have such as: recycling, regular beach clean-ups, dune protection, and environmental education. However, I think that there is so much more that can be done. I want Ocean City to be the best it possibly can, and to do this it must be more progressive in its environmental practices. It is no secret that single-use plastic is generally considered destructive and wasteful. However, it truly plays an essential role in our everyday lives. Getting rid of it completely in the near future is impossible, but the removal of certain items such as straws and plastic bags are attainable goals. I want Ocean City to take charge and be leaders in the reusable and biodegradable movement. There are already many beaches along the coast of New Jersey that have implemented taxes and bans. We are behind in these crucial environmental efforts. Not only do we need to catch up, but I want Ocean City to rise as a leader and continue to find new and innovative ways to protect our delicate ecosystem. 

All in all, Ocean City truly is a beautiful place and I want it to remain this way for generations to come. No one can place blame on an individual or a town on the demise of our climate, but it takes a strong leader to acknowledge the problem and attempt to implement solutions. Ocean City needs to take charge of its own future by realizing it will be better without the harmful pollutants currently infecting it. I will continue to advocate for change and push our city to build a better and more sustainable future.

My Beach Playlist

Nothing makes a lazy day on the beach better than some good music. Music is something that I really love and I can't remember the last time I went to the beach without either headphones or a speaker! Here is a list of some of my favorite songs on my playlist:

I would love to hear what you guys think of my song selections, and if you love any of these too! Feel free to comment below your opinions and add your favorite beach songs.

Storm Surfing

I arrive at Surf Road, one of Ocean Citys' most popular surfing beaches. Heading towards the beach, I notice that there is no tagger waiting at the entrance. This is not a normal occurrence as they are there daily. In fact, there seems to be no one near the beach at all. My surfboard is heavy under my arm as a hike up the steps and onto the beach.
The normally bright blue waters have gone completely grey. The water gets darker by the minute, matching the clouds above. The rain hasn't started yet, but the waves start to intensify as I paddle out deeper into the choppy waters. Getting out far is no easy task, as I try to navigate diving under the huge waves crashing before me on my board. Push down and dive under, push down and dive under, I begin to think I will never make it past the breaking points. Finally, I reach the point past where the waves are crashing as I sit on my board and take in my surroundings. In the distance, I watch a cloud open up and release rain over the open ocean, and I know that it is heading my way. Eager to begin, I start reading the ever-growing waves and spot a perfect one coming. Anticipation builds as I lay down on my board and begin to paddle. Faster and faster, the wave comes and crashes perfectly and I jump up onto my board and ride what may have my best run ever. The speed and force of the wave is the reason I came out during this storm, and the rushing feeling made it all worth it. Once I jump off, I realize I have to repeat my process of diving under the waves. Just then, the rain starts to hit. An absolute downpour begins. For some reason, this just gets me even more excited. A new strength is added as I paddle out and dive under the huge crashing waves before me. I manage to catch a dozen great runs before I see the first strike of lighting. This is when I decide it is in the best interest of my safety to end my session. Not only was I completely exhausted but I also had to catch one more wave in. The storm was growing more intense and I could see lightning in the distance followed by the deep rumble of thunder. The waves were getting more choppy and sporadic, which made it harder to find one good enough to carry me safely to shore. I paddle closer to the rocks where they seem to be breaking more evenly. I sit on my board and look into the distance hoping to see my wave forming. The rain is pouring into my eyes causing my vision to get blurry. All of a sudden, a large wave comes into my view right behind me. I move quicker than I ever have, laying right down on my stomach and paddling as hard as possible. At this point, my arms are so tired they just want to give up. However, I understand that I am in a real dangerous situation, and force my body to work harder than possibly ever before. I paddle and paddle until finally, my board catches as the wave begins to break. I hop up and hold my balance as best as I can as I ride the final wave back into the shore. Once I hit the sand I am happy to be back as I sprint towards the lifeguard stand holding my backpack. I sit in the sheltered stand and watch the open ocean I just navigated before me. I am exhausted and excited, proud of myself for the daunting adventure I just completed.

OC Blues

On a hot summer day in Ocean City, the blue skies seem to be just as inviting as the ocean. I love to appreciate the visuals made when looking up at something and seeing the stunning bright blue summer sky. Here are some of my photos that showcase the cool color of summer.

 





























As a photographer, clear skies can be a fantastic way to get focused pictures with great color contrast. I personally like the American flag and "Do Not Enter" sign one, because of the bright contrast the red adds. When you are in Ocean City, look to the clear skies for great photos and be sure to enjoy a nice day at the beach!

SeaGulls

The seagull. If you asked anyone on the boardwalk how they felt about seagulls the consensus would not be a positive one. So why do so many people hate these beach dwelling birds? Probably because they’re so annoying. Yup, I said it. Those birds have got to be the most annoying thing about strolling the boardwalk. Keep your enemies close and your french fries closer because these flying food fiends will attack if they get the chance. Most everyone takes a disliking to these birds for their annoying qualities, but who is really to blame for this? The answer is humans. 

Humans are the reason that seagulls have picked up all the habits we hate about them. Do people really think french fries and ice cream are their natural food supply?! Years and years of beachgoers feeding these seagulls (when they shouldn’t!) has taken away their natural ability to hunt and catch food. They found a food source that seems to be reliable, but they do not know that it is not what they should be eating. Typical boardwalk foods provide no nutritional value to them but fill their stomach up so they are too full to eat anything of value. Feeding the seagulls is something that is seriously damaging to the species and should be avoided at absolutely all costs. While accidental French fry spills come and go, it is important to never directly intend to feed these birds. 

How Heart Beet Happened

As you may already know, Heart Beet is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Ocean City.  For this reason, I decided to interview co-owner Kelsey Coyne. I wanted to know more about her and the restaurant itself. Here is how the interview went:

Let's start off with an introduction. What is your name and where are you from?

• My name is Kelsey Coyne, I originally am from Northfield and was an OC lifeguard for 5 years which is why OC was where we choose to put Heart Beet. Now I live in Haddon Heights, NJ and ocean city in the summers.

What is your education history?

• I went to Mainland High School and then went off to West Virginia University to study forensic science.  Going into my junior year I switched majors to marketing and with minors in communication and public relations. 

Are you yourself vegan? When did you make the switch and why?

• I switched to being vegan about 3 years ago and about a year ago I switched to vegetarian. I was a bodybuilder and after eating so much chicken and fish I couldn’t stand to look at it anymore and decided to become vegan. I switched to vegetarian because I noticed I wasn’t eating protein during the days so I added in eggs. I still don’t drink milk or dairy but I eat eggs and occasionally cheese.

Have you always dreamed of opening a restaurant?

• My sister Ashley started heart beet Westmont. I was extremely unhappy with my job so I quit and worked for my sister. I told her we should open one in OC and we did. My mom and stepdad have two restaurants so we are used to working in the business. But to answer your question no, I was hoping to not be in the restaurant business.

When did you first open Heart Beet in Ocean City, what made you choose this location?

• In all honesty, the location was a last resort. We had our eye on two other properties and offers in on one before the deal fell through and then the other location was a battle. This was our only choice and last summer it was small and not ideal but this summer we expanded and are working with what we have. Each year we will make improvements until it’s exactly how we want it.

What are your main goals and biggest aspirations for Heart Beet?

• My main goal is to have it where everyone can come and get what they want and never have to worry. I want it to be one of the top vegan restaurants on the east coast and for people to travel to come to us. I want heart beet to be a known name.

How is Heart Beet committed to the environment and conservation?

• Being a restaurant is hard as it is to be environmentally safe but we try our best. We recycle what we can, we use paper straws, compostable containers, plates, and utensils. 

How has Ocean City specifically helped your business?

• Ocean City gives us a new crowd of people to target every day, every week and every month. It’s a town where you won’t have regulars because they are only there for a short period of time.

What is your favorite menu item (both food and smoothie)?

• Favorite food is the buffalo cauliflower sandwich and smoothie is a toss-up between the Cookie Monster and cinnamon roll.

Do you think your customers are predominately vegan, or do you think there is a lot of diversity?

• It’s rarely vegans who come in. It’s always a variety of people. Mostly gluten-free but we do get a few vegans. It’s mostly people just looking to eat healthily.

I feel like this interview really gave me insight into Kelsey Coyne and her journey to opening Heart Beet. I think it is very important to get to know your local businesses, especially your favorites! I am very glad to have all this information about Heart Beet and will keep it in mind every time I visit.

Wiki Follow Up

Previously, I had made changes to the Ocean City Wikipedia page with new information I believed would be a great addition to what was already there. When I went to the Wiki page, I was pleased to see that my changes had been approved and added! I am happy that I was able to make a contribution to the page for anyone to see. Check out my Wiki post to see what I added.