When was the last time you took a walk along the sea? Thankfully, for my wife and me it was only a few hours ago.
Almost every Sunday afternoon we take our two dogs and walk along Moonstone beach located in Cambria, California.
Our coastline is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
Our little town protects our coastline as good parents protects a child.
Yet, we still have pollution drifting down streams and floating onto the beaches.
Our seawaters also suffer from oil pollution and other contaminates dumped into drains and rivers.
It is time to protect our waters with the diligence and fierceness of a lion.
If we don't protect her who will? It is our responsibility to take care of what God has blessed us with to enjoy.
Before moving to Cambria, California, I lived in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The beaches were coated with white sand, polluted sand that you didn't want to walk on.
Giant machines worked endlessly cleaning up tons of debris left by humans.
It was incredible to see how much trash people could deposit on the beautiful coast of Mississippi.
The waters of the Mississippi sound became so polluted my of the locals didn't want to eat fish, especially shrimp and oysters harvested in the waters.
The waters stunk and the sea looked like a big chocolate shake.
After hurricane Katrina, I moved to California.
After about 6 months I went back to work for the Mental Health Association as a counselor.
I had never seen so much destruction in my life.
I had seen hurricanes and been through a few, without leaving, but Katrina was different.
I didn't stay long after returning to the coast.
.
Like many, I suffered tremendous loss.
The last thing I remember seeing, before returning to California, is thousands of pillows; I mean literally thousands of wet, stinky pillows on the beach.
I will never forget the site.
I saw pollution and sea pollution took on new meaning after my experience.
I know a lot of the pollution was directly related to Katrina but it was polluted before the storm.
Every now and then in Long Beach, Mississippi and other coastal town's sewage was actually dumped into the waters.
This is no secret, all the locals knew it happened and we turned the other direction.
Today, in beautiful Cambria, California I am committed to stopping pollution of the sea.
I hope you join with me in this fight return the sea to its natural form, free from human interference.
It will not be easy but it is worth the fight.