March 27, 2008 Trashy beaches documented in California Play video

(NECN/ABC) - A group of volunteers in San Diego, California documented all the garbage they picked up off a beach. All 3.5 tons of it. They hope their story will inspire others to not only recycle, but re-use.

You can find garbage on any beach in San Diego County. You may not trip over it, but it's there. Volunteers with the Surfrider Foundation and San Diego Coastkeeper picked documented their adventure.

They picked up everything from Styrofoam to plastic bags to pieces of plastic to food wrappers.

We throw away about a billion plastic bags a year and recycle less than 1% of those bags.

Next month, Whole Foods will stop offering plastic bags at the register, hoping customers will opt for re-usable bags.

"Awareness is really building. We're seeing more and more people bringing their own bags into the store."

To learn more about the beach clean-ups in your area, go to: www.10news.com and click on Sustain San Diego.

Reporter Joe Little has the story.