After collecting as much trash as possible from the island of Gehh, we processed, counted, and categorized it into groups. Below is the grand total and the amounts in each individual category:
~1,364 Plastic Bottles
~600 ft. of Rope
~506 Flip Flops
~124 Pieces of Styrofoam
~114 Metal Cans
~90 Lighters
~79 Glass Bottles
~29 Toys
~27 Toothbrushes
~18 Buckets
~11 Tobacco Containers
~8 Buoys
~5 Umbrellas
~3 Brooms
~2 Toilet Parts
Grand Total: 3,749 Pieces of Trash
Apart from these numbers, we also found hangers, combs, computer parts, plastic silverware, straws, diapers, and more. Scattered across the beach and buried beneath the sand were innumerable tiny pieces of plastic. The members of our class and the few chaperones that attended the trip surely did not think we would collect as much as we did. With 47 bags of trash, we made our trip back to Kwajalein with a new perspective on our daily actions. Maybe yours will change, too.