Activists Clean up Local Beaches

Local Activitsts at State beach resort Surfrider Foundation to help clean up cigarette butts.

After months of organizing, Forsberg and other members of the Surfrider Foundation yesterday kicked off a monthlong project to install 50 giant ashtrays at state beaches in North County. The stainless steel cylinders cost about $9,000 dollars, which the Surfrider Foundation covered in hopes of reducing the amount of garbage in the sand and ocean.

The regional campaign coincided with legislation introduced by state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, to ban smoking at state parks and beaches.

Smoking at beaches is illegal in Carlsbad and several other cities in San Diego County, but state parks officials don't enforce local rules. California operates roughly 17 miles of beaches in the county.

“You can smoke on a state beach, but we would remind people that the current litter laws are in force and they could be cited if they are seen throwing a cigarette butt anywhere in any state park,” said Roy Stearns, a spokesman for the parks agency in Sacramento.

He said state parks administrators don't oppose a smoking ban but worry about the cost of putting up hundreds of signs and enforcing the law.

Bill Hickman, coordinator of Surfrider's local chapter, said his group didn't set out to ban smoking, but that it may be the best way to cut beach litter dramatically. “We really just want people to be more responsible,” he said.