Plastic or Seaweed?

I run along the concrete beach path in Long Beach a lot and today, thought I'd challenge myself and run in the sand along the water. I was deeply saddened to see the plastic/trash ridden shore line. There was SO much trash mixed in with what was washing up, that it would really be impossible to clean it all up. Even walking through the soft sand, there are so many small plastic particles, that it would take decades and some serious man power to pick it all out.

I kept thinking how amazing it would be to have a plastic magnet! I was also wondering what percentage of the sand is actually plastic! The city combs the beach to keep the sand "nice and fresh" but I think this is also part of the plastic particle problem because pieces get broken down into smaller ones making it even harder to pick out.

Something to think about next time you go to buy something that you may not need. Will it eventually end up under your beach towel at your favorite beach??