Junk Removal in Hilton Head Island, SC

Researchers have identified thousands of microplastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of four bottlenose dolphins that once swam near the Charleston Harbor.

Found inside the dolphins were clear fibers from fishing lines, plastic tire particles, and tiny pieces of Styrofoam.

Each of the four stranded dolphins had about 1,400 microplastic items inside their gastrointestinal tracts, according to a group of researchers supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science.

Beyond the sheer number of microplastics caught in the dolphins’ stomachs and intestines, the research sends a message about what increasing development and a growing population are doing to marine health, said Austin Gray, head researcher and assistant professor of biological sciences at Virginia Tech. It also raises questions about whether problems suffered by marine life indicate threats to humans as well.

“If we are polluting our waterways and different organisms, whether certain people value them or not, we are being impacted,” Gray said.

What’s clear is that if something doesn’t change to reduce the amount of microplastics ending up in waterways, the number ending up in the stomachs of everything from fish to large mammals will increase, researchers say.

In 2020, former College of Charleston graduate student Francesca Battaglia was the first to report microplastics in North American bottle nose dolphins.

Years before, local research had indicated that a person walking along the Charleston Harbor shore would encounter a piece of plastic every two steps, according to Gray. Plastic makes its way into the water, breaks down and ultimately ends up in in the stomachs of fish, dolphins and other marine life.

Gray said that of the fish tested in the Charleston Harbor, 99% had microplastics in their guts. Studying dolphins was the next move to see what microplastics were moving up the food chain.

Gray and research partner Wayne McFee, who is the head of coastal marine mammal assessments at NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, joined forces to continue looking at the effects of dolphins’ microplastic consumption. In a five-year study, they’re tracking whether there is an increase of plastics in the animals’ stomachs over time and what the foreign objects could be doing to marine mammals’ physiology.

Their work begins with finding stranded, dead dolphins. NOAA contractor and University of South Carolina graduate student Bonnie Ertel collects the mammals and brings them to the Hollings Marine Lab in Charleston, where the dolphins’ intestinal tracts are removed.

Researchers then apply a potassium hydroxide solution to the intestines and let it sit for a few days, which works to break down organic matter. What’s left behind is what doesn’t degrade — inorganic matter. Gray said most inorganic matter they are finding are plastic polymers.

They count, characterize and look at the leftover particles under a microscope to see which shapes and sizes are most prevalent. Gray takes a sharper look at his lab at Virginia Tech, selecting a subset to analyze to identify the type of plastic polymers lodged in the dolphin’s gut.

In the first year of the study, they’ve found one microplastic that makes up 35% of those found in the dolphins: polypropylene.

The plastic fiber, magnified, shows up clear and string-like, and it mostly comes from fishing line and gear.

How’d it get there? The dolphin either ate fish that were full of the microplastic, or the mammal consumed it directly from the water.

McFee anticipates researchers will see a rise in the number of microplastics in the dolphins’ intestinal tracts. He pointed to several factors: Climate change, and increased population and development.

With more flash flooding predicted as the climate changes, whatever is on land will wash into the water, McFee said. Charleston’s growing population also contributes.

“The more people you put out there, the more people use plastics, the more chance of plastics getting into the water,” he said.

More people means more cars. As they are driven, tires break down, shedding little pieces of rubber that inevitably gets washed from a street or a bridge and into the Cooper and Ashley rivers.

While they found 1,400 microplastic particles on average in their first round of dolphin testing, Gray said preliminary results are trending closer to 2,000 microplastic particles.

McFee and Gray can’t draw definitive conclusions about how dolphins are affected by microplastic consumption, as their research mostly focuses on microplastic consumption over time as Charleston’s population and development grows.

However, McFee said microplastics are known to potentially hurt reproduction. He’s found that female dolphins who ate microplastics while pregnant passed those particles to their fetuses.

Microplastics have also been found in unweaned dolphins, who are only drinking their mother’s milk, McFee said. However researchers are uncertain if the unweaned dolphins are getting microplastics from the milk, which they are just beginning to test.

While there is no research on it, McFee suspects that if unweaned dolphins are getting microplastics from their mother’s milk, the same could potentially be true of humans.

“Dolphins are the closest marine animal we can study as far as being a good surrogate for human health as well,” McFee said. “We eat the same food that they do as far as seafood is concerned.”

In March 2022, Environment International reported for the first time that microplastics were identified in human blood at a concentration of 1.6 micro grams per milliliter.

“That tells you there’s an abundant amount of microplastics that have been documented with the human blood,” Gray said. “One of the major routes of exposure is through ingestion ... and ingestion typically tied to seafood items.”

How do we lessen the amount of plastics that ends up in waterways? Gray said an outright ban isn’t realistic. But putting mechanisms in place to capture microplastics before they’re released into water sources is possible.

He pointed to legislation proposed in California requiring new washing machines to have microfiber filtration by 2029. Something like a single nylon fleece jacket can leave behind about 100,000 microfibers in one wash, which is ultimately disposed into the environment.

A washing machine microfiber filter, whose cost ranges between $30 and $150, can capture those fibers.

Beyond collecting microplastics before they leak into waterways, people can work harder to collect plastic waste and debris that, when discarded, break down into microplastics.

“What we do as humans in our activities has a direct impact on the environment,” Gray said.

This story was originally published March 14, 2023, 9:49 AM.

By: Contact: Alex Falk; Director of Athletic Communications, Digital and Creative Services

PITMAN, N.J. — The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) announced its award winners for the past week of action today, Monday, March 13, and senior Eliza Clamor (Auckland, New Zealand/Rangitoto College) of the New Jersey City University women's tennis team was named Player of the Week, while senior libero Daniel Esteva (Union, N.J./Union) of the Gothic Knights' men's volleyball squad was named Defensive Player of the Week.

Clamor helped NJCU to a 1-1 mark this past week down in Hilton Head Island, S.C., going unbeaten (2-0) in singles play and 1-1 in doubles competition. She began on Tuesday, March 7, in the 5-4 win over Morningside University (NAIA), taking second doubles, 8-4, teamed with Vanshita Malhotra (Barwala, India/DAV Model School) and then won at second singles, 7-5, 6-2. Then, in the tough 8-1 loss to Sweet Briar College on Wednesday, March 8, Clamor dropped second doubles but got NJCU's lone win in three sets at second singles (2-6, 6-3, 10-5).

Esteva continued to hold down the back row for NJCU as the squad went 1-2 last week. He finished with 43 digs (3.58/set), seven assists and was 59-of-60 in serve-receive (.983). He began with a match-best seven digs and an assist in the 3-0 loss to #RV Wentworth Institute of Technology on Friday, March 10, at the John J. Moore Athletic and Fitness Center (JMAC), followed by a match-best and career-high-tying 21 digs and a career-best six assists in the 3-2 win over Misericordia University later that day. Esteva finished with a match-high 15 digs in the 3-1 loss to Ramapo College on Saturday, March 11, also at the JMAC.

This is Clamor's first NJAC Women's Tennis Player of the Week award of the 2022-23 season and the second of her career, having earned one last season, as well. Esteva is now a two-time NJAC Men's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week this season, as well as for his career.

Up Next: Clamor and the rest of her team returns to action on Monday afternoon, March 20, in Flushing, N.Y., beginning at 12:00 p.m. as they take on Division II Quenns College. Esteva and the Jersey City men's volleyball program returns to action again at home tomorrow night, Tuesday, March 14, against Skyline Conference opponent Yeshiva University, with first-serve scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

Popular Whitehall Park on Lady’s Island — closed for eight months for improvements — was expected to reopen to pedestrian and bicycle traffic this week following more than $2 million worth of upgrades, including a new lighted causeway to the Beaufort River and a boardwalk offering direct pedestrian access from Sea Island Parkway.

The park at 120 Whitehall Drive with 200-year-old live oak trees offers wildlife viewing, especially multiple bird species, in addition to panoramic views of the Beaufort River marshlands, area bridges and downtown Beaufort. It had been closed for improvements since July 1.

One of the new features is a lighted and paved multiple-use pathway — it’s the old U.S. Highway 21 — that leads to the water’s edge. The 9.72-acre passive park will be open from dawn to dusk. But at night, those on foot or bicycle will be allowed access to the portion of the park with the causeway, which leads to a viewing platform on the edge of the marsh.

Another major change is a 280-foot-long, 10-foot-wide timber boardwalk that now connects the sidewalk parallel to Sea Island Parkway or Highway 21 to the multi-use pathway inside the park. The boardwalk had been completed for months, with passersby eager to try it out, but a board blocked access while the improvements inside the park continued.

“I think there’s going to be some pent up demand with folks wanting access,” Beaufort Mayor Stephen Murray said.

The park was expected to be open to foot traffic — but not vehicle traffic — by the end of Thursday, said Stefanie Nagid, Beaufort County’s manager of passive parks.

“We are super thrilled to be able to open the park back up and I really hope visitors enjoy the new amenities,” Nagid said.

Parking and a new pavilion with bathrooms were constructed as part of the $1.7 million project that also included installing new fencing, picnic tables, trash bins and pet waste stations. Beaufort County, which owns the park, took care of that work.

The city of Beaufort was responsible for the $500,000 boardwalk that now connects pedestrian traffic along Sea Island Parkway to the park.

In an agreement with the county, the city will handle maintenance of the entire park going forward. As with other city parks, Whitehall will be available to rent for events, said Linda Roper, the city’s director of Downtown Operations and Community Services.

The Beaufort County Open Land Trust will handle tree maintenance. The Friends of Whitehall Park, which formed to preserved the land, also will work with the city and county on volunteer activities and fundraisers.

Whitehall Park, Nagid said, has “full connectivity” now to Woods Memorial Bridge and residential and shopping areas.

A second phase is planned that includes the installation of a pier and a floating dock so people kayaking on the water can tie up and visit the park, Nagid said. The dock will be for non-motorized boats only. That work is planned in 2024.

People can use the park for all sorts of reasons, Nagid says. That includes bird watching. September’s Hurricane Ian destroyed a bald eagle nest but the young eagles still are in the area, Nagid says. Woodpeckers also nest in the trees in the park.

“It’s really a great opportunity for people to see some unique and interesting species up close,” she said.

People who dine in downtown Beaufort will be able to walk across the bridge in the evening to enjoy the view of Beaufort from the Lady’s Island side of the river, Nagid added.

Electricity and water and sewer still need to be connected and until they are the pavilion will not be open and the park will remain closed to vehicles.

On Thursday, city and county staff were expected to team up to set up picnic tables and benches and pull down the plywood blocking access to the boardwalk, Nagid said.

In 2018, Beaufort County bought the 9.72 acres from Whitehall Development, which had been planning high-density housing on 19 acres, for $5.45 million. The project had sparked opposition from residents and Whitehall Development later downgraded its size. The housing project, which is adjacent to the park, now includes 21 homes, eight townhouses and five mixed-used properties. About half of the lots have been sold and construction has begun on a few houses, said Michael Mark, a Realtor representing Whitehall Development.

This story was originally published March 2, 2023, 12:31 PM.

Picture this conversation among several college seniors choosing their destination for their final spring break:

“Hey guys, what do you want to do for spring break? Visit Fort Lauderdale, Daytona Beach or Panama City in Florida? How about Cabo San Lucas or Cancun, Mexico? Or we could go skiing in Colorado or Vermont? Maybe a quick trip through Europe?”

“Wait, I have an idea. Let’s go visit our buddy Ryan at his parent’s place in Sun City, South Carolina!”

“Huh? Say what? Don’t they live in a retirement community?”

“Wait a minute. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea after all. Cheap flights into Savannah, Ryan picks us up, we have access to cars, free lodging, Hilton Head Beach is close by, lots of golf courses, and great weather! Plus, we get to spend time with our old pal Ryan!”

“Let’s do it!”

And so it was that the answer to “What did you do for spring break 2023?” for six Penn State seniors was going to be, “We spent it in an active adult retirement community in the Low Country of South Carolina!”

So, the question on the minds of my wife and I was, “What do you do to keep college kids busy when they come to visit you in your retirement community?” Especially since Ryan’s friends Jeremy Bullock, Shant Kervandjian, Jake Manoukian and Will Alderisio were coming for the first five days and Zach “Marty” Martin and Ben Susser-Stein were coming later in the week.

Turns out you can do a lot, and I think the boys would all agree it was a great trip that they will certainly never forget. If nothing else, they are now all budding pickleball players and new ambassadors for the fastest growing sport in America.

The weather was perfect all week. Mostly in the low 80s with plenty of sun and a cool, light breeze. In fact, one day that was spent in Singleton Beach on Hilton Head Island (just a 30-minute drive from Sun City) it was 89 degrees, and the boys were tossing a football to one another in the Atlantic Ocean, playing Bocce and a new game called Viking Bowling. Yes, Viking Bowling. The best way to describe it as it’s a combination of bowling, horseshoes and Bocce.

Golf at Argent Lakes, Okatie Creek and Hidden Cypress in Sun City and Old South Golf Links in Bluffton made for a well-rounded experience for the boys who also seemed to enjoy tooling around our neighborhood in our four-seater golf cart.

While at the beach there turned out to be a lot of other spring break kids, so the guys didn’t feel out of place, especially after visiting Pool Bar Jim’s and throwing down a few Miami Vices (1/2 Pina Colada and 1/2 Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri). Throw in some Jimmy Buffet and Zach Brown Band and you have yourself a really nice day on a sunny beach.

The boys visited the Lighthouse and Marina in Harbour Town, Hilton Head’s signature destination, and had dinner at the world-famous Salty Dog Café. They even enjoyed a round of mini-golf at Pirates Cove Adventure Golf. There were trips to Savannah and time spent on a rooftop bar and exploring the Riverside District.

Perhaps the most memorable activities for the boys were daily pickleball matches (some played until 10 p.m. when the lights automatically went off) and playing Viking Bowling at the beach.

Pickleball for college students? Who knew? They couldn’t get enough! It took a while to get the scoring down (that is a pickleball drawback) and learning that just hitting the ball as hard as possible was not the recipe for victory. The first night the team of JoeBa and JBo (Jeremy) dominated play, but shortly thereafter the rest of the troops got the hang of the game making it more competitive, more fun and more raucous.

On Sunday morning a small audience of “experienced” Sun City residents watched curiously as our guest’s matches got intense and even humorous. Let’s just say the boys have a passion for the game but need to learn “the soft game” in essence, the art of the dink, before they can make it to the next level of play. On the last day in Bluffton, Shant and Jeremy decided to venture over to the courts and play in the “open pickleball” slot. They went up against a couple of seasoned 70-year-olds who schooled the college kids in dominating fashion that may have included a shutout. Overall, the guys couldn’t get enough pickleball and playing the game was a big hit.

After pickleball we watched the PSU-Maryland basketball game then headed off to the Sun City Riverbend Clubhouse (one of six to choose from in our community) for a little pool and hot tub time. Evenings included some card games of crush, spades and hearts along with some home cooked meals and a few trips to local restaurants.

My wife and I took a break from the boys and went over to see the PSU men’s golf team at the Colleton River Collegiate Golf Invitational and hang out with longtime friend and head coach Greg Nye. The Nicklaus Course at Colleton River is spectacular and quite the challenge, especially when the wind is blowing.

As we walked toward the first tee, we noticed a sponsorship sign from the Petracca family. Dean Petracca, my former Penn State hockey defensive partner, lives in Colleton River. I struck up a conversation with Jim Meyers, freshman golfer Jimmy Meyers’ father, and found out he was from my hometown of Penn Hills, and I graduated with his sister. Can’t make this stuff up! We grew up playing the Oakmont East public golf course (which became a parking lot for its more prestigious neighbor) and now the Meyers family belongs to Oakmont Country Club, one of the most historic golf courses in the country that has hosted numerous U.S. Opens and PGA Championships.

We saw young Jimmy almost make a hole-in-one on the Colleton River Nicklaus course’s signature 17th hole, a par 3 that has the Colleton River as its backdrop. The team finished a very respectable fifth place against a strong field, but most importantly they finished ahead of THE Ohio State University team. When we got home from watching golf, we found an Ohio State Buckeyes Golf hat draped over our Penn State flag that flies in our front yard. No one has claimed responsibility for the despicable act.

On Wednesday morning we joined Coach Nye for a leisurely breakfast at Tangerine Cafe and gave him the VIP tour of Sun City. The golf team departed shortly after to play some of the nicest and most challenging courses they will see all season. Heidi and I returned home to give the first group of visitors a good southern sendoff as Uber Ryan took them on the 25-minute ride over to the Savannah airport.

We then jumped in our car to join our Penn State Low Country Alumni chapter friends as The Singing Lions paid a visit to Driessen beach on Hilton Head Island. I had the honor of leading the group in its first “We Are” cheer. The group had recently performed in Charleston and would be heading up to Charlotte before going to Washington, D.C. The PSAA Low Country members led by Katie Jones and Nina Miller and numerous other families hosted the students for a wonderful time.

On Thursday, the second crew of college spring breakers descended upon the retirement community. They wasted no time getting into the swing of things. After dinner at our house, they went to the local Penn State alumni hangout, Okatie Ale House, to watch our men’s basketball team beat Illinois for the third time this season and give us bragging rights with our Illini neighbors Troy and Deb Willard. Troy rarely misses an opportunity to remind us that his Illini beat us in the longest game in NCAA football history. In fact, when the guys first arrived, Troy grabbed his 8-foot-high Fighting Illini banner and marched it over to meet the Nittany Lion students.

Ryan, Ben and Marty then joined me at the Argent Lakes pickleball facility for a 9 p.m. game. Once again pickleball was a hit, figuratively and literally, as the boys brought their tennis swings and hard-hitting shots. We played pickleball again on Saturday evening after spending the morning golfing and afternoon at the beach playing more Bocce and Viking Bowling. We got to teach these guys the “soft game” and to stay out of the “kitchen!”

These young men who will all graduate from PSU this spring (Shant graduated with Ryan in December) were polite, funny and seemed to really enjoy their rather unique spring trip to hang out with the old folks! Sun City may never be the same and the boys will have quite the story to tell when they are asked, “What do you want to do for spring break?”

New System Joins Entrepreneurial Innovation with Military Accountability for Veteran & 1st Responder Entrepreneurs & Business Owners to Start & Scale Business

50%+ of US military veterans went on to own or operate a business after WWII, today it's only 5.6 %. Veterans can continue to serve their country through entrepreneurship and small business ownership”

— Zachary Green

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC, USA, March 14, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- WARRIOR Enterprises LLC, a U.S. SBA Certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) dedicated to furthering the growth and success of new and existing businesses, has launched the first session of a four-part online learning curriculum focused on transforming entrepreneurs, small business owners and even corporate executives into successful warriors in business and life. Named after the Athenian educational institution founded by Plato, the Warrior Academe was specifically designed to combine historic and modern warrior principles with the hands-on skills needed to launch successful businesses and grow new ones in challenging markets.

“Warriors throughout history have thrived on adversity while realizing monumental goals,” said Zachary L. Green., founder and managing partner of Warrior Enterprises LLC. “We founded the Warrior Academe with the mindset that the mission always takes precedence; warriors persevere no matter the obstacle; and grit, serenity, sacrifice and purpose are integral to solving problems and leveraging business advantages. These are the key learning objectives that are not often taught in standard handbooks or learning institutions.

“The truth is that warriors seldom survive arduous journeys by focusing solely on the mission and without embracing the value of teamwork, courage, serenity and balance. These are the principles embedded within successful military units, organizations and business initiatives. Nearly 50 percent of U.S. military veterans went on to own or operate a business after World War II ( https://slate.com/business/2016/10/fewer-veterans-are-becoming-entrepreneurs-a-lot-fewer.html ) Today only 5.6 % of the nation’s small businesses are owned by veterans ( https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/small-business-statistics/ ). It is our mission to greatly increase that percentage by awakening the next wave of business owners, leaders and entrepreneurs to the warrior mindset that formed the foundation of numerous successful field and diplomatic campaigns.”

The Warrior Academe was developed by Zachary Green, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, former firefighter and the author of the international best-selling book Warrior Entrepreneur. it was also created with the help of world-class learning specialists, visual arts directors and developers. Each of the four curriculum parts were created to hone the warrior principles taught for centuries by the U.S. military. This includes teambuilding, the creation of business plans and the raising of capital through sound financial, sales and marketing principles that promote healthy and sustainable growth.

“The Warrior Academe provides the gamified, visual and innovative learning lessons that will help virtually anyone launch a new business, grow existing ones, increase leadership skills and better understand the keys to overcoming challenges and succeeding in life – all in an online setting that resembles the basic, common-sense lessons found on Sesame Street, rather than the stodgy, tedious forums offered by many business schools,” added Green.

The first session in the online series is titled the “Warrior Mindset” and highlights the warrior’s spiritual journey by emphasizing the importance of teamwork, purpose, confidence, tenacity, adaptability, resilience, sacrifice, grit, morality and serenity. This includes modules dedicated to problem-solving, selfcare, overcoming adversity and understanding that “different” is just another synonym for individuality and the strength needed to stand out from the “sea of normal.”

In the coming months, this initial Warrior Academe learning experience will be joined by three other educational sessions titled “Warrior Start Up,” Warrior Small Business” and “Warrior Sales & Marketing.”

For more information on each of the four Warrior Academe learning modules, please visit www.warrioracademe.com or call 513-235-6383.

About Warrior Enterprises LLC

Zachary L. Green launched WARRIOR Enterprises in 2022 to provide entrepreneurs, small business owners and corporate executives and with the insights needed to grow and thrive in today’s difficult financial environment. This includes leveraging the decades of experience Green acquired through his time spent in the U.S. Marines Corps., as a former firefighter and the owner of a building trades safety company that grew from the trunk ofhis car to a $30 million organization.

After publishing the Warrior Entrepreneur in 2021, Green then developed Warrior Enterprises LLC as the perfect outlet for combining his successful business perspectives and the “iron sharpens iron” mentality learned through years of military training. The Warrior Academe is the next chapter in Green’s dream of helping entrepreneurs everywhere reach the next level of their business development with sound business practices, grit, courage, determination & life balance.

Zachary Green WARRIOR Enterprises LLC +1 513-235-6383 zgreen@warriorleader.us Visit us on social media: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Other

Zachary Green - US House of Representatives Small Business Committee