On a cool, quiet morning walk along Sheerness Beach on the Isle of Sheppey, I spotted something odd nestled just out of reach of the tide: a weather-worn, heavy plastic sign. It had clearly come from far away — over 60 miles inland, in fact.
The sign reads:
“Welcome to Cowey Sale Open Space – Elmbridge Borough Council”, a green space located in Surrey, beside the Thames.
How did it end up here, on a pebbled Kent coastline?
🌍 A Long Journey by Water
This isn't just a strange coincidence — it's a stark reminder of how far rubbish can travel once it's loose in the environment. Whether swept away by river currents, tides, or storm surges, discarded items like this can cover vast distances. In this case, it’s likely the sign entered the Thames, was carried out to the estuary, and eventually deposited along the north Kent coast.
Even items intended to promote responsible behaviour, like this park information sign, can ironically become litter themselves if not properly secured. And once they’re loose, they become part of a much larger problem: marine debris.
🐚 Local Litter, Global Problem
Rubbish doesn’t stay local. It moves. It floats. It washes ashore in places it was never meant to be — affecting wildlife, damaging habitats, and ruining once-pristine spaces far from where it originated.
The impact isn’t just environmental, either. Coastal communities end up footing the clean-up effort, while the source remains unseen and unaddressed. And the longer it goes unnoticed or ignored, the worse the consequences.
I did my bit and hauled the sign further up the beach to prevent it being dragged back out — my back wasn't thrilled about it, but it felt like the right thing to do.
♻️ What Can We Do?
- Secure signage and outdoor infrastructure: Councils and private landowners should regularly check fittings to avoid signs and bins becoming litter themselves.
- Support local cleanups: Every bit removed from the coastline helps.
- Raise awareness: Share stories like this. They may seem small, but they open eyes to big-picture issues.
- Reduce, reuse, and rethink: Plastic and heavy-duty materials can last decades in the sea. Do we need them in these roles?
This single piece of debris told a story that spanned counties. Imagine what the sea is holding that we don’t see.
Let’s keep sharing, cleaning, and caring — not just for our own stretch of coast, but for the waterways that connect us all.
🌊💙
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