Writing Samples – Press Releases

Forty-five Measured Progress employees and family members participated in the 16th International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) on September 15. Earlier this year, Measured Progress worked with The Ocean Conservancy, the sponsor of the ICC, to design a new scannable data card that will dramatically speed up the collection of cleanup data from across the United States. 

On the 15th, Measured Progress staff members, friends, and families met in Portsmouth to clean up designated areas on Peirce Island or in their own communities along the seacoast. Kahl noted that several staff members individually participated in this event in past years. “We are proud to follow their lead in adopting this worthy cause. Our corporate involvement reflects our culture and values.” 

Last year, 881 volunteers turned out to remove 7,006 pounds of trash from the eighteen miles of New Hampshire coastline. During the annual cleanup activities, volunteers in all U.S. states and over seventy-five countries record every piece of trash they collect on detailed data cards. The cards are compiled, analyzed, and tracked year by year, revealing possible patterns in the location of marine debris in a region or country. Cleanup data reports have influenced public policy on waste management, prompted legislation, and convinced individuals, organizations, and communities to re-examine their waste handling practices. “We are excited to help with innovations in the collection of data that will benefit communities around the world,” Kahl commented. 

The debris on our beaches impacts more than aesthetics. Items carelessly discarded can be hazardous and often lethal to marine wildlife. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, swallowing and often choking on them; seagulls confuse cigarette butts with food and can be choked, poisoned, or starved to death as a result. Fishing lines and nets, rope, and plastic six-pack rings entangle marine animals, maiming and even killing them.