The Aft Deck 



First Citizens Bank 

 Joins Cleanup 



First Citizens Bank has been named 

 the title sponsor for Big Sweep '91. The 

 Sept. 21 cleanup will now be called the 

 First Citizens Bank Big Sweep '91. 



The bank will aid in the production of 

 promotional materials that will encourage 

 public participation. Its branches, which 

 number more than 300 statewide, will 

 serve as distribution points for Big Sweep 

 brochures that will provide site locations 

 and contacts. 



In addition, First Citizens employees 

 will be out in force on cleanup day to help 

 clear litter from our state waterways. 



"We're extremely pleased to have First 

 Citizens Bank become part of The Big 

 Sweep '91," says coordinator Lundie 

 Spence, Sea Grant's marine education 

 specialist. "We're happy that they are 

 concerned about environmental issues, 

 particularly the problem of litter in our 

 state's wateiways. 



"By joining our cleanup effort, First 

 Citizens is helping The Big Sweep make a 

 commitment to the people of North 

 Carolina to reduce waterway litter," 

 Spence says. "That's a commitment to be 

 proud of." 



Stop by a branch of First Citizens 

 Bank at the end of August to pick up a 

 brochure. And take a moment to thank the 

 branch manager or teller for helping to 

 make The Big Sweep possible. 



Other sponsors of this year's event or 

 educational efforts include: ALCOA, R.J. 

 Reynolds Tobacco Co., N.C. Wildlife 

 Commission, N.C. Wildlife Federation, N.C. 

 Beer Wholesalers Association, MCI and 

 Texasgulf Inc. 



The Big Sweep is coordinated by: 

 UNC Sea Grant, N.C. Division of Coastal 

 Management, N.C. Parks and Recreation, 

 N.C. Division of Environmental Manage- 

 ment, N.C. Division of Water Resources, 



A Bulletin Board 



N.C. Wildlife Commission, N.C. 4-H, Keep 

 America Beautiful, Keep North Carolina 

 Clean and Beautiful, Western North 

 Carolina Development Association, 

 WGHPiedmont 8. WRAL-TV, WSOC-TV. 

 WLOS-TV, WWAY-TV and WITN-TV. 



Big Sweep '9 1 Set for 

 Sept. 21 



The First Citizens Bank Big Sweep '91, 

 the nation's largest statewide waterway 

 litter cleanup, will be held Saturday, Sept. 

 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 



More than 18,000 volunteers are 

 expected to turn out at approximately 200 

 sites across the state to remove debris from 

 our shorelines — lakes, rivers, creeks, 

 estuaries and beaches. 



We want to rid our waterways of litter 

 because it can be harmful to people and 

 wildlife. Every year, birds become 

 entangled in abandoned fishing line and 

 die: turtles strangle after eating discarded 

 plastic bags; and fish become ensnared in 

 six-pack yokes. 



On Big Sweep day, volunteers collect 

 two things: litter and data. As they bag 

 their trash, they record their finds on data 

 cards. The collection of this data is an 

 important part of Big Sweep because it 

 helps organizers pinpoint the types and 



of Updates and Events 



sources of North Carolina's waterway litter. 



If you want to volunteer on Sept. 21, 

 stop by your local First Citizens Bank 

 branch at the end of August and pick up a 

 brochure with the cleanup sites. Or phone 

 The Big Sweep MCI hotline at 1-800-27- 

 SWEEP after Aug. 1. Volunteer operators 

 will be standing by to direct you to 

 cleanup sites in your area. 



If you know of a waterway that needs 

 a thorough cleaning, contact Big Sweep 

 headquarters at the Sea Grant office in 

 Raleigh at 919 '515-2454. We'll direct you 

 to a regional coordinator in your area. 



If you have other questions about the 

 cleanup or would like to support the cause 

 by purchasing a T-shirt, contact us at 919/ 

 515-2454. 



We hope you'll be a part of the First 

 Citizens Bank Big Sweep '91. It's good, 

 clean fun. 



"Don't Leave Your 

 Butt on the Beach" 



Cigarette butts were the most 

 prevalent item bagged on beaches during 

 fall 1990 cleanups along the shores of 26 

 states and three U.S. temtories. Volunteers 

 collected 531,828 butts, or the equivalent 

 of 26,591 packs of cigarettes. 



Although many smokers are obviously 

 using our nation's beaches as ashtrays, 

 Lundie Spence says the use is probably 

 unintentional. Spence is coordinator for 

 the First Citizens Bank Big Sweep '91 and 

 Sea Grant's marine education specialist. 



"Many people think filters are paper 

 and will easily degrade," says Spence. 

 "They flick the butts aside without a 

 second thought." 



But the truth of the matter is that most 

 cigarette filters are made of cellulose 

 acetate, a synthetic material that is 

 classified as plastic. And plastic lasts for 

 decades. 



"We feel smokers just need to be 



18 JULY/AUGUST 1991 



