With the beach season just around the corner, the National Resources Defense Counsel (NRDC) has posted its  "Tips for a Healthy Trip to the Beach":

"Every summer, beach water pollution forces closings around the country.  In 2007 alone, there were more than 20,000 closures and advisories across the country, as reported in NRDC's 2008 Testing the Waters report.  Those closures and advisories happen because beachwater is contaminated with human and animal waste. ...  Human and animal wastes contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that make swimmers sick.  The most common illness is stomach flu, which is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and fever."

The NRDC therefore offers these tips for beach trips:

Unfortunately, swimming advisories at SC coasts are becoming a frequent summer occurence, especially in the more developed areas such as Myrtle Beach.  DHEC's Beach Advisory page recommends that you "Check the local newspaper and television news stations. Look for advisory signs when you go to the beach."

Beach Advisories are not the same as swimming advisories. DHEC's Swimming Advisory page contains notices of impaired waters and an Advisory Map; these are waters which have long-standing pollution, and most of these, to many people's surprise, are in the upstate area.

It is somewhat disheartening to see so many areas of our beautiful state which pose serious health risks to us and our children. While there may be a legitimate debate over whether such risks have increased since our childhood or whether we have just become more attentive and effective in identifying the risks, we should all take an active and cooperative role in being good stewards of our children's inheritance.