BRICK – Brick Township residents volunteered their Saturday combing through the local beaches to collect any litter or harmful debris from our sandy shores.
The bi-annual initiative is a part of Clean Ocean Action’s (COA) Beach Sweeps, which held their 39th Spring Beach Sweeps.
Clean Ocean Action is a leading national and regional voice working to protect waterways using science, law, research, education and citizen action. Their Beach Sweeps are held every April and October and are the state’s largest volunteer driven, citizen science and environmental event.
The goal of the Beach Sweeps is to make beaches safer for marine life and more enjoyable for people. In addition, the event collects data to inform people and politicians on how to change wasteful habits, enforce litter laws, improve policies and spread awareness to the public.
This year’s Beach Sweeps was a “sweeping” success, with a strong turnout of thousands of volunteers gathering over 80 New Jersey beaches and waterways.
Volunteers at Windward Beach pick up litter and another trash found on the park’s beach. (Photo courtesy Vin Palmieri)
In Brick Township, Beach Sweeps were held at Brick Beach 1, Brick Beach 3, and Windward Beach Park. Vin Palmieri, Environmental Commission Secretary, was the main Beach Captain overlooking all three locations.
“This year’s Spring Beach Sweeps at Windward Beach, Brick Beach 1, and Brick Beach 3 were a success. We couldn’t have accomplished this without the help and guidance from Clean Ocean Action. This year we experienced rough prevailing winds, yet the vast majority of volunteers stuck it out throughout the duration of the event,” Palmieri said.
Palmieri explained how this year, they saw the least amount of garbage ever at Windward Beach compared to the five years they’ve been hosting this location.
“During our cleanups, we always look for interesting finds. Based on the winds we experienced, we typically see more trash resurface than usual. That wasn’t the case this year. Specifically Windward Beach – we usually notice the trash being ‘unearthed’ during storms and increased wind,” Palmieri said.
Additionally, the most common item found on beaches were cigarette butts. Despite e-cigarettes becoming more common, cigarette butts continue to be a common thread in cleanups.
Volunteers at Brick Beach 1 gear up to clean the beach. (Photo courtesy Vin Palmieri)
“Hopefully that treads in the right direction as future generations stay environmentally conscious,” Palmieri said.
Palmieri expressed why it’s so important to support and take part in environmental events like COA’s Beach Sweep.
“At our beach cleanups, we tend to mostly find microplastics. It’s important to note that during these cleanups there is an educational piece to volunteering, and really understanding how littered waterways not only impact wildlife, but human health,” Palmieri said. “‘Plastic breaks up, it doesn’t break down’ is a quote from Stockton University Professor David Werner – that always stuck with me. If microplastics find their way to local waterways – it is scientifically proven to cause cascading issues with localized natural resources.”
“As a community, these events help bring awareness and exposure to the importance of clean beaches, open spaces, and recreation areas for future generations to enjoy. It really wouldn’t be possible without all the help from the Brick Environmental Commission and all the enthusiastic volunteers,” Palmieri added.
The post Volunteers Aim For Litter-Free Beaches appeared first on Jersey Shore Online.
