BEACH CLEANUPS
Every year in September, we sponsor a beach cleanup in Ocean Beach, in
conjunction with the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup
event. Dozens of volunteers, young and old, gather at the Cottage Walk
Dune Overpass to collect and identify trash & debris along the beach.
Snacks are provided and prizes are given out to the children. We typically
gather and catalogue over 100 pounds of refuse. Be on the lookout for
the next beach clean-up coming later this year!
Thanks to all 112 people from Robbins Rest to Oakleyville, in addition to FINS in Watch Hill, who took part in VOBEC's International Coastal Clean-up Day in September 2021. This event continues to grow every year. We collected 5490 pieces of trash. Unfortunately, plastics, cigarette butts, food wrappers and foam continue to be the most collected items accounting for 82% of all trash found. With each International Coastal Clean-up, we continue to build awareness in order to drastically decrease these numbers to save our beaches, oceans and planet.
Starting in the summer of 2022, we implemented a new program with the lifeguards called BOB (Buckets on the Beach) to encourage clean-ups each day. All you have to do is take a bucket from the bucket station (located at the Cottage Walk beach stairs), pick up some trash on the beach and return to the bucket station to dispose of the trash. Every participant can do his/her share to keep our beaches clean!
Also, as we continue to bring awareness of our beach clean-ups, we want to continue to build awareness of protecting our dunes and the dune grass. As a reminder, stay off the dunes at all times and never, ever touch vegetation. These dunes are fragile, they protect the island from storms and are the only line of defense when the ocean come in. The dunes on Fire Island belong to nature and it is imperative for our future existence on this island that every man, woman and child respect and protect this fragile shifting sand system of dunes.
For more information on this project, visit the Ocean Conservancy website:
» oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/
Trash collection results:
» 2021
» 2020
Thanks to all 112 people from Robbins Rest to Oakleyville, in addition to FINS in Watch Hill, who took part in VOBEC's International Coastal Clean-up Day in September 2021. This event continues to grow every year. We collected 5490 pieces of trash. Unfortunately, plastics, cigarette butts, food wrappers and foam continue to be the most collected items accounting for 82% of all trash found. With each International Coastal Clean-up, we continue to build awareness in order to drastically decrease these numbers to save our beaches, oceans and planet.
Starting in the summer of 2022, we implemented a new program with the lifeguards called BOB (Buckets on the Beach) to encourage clean-ups each day. All you have to do is take a bucket from the bucket station (located at the Cottage Walk beach stairs), pick up some trash on the beach and return to the bucket station to dispose of the trash. Every participant can do his/her share to keep our beaches clean!
Also, as we continue to bring awareness of our beach clean-ups, we want to continue to build awareness of protecting our dunes and the dune grass. As a reminder, stay off the dunes at all times and never, ever touch vegetation. These dunes are fragile, they protect the island from storms and are the only line of defense when the ocean come in. The dunes on Fire Island belong to nature and it is imperative for our future existence on this island that every man, woman and child respect and protect this fragile shifting sand system of dunes.
For more information on this project, visit the Ocean Conservancy website:
» oceanconservancy.org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/
Trash collection results:
» 2021
» 2020
