Photo: Guido Mieth / DigitalVision / Getty Images
Volunteers gathered at the Jersey Shore on Saturday (April 11) to clean up litter and prepare for the summer beach season. Organized by Clean Ocean Action, the "Beach Sweep" event saw around 250 volunteers covering more than 80 beaches across New Jersey. The cleanup, held bi-annually for over 40 years, aims to ensure a clean and welcoming environment for beachgoers.
Participants collected various types of trash, from small plastics to larger items, filling buckets and trash bags as they worked. Anthony Cassese, a volunteer with Laz Parking, expressed the community spirit behind the event, saying, "Life moves pretty fast. So when you stop on a nice Saturday morning and try to pick up some trash, you know, it’s nice to give back to the community."
The cleanup is not just about removing litter. Volunteers also document each item they collect, contributing to a database that tracks pollution trends. Joseph Martin, the "beach captain" for the Asbury Park event, highlighted the importance of this data, stating, "The most important thing about picking up garbage, other than cleaning the beach, is they catalog what they’re picking up."
The data collected helps identify pollution sources and develop strategies to keep beaches cleaner and protect marine life. With summer just around the corner, the efforts of these volunteers ensure that the Jersey Shore remains a pristine destination for both locals and visitors.