20th Street Coastal CleanUp

On September 19^th, Hall Council members at the 20^th Street Residence organized a Coastal Cleanup along the Hudson River. Coastal Cleanup is a grassroots program organized by the Ocean Conservancy and supported by hundreds of thousands of people in over 100 countries. Over the past twenty years, millions of pounds of garbage have been removed from beaches all over the world, and, thanks to the efforts of the 20^th Street Hall Council, RAs, and residents, Hudson River Park is now 260 pounds lighter!

Among countless other items, including toys, plastic bags and cups, and food wrappers, the Cleanup team also discovered furniture, a bicycle, and even a surge protector. By far the most common item found along the shore were small (less than 2-liter) plastic bottles – the volunteers found over 300 of these alone!

Our oceans are becoming increasingly polluted each year, and, while Cleanup efforts are invaluable to reversing the problem, they are unfortunately not enough. Prevention is key! Always make sure that your garbage ends up in a trash can (or, even better, a recycling bin!), and if you see your friends littering, encourage them to consider the immense environmental impact that one small action can make. We all love our city, so let’s do our part to keep its beaches clean!

For more information on Coastal Cleanup, or to get involved, contact the Ocean Conservancy at:

Ocean Conservancy 1300 19th Street, NW 8th Floor Washington, DC 200361300 19^th St., NW

Toll-free: 800-519-1541
Main: 202-429-5609

Or visit them online at:

www.oceanconservancy.org.

Written by:

Spike Schwab

Literature Studies

Eugene Lang College