Volunteers Remove 7,783 Pounds of Trash from RI Beaches

What did you do for Earth Day?

A group of volunteers who fanned out across the Ocean State on behalf of Save the Bay removed three-and-a-half metric tons of trash from some of our prized beaches in a series of cleanups this April.

It was an “amazing” turnout this year, said July Lewis, volunteer and internship manager for Save The Bay. ““People are so enthusiastic to join with their neighbors and make a visible difference in the health of their beaches. This is how we clean up the Bay — together, one piece of litter at a time. “

On Saturday, April 18, Pruitt Chiropractic co-hosted the Easton’s Beach cleanup in conjunction with the Newport Earth Day Celebration. There, 105 volunteers collected 455 pounds of trash, including a Christmas tree and wreath and roofing materials. That same day, at Bold Point in East Providence, Narragansett Bay Commission sponsored a beach cleanup where 45 volunteers collected 512 pounds of trash, including a large sheep stuffed animal.

On Sunday, April 19, George’s of Gaililee co-hosted a cleanup at Salty Brine State Beach in Narragansett, where 81 volunteers dug out of the sand many lobster pots and fishing nets, bringing in a total of 2,030 pounds of trash.

On Saturday, April 25, the Narragansett Bay Commission and Providence Parks Earth Day Cleanup co-sponsored a clean at Field’s Point in Providence. There, 183 volunteers collected 1,149 pounds of trash, including a paddle and tires. And at Rocky Point Park the same day, J.R. Vinagro Coproration, Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s Earth Day Grant program co-sponsored a cleanup that saw 70 volunteers collect 3,472 pounds of trash, including many tires and car parts, poles presumed to be left over from amusement park rides, gasoline cans and a roll of chain link fence. And 11 Roger Williams University students joined Save The Bay in cleaning the Mt. Hope Bay shoreline in Bristol, collecting 165 pounds of trash.

“I hope this helps the message get out there to everyone: It is never okay to leave trash on the beaches. Trash is ugly, unsanitary and dangerous to wildlife. Whether you are fishing, walking or swimming at the shore, please leave it clean for everyone to enjoy,” Lewis said.

In addition to Earth Day beach cleanups and cleanups throughout the season, Save The Bay is the state coordinator for Rhode Island’s International Coastal Cleanup in September. The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is the largest global volunteer effort on behalf of the ocean, bringing 650,000 volunteers worldwide together to clean up the world’s oceans and shorelines. Last year, 2,101 volunteers suppored 80 beach cleanups covering 59 miles of Rhode Island shoreline. This year, the International Coastal Cleanup will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2015.