Enjoy an Ocean-Friendly Summer This Year with Environmentally-friendly tips from Clean Ocean Action

Summer is almost here!  Beaches are set to “officially” open for the season on Memorial Day weekend!  As you are busy planning and packing for your next waterfront/beach getaways, here are a few tips to leave ocean-friendly footprints on the sands.
Reduce your waste generation and avoid littering the beach and waterways.  Now is the time to show that you care!

• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!  Stay away from  single-use plastics.  They are a menace to the environment, marine life, and a public health risk!
•    Stop contaminants from washing into stormwater systems – it’s the single largest contributor of water quality problems.  Eliminate lawn and garden chemicals including fertilizers. 
•    Be sure your car is not leaking oil or other fluids onto pavements and use a car wash.
•    Never put anything in a storm-drain.
•    Pick up your pet’s waste and dispose appropriately! Bacteria from pet waste contaminate our rivers and oceans, and are harmful to public health!
•    Share these steps with friends and family for a splashing fun and water-healthy summer!

How Safe is your waterway/beach?
Clean Ocean Action will follow NJDEP’s recreational beach water quality monitoring program from mid-May to mid-September.  COA’s Facebook page will be updated every week with NJDEP’s monitoring result on water quality, beach advisories or closings, if any, and additional updates that affect beachgoers.