Volunteers Find the Wild, the Wacky and the Weird During Beach Sweeps

Clean Ocean Action 2012 Annual
Beach Sweeps Report Released

A Citizen Call to Action for April 27, 2013

Photo Credit: Joe Sapia

Clean Ocean Action (COA) released the 2012 Beach Sweeps Report today, highlighting the Dirty Dozen, Roster of the Ridiculous, and the totals for over 90 items of marine debris collected by volunteers last year.  To view the Beach Sweeps Report online, click here.  

In 2012, 6,926 volunteers collected, tallied, and removed over 350,000 pieces of debris from NJ’s shoreline during Clean Ocean Action’s 27^th Annual Beach Sweeps.  The majority of the debris removed was disposable plastics—items designed to be used once and thrown away.  Plastic, including foam, represents 82.7% of the total waste found.  It is clear: disposable plastic items continue to litter beaches, threaten marine life, and impact water quality. 

The Beach Sweeps has become New Jersey’s largest environmental event with thousands of citizens combing nearly all 127 miles ocean coastline and bay beaches.  The spring event coincides with Earth Month to provide citizens with an educational, hands-on, meaningful, rewarding activity to make a real difference.

During these 28 years, over 100,000 citizens have collected over 5 million items, tabulated data, and created a legacy of information that is used to fight for better anti-litter programs and educate people about the harms caused by marine debris to the economy and wildlife.

The majority of the debris removed was disposable plastics including:

• 49,362 cigarette filters
• 22,308 straws and stirrers
• 38,349 caps and lids

Odd items collected, contributing to the "Roster of the Ridiculous" are:

• Earmuffs
• Hairclip with fake hair
• False eyelashes
• Shopping cart
• Fortune cookie
• Stuffed horse
• Magic wand
• Vampire teeth
• Ant trap
• Boomerang
• Brake shoes
• Baby shark toy
• Message in a bottle
• Wicker sofa
• Christmas lights
• Stove burner

Call to Action 2013

Want to be a part of Beach Sweeps? Clean Ocean Action (COA) invites citizens and organizations to participate in the 28th Annual Spring Beach Sweeps on Saturday, April 27, 2013 at over 60 sites along the Jersey Shore. 

To view the Beach Sweeps Report online visit, www.cleanoceanaction.org. For a complete list of site locations and details, please visit www.cleanoceanaction.org.

All volunteers must register through www.cleanoceanaction.org.  Volunteers should bring gloves, dress for the weather, apply sunscreen, and wear closed-toed, hard-soled shoes.

Consider Taking your Beach Sweeping to the Next Level

Collect donations for your volunteer efforts and raise funds for COA's ocean protection work.  Raise $100 and receive Clean Ocean Action's popular ChicoBag made from recycled plastic bottles.  Teams can join the effort at http://www.crowdrise.com/BeachSweeps. 

Water Monitoring and Barnegat Bay

NJ Water Monitoring Council Meeting Focuses on Barnegat Bay

Barnegat Bay, photo credit: NY Times Richard Perry

In early February, COA participated in a NJ Water Monitoring Council meeting that was hosted by the Barnegat Bay Partnership.  The goal of the NJ Water Monitoring Council was “to promote and facilitate the coordination, collaboration and communication of scientifically sound, ambient water quality and quantity information to support effective environmental management.”  About 100 people attended. 

DEP highlighted the Governor’s 10 point plan for the Bay which included developing nutrient loading targets to direct restoration efforts and to conduct more research to fill gaps in data.  DEP has been monitoring the Bay more intensively from the summer of 2011 and will continue to do so through the summer of 2013.

The northern part of the Bay has the highest loadings of nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediments – which are linked to the intense development in this region.  The Toms River, which drains the largest basin of the watershed, is the largest source of nutrient loadings. 

Nitrogen pollution comes from land disturbance, increased erosion, fertilizer use, burning fossil fuels and its fallout from the air, and increased hardened surfaces such as pavement and roofs that prevent rain, and nitrogen from getting absorbed into the land and plants.   Coastal waters may become even more susceptible to nutrient pollution as coastal waters warm in response to climate change.

Too many nutrients in the Bay has resulted in the excessive growth of harmful algae blooms, such as brown tide, and macroalgae which can lower dissolved oxygen levels in localized areas and degrade seafloor habitats.     Both of these can contribute to the loss of sea grass that has been documented in Bay.  The composition of the microalgal community, and associated food quality for other sea life, may also be affected by nutrient levels.

Although some shellfish can thrive under high microalgae levels, shellfish are negatively impacted by brown tide blooms, decreased food quality, and excessive macro algae such as sea lettuce.  Young clams are also very sensitive to certain types of chemical pollution, such as oil and gas from cars and boats. 

As part of the 10 Point Plan, nutrient water quality standards were adopted for marine waters.  DEP now needs to evaluate the Bay under these standards.  DEP will be taking a comprehensive approach to looking at the nutrient loading problems in Barnegat Bay, including the impacts of Superstorm Sandy.  For example, sand and debris associated with the storm surge and breeches have covered seagrass beds and wetlands areas.  Localized contamination may also have occurred from fuel tanks, cars, fertilizer and other household chemicals. The official determination of whether the Bay fails to meet the state nutrient water quality standard is important for requiring action to be taken to reduce nutrient loadings.

In light of Superstorm Sandy, the need for understanding the sources of the bay’s problems and action to reduce these impacts is more important than ever.  Implementation of the Barnegat Bay Partnership’s strategic plan is critical and can serve as a guide for recovery efforts.  The Special Area Management Plan that was part of the Governor’s 10 Point Plan should be made a priority and be part of the recovery process.  In addition, more enforcement of and stronger stormwater regulations are still needed.  Greater awareness and efforts by the public to decrease the use of fossil fuels and to reduce rain and fertilizer runoff as well as soil loss and erosion would be beneficial to the Bay.

School Garden Grants: Plant a Garden, Help Save the Ocean!

School Garden Grants

Deadline: November 15

The video above highlights the success of  Enright Park Community Garden

The School Garden Grant Program is a collaboration between Whole KidsFoundation and FoodCorps. A school garden is a vital educational tool - every seed planted sprouts a new opportunity for kids to cultivate healthy eating habits! Teaching kids to garden helps them learn about complex topics like sustainability and conservation, food systems, and community awareness.

To be eligible for the $2,000 (US$) School Garden Grant, an applicant must be a nonprofit K-12 school (public, private or charter - elementary, middle, or secondary) and/or a 501(c)(3) organization that is developing or currently maintaining a garden project on school grounds that will engage children with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Garden projects may be at any stage of development (planning, construction or operation). In selecting grant recipients, priority will be given to both limited-resource communities and to projects that demonstrate strong buy-in from stakeholders, as well as demonstrating ability to financially sustain the garden.

For more information, visit http://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/gardengrants.php

Clean Ocean Action supports garden projects, not only because they can help teach children about healthy living and where their food comes from, but because they help protect the ocean.  Gardens help absorb rainwater and reduce the runoff nonpoint source pollution into waterways that lead into the ocean.

Wall Environmental Summit on Thursday, Sept 13

We hope you join us at the 8th Annual Environmental Summit sponsored by Wall Township Environmental Advisory Committee that will be held on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7:00 pm. It will be at the Wall Township Municipal Building 2700 Allaire Road, Wall, NJ.

This is a chance to meet and ask questions of District 30 state legislators. Senator Robert Singer and Assemblymen Sean Kean and David Rible will discuss and answer questions on environmental legislation, concerns, and issues. COA encourages you to voice your concerns about the environment - whether its to support more funding to repair old storm and wastewater infrastructure to call for enforcement of litter laws to calling for NJ's support for the Clean Ocean Zone.

District 30 includes parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties and the following towns: Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Bradley Beach,Brielle, Farmingdale, Howell, Lake Como, Lakewood, Manasquan, Point Pleasant, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Wall.

Here's the link to the flier if you want to share and post. COA hopes to see you there!