By Karen DeWalt
Summertime brings hundreds of thousands to our beautiful beaches. Two beach cleanups aim to ensure our beaches are left pristine and free of litter.
Ocean City High School senior, Keely Demarco, organized a beach cleanup with the support of Kristina and Marshall Young, owners of the Peace of Wood Peace Compound on 12th and Asbury Avenue in Ocean City.
“In the near future I hope to see people’s eyes open, as if they have an ‘aha’ moment. Our planet’s health is declining and it needs our help. I truly believe we can work together to make our home better for future generations by creating less waste, reducing our carbon footprint, and no longer using animal products. In the future I hope to have a career that helps the environment,” says Keely.
“During the most recent cleanup, we found so many straws. Straws have been a popular topic recently with many restaurants switching to paper or reusable straws rather than using plastic. I love seeing companies make changes for the better, even if they’re small changes. When we all come together, doing good isn’t that hard; it’s actually fun. The little things do matter,” emphasizes Keely.
Another beach cleanup was hosted by the South Jersey Boardriders Ocean CIty division on Tuesday, September 3rd. Sponsored by 7th Street Surf shop, many local surfers and their families assembled on 7th Street beach in front of the surf shop to gather trash left on the beach after Labor Day weekend. Most of the trash that was picked up was found between the boardwalk and the dunes, a location rarely cleaned on a regular basis. Much of the 7th Street Surf Shop family was there, including Matt Keenan, Rob Kelly, members of the 7th Street Grom Squad, and Ocean City Boardriders Chapter president Kevin Morris.
“The purposes of the Boardriders association is to support local grassroots organizations, hold board drives and to raise ocean protection awareness in local schools,” said Morriss.
“The main thing to take away from these cleanups is to keep our beaches clean. After surfing, grab trash from the sand and leave it better than you found it,” added Matt Keenan. “Just doing that little bit will go a long way in keeping the beaches and ocean unpolluted and healthy for future generations to enjoy. After your day at the beach, please, leave nothing but footprints.”
Karen DeWalt has a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature. Additionaly she is passionate about photography and music.
