Celebrate the first weekend of autumn by participating in a Family Beach Cleanup Day. Sponsored by No Germ Club and Group for the East End, it’s a coordinated campaign to clear debris from certain beaches around the Island.
The event — new this year — takes place Saturday, September 26, 9 to 11 AM (the rain date is Sunday). Everest Wein, owner of No Germ Club, said in a recent email that he’s noticed “more waste than ever this summer, due to masks and take-out containers.”
Participants should RSVP by email to everest@nogermclub.com. Or use the registration form on at nogermclub.com.
This is a socially-distanced event. Organizers will hand out trash bags, gloves, and trash pickers in a drive-thru at the Shelter Island School parking lot. They’ll assign participants to different beach areas, so as to avoid crowding. When you’re done, return the full bags to the school parking lot.
If you download the Ocean Conservancy’s CleanSwell app on your smartphone, you can log the items you find. Wein says prizes will be awarded for things like “Most PPE Found”, “Furthest Distance Traveled”, and “Longest Time Cleaning.” What’s more, the data you provide also helps scientists better understand the volume and nature of trash on beaches.
Wein — whose new company sells sustainable accessories “that kill 99% of germs” — says everyone taking part must wear a mask. And, he says, the organizers wish to thank these local businesses for supporting the cleanup by donating prizes: Stars Café, Slice Pizza, White Oak Wine Garden, and Menhaden Lane clothing.
About Group for the East End
Since 1972, Group for the East End has “led the way in protecting and restoring the environment of eastern Long Island through education, conservation, and advocacy,” the Southold-based nonprofit says on its website.
“We fight for the protection of our land, water, and wildlife, we inspire children to become stewards of the environment, and we engage the community to embrace a conservation ethic and take action.”
