Thousands Sweep New Jersey's Beaches

Environmental stewardship and conservation group Clean Ocean Action has hosted Spring Beach Sweeps for nearly three decades, dispatching waves of volunteers on an April day each year to dozens of coastal sites throughout New Jersey to do a bit of clean up in preparation of the summer season.

This spring's cleanup took on some extra meaning. With the state still recovering following Hurricane Sandy, volunteers came out to not only collect debris, but to participate in a comprehensive study that will analyze both the quantity of debris pulled from waterways and its impact on the marine environment.

Beach sweeps were held at 65 sites throughout New Jersey on Saturday, with Sandy Hook serving as the effort's showcase location. Though the official volunteer count was not immediately known, Cindy Zipf, executive director of COA, said the totals were in the thousands.

Sandy Hook alone attracted approximately 800 volunteers, 300 above its cap. Volunteers from area high schools, non-profit organizations, and businesses of all sizes were represented at the cleanup.

The turnout was impressive, but it didn't come as a surprise to Zipf. The shore is an intrinsic part of the lives of many New Jersey residents. The desire to help aid in environmental recovery is proof of that, she said. 

"I think it shows that a core value of people is their connection to the shore. It's very important to who they are and who we are," she said. "The consistent volunteer effort is tangible evidence of how the environment and the shore is such an important part of our lives."    

This year's beach sweeps were folded in to COA's ongoing Waves of Action for the Shore program, an ongoing effort to aid residents, businesses, and habitats impacted by Sandy.

Data collected at Saturday's cleanup with be combined with data collected at October's fall beach sweep. In addition to several cleanups hosted since it was introduced in January, the Waves of Action program also includes educational and environmental advocacy efforts as well.