Trash Free Assateague Kicks Off With First Sweep For Earth Day Weekend, Removing 200 Pounds Of Litter From the North Tip Of Assateague
Trash Free Assateague, a project developed by Assateague Coastal Trust’s Communications Director, Billy Weiland, is gradually growing a support group throughout Delmarva, and it’s putting words into action. Assateague Coast Trust held their first beach sweep of the Trash Free Assateague project on April 21st.
With a crew of seven volunteers aboard the Trust’s COASTKEEPER vessel, the Trash Free Assateague Team made their way across Sinepuxent Bay to the North Point of Assateague Island. Referred to as the Wedge, this area of Assateague Island is located on the south side of the Ocean City inlet and has seen an increase in trash that has washed ashore and litter that has accumulated in the dune system.
This particular section of Assateague has seen an influx of beach visitors over the years. Because it is a more isolated part of the Island, it’s much more difficult for the National Park Service to constantly patrol the area, and, unfortunately we have a small percentage of individuals that are camping out on the beach for the day and dumping all of their trash in the back dunes.
To address the amount of trash that has accumulated at the Wedge, we created the Trash Free Assateague project in February. Trash Free Assateague was developed to not only clean up the Wedge, but to draw attention to the root of the problem. We’re not solely focusing on cleaning up this small part of the Island, but anticipate growing this project and utilizing it to bring awareness to the littering problem and trash issues that not just this area faces, but the entire planet. Our society’s lifestyle practices today are not sustainable. We need to encourage every single individual to work toward more sustainable lifestyle practices. Population has and is likely going to continue to increase, and as it does our resources will continue to dwindle, and the amount of waste generated will follow suit. It can be scary, it can be overwhelming, but we should see this as motivation to reduce our ecological footprint and get back and give back to Nature.
Plastics and their reputation for polluting the environment and threat to marine life isn’t new. Over half of all plastic used are discarded after a one time use. Because plastics take so long to break down, upwards of 1,000 years, once they end up in the environment, that’s where they will stay for lifetimes. These are the kinds of plastics we’re finding on our beaches.
Assateague Coastal Trust worked with their Trash Free Assateague Team alongside Assateague Island’s National Park Service to remove nearly 200 pounds of litter from the North Point of Assateauge over the weekend. Even more telling is that that number accounts primarily for small, light plastics. This is a start, and we are going to continue this project, the Trash Free Assateague Team is going to grow, and we are going to see changes in the future!
With a crew of seven volunteers aboard the Trust’s COASTKEEPER vessel, the Trash Free Assateague Team made their way across Sinepuxent Bay to the North Point of Assateague Island. Referred to as the Wedge, this area of Assateague Island is located on the south side of the Ocean City inlet and has seen an increase in trash that has washed ashore and litter that has accumulated in the dune system.
This particular section of Assateague has seen an influx of beach visitors over the years. Because it is a more isolated part of the Island, it’s much more difficult for the National Park Service to constantly patrol the area, and, unfortunately we have a small percentage of individuals that are camping out on the beach for the day and dumping all of their trash in the back dunes.
To address the amount of trash that has accumulated at the Wedge, we created the Trash Free Assateague project in February. Trash Free Assateague was developed to not only clean up the Wedge, but to draw attention to the root of the problem. We’re not solely focusing on cleaning up this small part of the Island, but anticipate growing this project and utilizing it to bring awareness to the littering problem and trash issues that not just this area faces, but the entire planet. Our society’s lifestyle practices today are not sustainable. We need to encourage every single individual to work toward more sustainable lifestyle practices. Population has and is likely going to continue to increase, and as it does our resources will continue to dwindle, and the amount of waste generated will follow suit. It can be scary, it can be overwhelming, but we should see this as motivation to reduce our ecological footprint and get back and give back to Nature.
Plastics and their reputation for polluting the environment and threat to marine life isn’t new. Over half of all plastic used are discarded after a one time use. Because plastics take so long to break down, upwards of 1,000 years, once they end up in the environment, that’s where they will stay for lifetimes. These are the kinds of plastics we’re finding on our beaches.
Assateague Coastal Trust worked with their Trash Free Assateague Team alongside Assateague Island’s National Park Service to remove nearly 200 pounds of litter from the North Point of Assateauge over the weekend. Even more telling is that that number accounts primarily for small, light plastics. This is a start, and we are going to continue this project, the Trash Free Assateague Team is going to grow, and we are going to see changes in the future!
Please stay tuned as we are working on a schedule of cleanups through the Summer season. Tentatively, we are planning the next TFA beach sweep on the Tuesday after Memorial Day Weekend. A calendar of sweeps and projected TFA events will be made available soon. Thanks!!
Please see the Trash Free Assateague itinerary and logistics document below...
| trash_free_assateague_itenerary.docx |
Below is the National Park Service's logistics document for this sweep. Please review if you are volunteering.
| act_description_of_work_4-4-18.docx |
ACT's Billy Weiland recently posted a story to the The Marsh, documenting the trash and litter problem that has overwhelmed the Eastern Shore. There is no denying it, the trash that has found its way into our environment is a visible problem, and it needs to be addressed. The amount of loose debris collecting along some of the roadways in the region is absolutely unacceptable. Our waterways and beaches have also succumb to loose trash and the littering habits of some individuals.
We are initiating a campaign to address the loose trash in this area, and we aim to see that there is a stronger littering enforcement.
The North Point of Assateague Island National Seashore (referred to as The Wedge) will reside as a focal point for ACT as we start this campaign. This part of the Island has seen an increase in the number of beach visitors over the years, and subsequently it has fallen victim to littering and illegal dumping. Further, loose debris has found its way onto Assateague as wind, tides, and wave action push trash from Ocean City and West Ocean City on to the beach.
Due to the remote nature of this part of the Island, access to the beach for cleanup days will be by kayak or boat. This is a relatively small portion of the Island, but the amount of work to clean up the excess trash here will require several volunteers per sweep.
Since introducing this campaign, many have stepped up and asked to volunteer. Due to the more remote nature of the North Point and the relatively smaller area of beach we will be focusing on, we are looking for 4 volunteers per sweep. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Billy Weiland via email.
As part of this campaign we foresee establishing signs on this part of the island that deter visitors from littering and dumping trash. Currently there are "No Pets" signs, but littering signs are absent. Given the NPS approves the establishment of signs for the Trash Free Assateague campaign, our Coast Kids director Verena Chase, plans to incorporate an anti littering class for children. This will give our Coast Kids program the opportunity to be part of this anti littering movement as they create signs to be placed on the North Point of Assateague persuading visitors to pack it in and pack it out.
This is a campaign which everyone in the community can support. It is simple, yet effective. It is small, yet has a powerful message. Not littering is one of the first environmental responsibilities we should be taught as children, and ACT is here to advocate. Nobody likes a litter bug.
We appreciate all those that have supported our efforts over the years, and we look forward to focusing our attention back on the Island that has given so much.
