While the Garbage Swim did not go exactly as planned, we are happy to share that the beach clean-ups were a success!
The swim portion of the event was postponed due to unfavorable weather and less than ideal swimming conditions forecasted for the end of the day. However, all six beach clean-ups continued as scheduled. Throughout the day, we collected over 3,078 pieces of debris, amounting to 91 pounds.
The day began with a clean-up on Wallis Sands in Rye. Pictured here is clean-up leader Mike instructing volunteers and NHPR reporter Courtney capturing the action.
At Hampton Beach, we had our biggest turnout of the day. This clean-up included Blue Ocean Discovery Center staff, Blue Ocean Society summer interns, members of the public, a team from SNHU, and The Concept Project crew.
We ended our day by cleaning Salisbury Beach as the sun sank below the horizon.
The Results
|
Beach |
Weight of Debris Collected (pounds) |
|
Wallis Sands Beach |
34 |
|
Jenness Beach |
16 |
|
North Hampton State Beach |
6 |
|
North Beach |
5 |
|
Hampton Beach |
15 |
|
Salisbury Beach |
15 |
|
Grand Total |
|
|
Weight |
91 pounds |
|
# Debris Pieces |
3078 pieces |
Consulting our data collection app Marine Debris Tracker, we can see which debris items were most common. We collected 678 cigarette butts throughout the day, making it the most collected item. Over 450 plastic fragments of various sizes were also found.
You can visit Marine Debris Tracker online to explore clean-up results from Blue Ocean Society and other organizations around the world. You can gather data at your own beach clean-up by downloading the app for free via the Play Store or App Store, make an account with your email, and select Blue Ocean Society as your organization. Check out our Digital Clean-up Kit for more information about the app and a copy of our paper data card, a tech-free data collection method.
Thank You
Blue Ocean Society would like to thank all the volunteers from Blue Ocean Society and The Concept Project, that made the day a success.
Eighty-five volunteers met to clean the beach, including longtime Blue Ocean Society volunteers and many new faces! Combined with eight Blue Ocean Society volunteers who led the clean-ups, a total of 92 people participated on July 30th. A big thank you to all participants for helping us protect local marine ecosystems and beautify the coastline.
The Garbage Swim would not be possible without the support of many local sponsors. We would like to thank these organizations for donating services and funds, and thank you to The Concept Project for facilitating these donations.
|
Gold Sponsors |
Bronze Sponsors |
In-Kind Donors |
|
Al Gauron Deep Sea Fishing & Whale Watching Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce Trends Gift Gallery Bad Burger KB Bagels & Java Momo Yo! Ramen Sabo’s Subs Coffee Break Cafe JC Designs & Renovations |
Flamingos Cafe Dunes Motor Inn
|
Al Gauron Deep Sea Fishing & Whale Watching The Carriage House Rocket Fuel Only Screenprinting Company |
Looking to Get Involved?
The International Coastal Clean-up event is an upcoming opportunity to clean the beach with maximum impact! All Blue Ocean Society beach clean-ups conducted during the months of September and October contribute to the NH Coastal Cleanup, held in conjunction with the International Coastal Clean-up. In this event led by the Ocean Conservancy, volunteers from over 100 countries hit the beach and fight for trash-free seas. The data from all Blue Ocean Society clean-ups in September and October will be made available to the Ocean Conservancy where it will support their research, policy, and advocacy efforts.
If you would like to take part in this global event, check out the International Coastal Clean-up website to find a clean-up near you. Events are hosted throughout the United States! You can also use our Digital Clean-up Kit to learn how to organize a beach clean-up for your family or community.
