How can we make beach cleanups more flexible in New England?

Beach cleanup with campers on MacArthur State Beach, July 2023.

Sometimes I struggle to make it to organized beach clean-ups at my local beach with my busy schedule, and I am sure others feel the same way. I want the trash I find on the beach to be recorded for data, but that’s difficult to do when I don’t attend an official beach clean-up event. One solution to this issue would be creating access to beach clean-up tools year-round.

MacArthur State Park features 1.6 miles of beach, including 456 acres of protected natural environments. During my time as a CITat MacArthur State Beach summer camp, I learned a lot about educating young minds on ocean ecosystems. One thing that stood out to me was the self-led, year-round beach clean-ups available to park visitors. Near the pavilion, before the bridge over the intercostal, there are 5-gallon buckets, informational posters, and a large trash bin. This setup allows visitors to participate in thei own solo or group beach clean-ups anytime. Visitors can grab a bucket, collect trash along the beach, and dispose of it properly in the designated bin. Later in the day, park rangers and volunteers record data on the collected trash and dispose of it properly. Installing similar stations in state parks across New England could significantly improve the health of our beaches.

There are numerous benefits to implementing these clean-up stations in New England state parks. One major advantage is increased flexibility. Having accessible tools year-round would allow more individuals to contribute on their own time, potentially increasing community involvement. Another benefit is improved data collection. Many people who pick up trash on their own, end up throwing it away without tracking what was found. With a designated bin for beach trash and daily data collection, local organizations could gain valuable data on pollution trends, helping them better understand the issue of beach waste.

Only 6 things needed to make this happen in your local community

1. A designated area to place all the tools

2. A few Gallon buckets

3. One rash bin

4. Infographics

5. Labeled trash bin

6. A few volunteers

A few large 5 gallon buckets

Informational poster

Trash bin

Clearly labeled, so other beach visitors don’t place other trash inside