The semiannual beach sweep took place on April 21st at the Raritan Bay Waterfront Park. Students of the Environmental Club and National Honor Society sacrificed sleeping in on the weekend to make sure the park is beautiful as can be.

First off, the beach sweep is organized by the county and has been in place for 33 years. It takes place once in the spring and once in the fall, with the spring date falling during April and the fall date usually in October. In addition to beautifying the shoreline, groups are asked to record what they find and with this information collected the county can come up with solutions for this major problem.

I have been going to this beach cleanup since last year and every single time, we find a lot of trash which is ruining a place that people come to enjoy. The timing of this beach sweep is perfect since the following day, it was Earth Day. If more people realize that they are throwing trash in their own home – the Earth – then change will be brought. But until then, by participating in cleanups, no matter the area, you can help keep the Earth clean so that we don’t face horrific consequences now or in the near future.

During the beach sweep, different groups disperse to different areas of the waterfront park and pick up the trash and tally it down. The trash found here included plastic bags, straws, Styrofoam, glass, wooden pieces, plastic pieces, and a number of other items. One of the most unusual things they found on the beach this year was what seemed like a mile-long rope. Although the rope was not a mile-long, it did take several students to dig it out of the sand for one hour. What seemed like an impossible task was accomplished by the helping hands of high school students and their teacher, Mr. Coleman. Turns out, that the rope has been in the sand for a year and they were even discouraged when a volunteer told them to “go pick up trash and that the county will take care of it.” One of the helpers, Harshvir Kaur, said that it “was challenging and a lot of hard-work, but it was worth it in the end.” With the help of the county volunteers and the students’ drive to accomplish the task at hand, they were able to successfully get the rope out.  How the rope got stuck in the sand is a million dollar question.

This beach cleanup is definitely recommended to everyone, even if you are not in the Environmental Club or do not need volunteer hours. In the end “it is a great way to help the environment with your friends” as Harshvir said, and right she is. Another volunteer, Amish, said that her “favorite part was chilling with friends because we all laughed and had fun together.” During the spring, it is a great way to start your day and enjoy some fresh air.

If you would like to participate in any future events make sure to check this website.