Surfrider volunteers cleaned up Wellington Avenue in Ventnor on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Submitted by STEVE JASIECKI
VENTNOR - The Surfrider Foundation,South Jersey Chapter conducted its periodic Wellington Avenue cleanup Saturday, Nov. 9.
More than 33 volunteers from 2-and-a-half to 75 years of age came out to clean up the mile stretch that boarders the wetlands in the Ventnor Heights section. While one group of volunteers worked the road, another group of volunteers went behind the Ventnor Plaza shopping center to pick up debris in the marsh behind the stores.
Volunteers sorted their bounty to determine the amount and types of trash picked up. This information is used by the Surfrider Foundation to determine the most common types of trash that are discarded and winds up in environmentally sensitive areas. The data is then documented and used as evidence when presenting testimony to boards and commissions to enact legislation that mitigates litter and ocean pollution.
Surfrider volunteers cleaned up Wellington Avenue in Ventnor on Saturday, Nov. 9.
More than 400 pounds of trash was picked up by the 33-member volunteer team in a two hour period, including 459 plastic shopping bags, 451 food wrappers, 389 cigarette butts, 370 foam fragments, 280 plastic beverage bottles, 158 plastic bottle caps and rings, 56 plastic straws and 42 plastic cups.
The Surfrider Foundation does periodic trash pickups throughout South Jersey on a regular basis. Volunteers are always welcomed. You can follow Surfrider and see where their next cleanup will be on the Surfrider facebook page, Surfrider Foundation South Jersey.
Steve Jasiecki is chairman of Sustainable Margate.
