Halloween Beach Cleanup event returns to West Meadow Beach
Over 20 local volunteers, many dressed in Halloween costumes, gathered on Oct. 28 at West Meadow Beach in Stony Brook to participate in the third annual Halloween Coastal Cleanup event led by Jimena Perez-Viscasillas, New York Sea Grant’s (NYSG) Long Island Sound Study Outreach Coordinator.
The event, part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, saw families and community members of all ages collect trash along the beach for two hours, all while raising awareness for ocean conservation. Volunteers were encouraged to wear costumes, adding a festive touch to the community-driven event.
Throughout the morning, participants collected 13 buckets of debris including microplastics and larger items like a shopping cart part. The cleanup, organized by NYSG and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS), is aimed at not only clearing the beach but also documenting the types of trash found. Attendees counted pieces of glass, wood, paper and plastic to contribute to the global data on coastal pollution.
Partnering with the Town of Brookhaven, Avalon Nature Preserve’s Nature Initiative and Friends of Flax Pond, the cleanup event is part of a broader mission to protect and restore the Long Island Sound and its surrounding ecosystems.
The Long Island Sound Study, an estuary program dedicated to the conservation of the Sound, is currently updating its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan to guide environmental efforts over the next decade. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the draft plan at LISstudy.net/plan by Nov. 22.
For more information on New York Sea Grant’s marine debris initiatives, visit nyseagrant.org/marinedebris.
