Here is how the project went:
Since July 2019, we have conducted 7 beach clean-ups and we are proud to share that with the help of several hundred volunteers, 23,554 pieces of litter have been removed from our beaches with the help of over 300 volunteers. The community's enthusiasm has been amazing and we feel we've made a big impact on not only cleaning up the beaches, but also on helping people make better choices to help the environment. We truly appreciate the time, encouragement, and support our local government officials, NY State Parks, and Audubon NY have given us.
Through this project I/we learned:
We've learned a bunch of great things as a result of creating Beach Bucket Brigade. For example, we've learned how to reach out to others, such as our local council people, businesses, and community members for support. We've also had to develop organizational skills, marketing techniques, and research skills.
What I/we might change:
We are looking forward to continuing Beach Bucket Brigade events. We'd like to expand the clean-ups to more beaches and continue to encourage eco-friendly choices with the ever growing list of healthier choices and habits we can introduce the public to.
My/our favorite part of this project was:
Our favorite part has been sharing our love of wildlife and the environment and teaching children all about how they can make a difference. We feel we've created special memories for them that will impact their choices for a lifetime.
Some tips, tricks or fun facts about the project:
Social media is a great way to reach out to people. Besides sharing info about our events, we learned it's important to keep the page current even in "off season" so that we can encourage people to help the planet all year long. We were also honored to be asked to write an article for Audubon's website as a result of Beach Bucket Brigade and have had some great press coverage. Please feel free to Google us!
