Clean Up Greenwich Point On International Coastal Clean-Up Day

GREENWICH, CT — To mark International Coastal Clean-Up Day on Sept. 18, Greenwich environmental groups are hosting a a clean-up and environmental fair at Greenwich Point.

The clean-up, sponsored by Greenwich Green & Clean and Skip the Straw Greenwich, will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pre-registration is encouraged, and can be done online here.

Volunteers can bring their own bucket and gloves – though they will be available on-site – and upon arrival should check in at the registration area across from the first concession stand.

All trash collected will be tallied and reported to environmental group Save The Sound for onward submission to the Ocean Conservancy, which works with organizations worldwide to analyze pollution in the earth's waters.

"Marine debris, particularly plastics, is not only an aesthetic issue affecting the beauty of Greenwich shorelines; it threatens our economy, our wildlife and our food supply," the city of Greenwich wrote on its website. "Cleanups – the last line of defense – require a community effort, and Greenwich Green & Clean, Skip the Straw Greenwich and their partner organizations invite Greenwich residents to be the solution to plastic pollution."

International Coastal Cleanup Day, started by the Surfrider Foundation, is one of the world's largest annual preservation and protection events. It aims to create both a cleaner and healthier coastline and a raised consciousness for actions people can integrate into their daily lives to promote healthy beaches.

Some of the most commonly collected items on last year's ICCD were cigarette butts, plastic beverage bottles, food wrappers, plastic bottle caps and plastic straws, all of which are forms of plastic debris, Surfrider Foundation said on its website.