MARBLEHEAD — Locals took to Stramski Beach on Saturday morning to help clean it, during part of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management’s (CZM) COASTSWEEP program.
Although the weather was less than ideal, the inclement weather didn’t stop volunteers from coming out and doing their part to keep the beach clean.
Sal Faustino, the coordinator for the clean-up, said there are several variables with respect to the amount of volunteers that are able to make it to the clean-ups, in spite of the weather, approximately eight people had shown up to the beach.
“I consider that a pretty good turnout,” Faustino said via email. “The weather can have an impact, but I think an adventurous attitude always helps.”
As coordinator, Faustino collects the data of what is found during the clean-up.
He said is important to make sure coastlines are clean all year round.
The Salem Sound is shared by Marblehead, Salem, Peabody, Danvers, Beverly, and Manchester.
The watershed, made up of rivers, marshes, and canals, have debris and litter, such as road salt and dog waste, blown into them from the street — all of which end up into the Salem Sound, Faustino said.
“This can really affect our water quality, causing beach closures and our ability to use these spaces safely,” he said. “It would affect our kids, pets and influence our local marshes’ ability to filter water and absorb flooding.”
Salem Sound Coastwatch, being a nonprofit with many different arms is important, helping field work, community events, school field trips, and restoration with various municipalities, Faustino said.
He said they have held private clean-ups as well with organizations and companies such as Whole Foods, Wicked Running Club, CarMax, and Salem State University.
“I admire our ability to apply ourselves in almost every aspect of our natural environment through a consistently positive educational interaction,” Faustino said.
The CZM’s COASTSWEEP program, a statewide beach clean-up initiative, has been going on since 1987.
Since its inception, more than 100,000 volunteers have participated in beach clean-ups around the state, removing more than 1,000,000 pounds of debris from shores.
The next public clean-ups done by the Salem Sound Coastwatch will be at Juniper and Steps beaches, on Sept. 28 at 11 a.m., with more planned for October and November.
Those interested in learning more about COASTSWEEP clean-ups and the Salem Sound Coastwatch can visit www.salemsound.org or www.mass.gov/coastsweep.
