Ways to Help

33rd Annual International Coastal Cleanup of the Ocean Conservancy Organization 2019 Report:

1,080,358 volunteers in a worldwide effort of 122 countries walked over 22,000 miles of coastline. These volunteers removed 23,333,816 pounds of garbage from our oceans and recorded their findings on Clean Swell or printed data forms. — The Ocean Conservancy Organization

Top 10 of Debris items found in oceans:

1) Cigarette butts: 5,716,331
2) Food wrappers: 3,728,712
3) Straws/stirrers: 3,668,871
4) Forks, knives, spoons: 1,968,065
5) Plastic beverage bottles: 1,754,908
6) Plastic bottle caps: 1,390,232
7) Plastic grocery bags: 964,541
8) Other plastic bags: 938,929
9) Plastic lids: 728,892
10) Plastic cups, plates: 656,276

Approximately 1.4 billion pounds of trash per year enters the ocean. — National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration

Worldwide, 13,000 to 15,000 pieces of plastic are dumped into the ocean every day. — Ocean Crusaders
It can take 20 to 100 years for a plastic bag to break up. Plastic bags never fully break down; they just break into smaller pieces causing animals to mistake it for food and creating a toxic effect on our water. — Ocean Crusaders

Approximately 1 million sea birds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed a year due to pollution. — Ocean Crusaders

Names of environmental groups you can join nationally and locally:

National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) www.noaa.gov
Ocean Conservancy Organization www.oceanconservancy.org
Ocean Crusaders www.oceancrusaders.com
The Blue Frontier campaign www.bluefront.org
Greenpeace www.greenpeace.org
4ocean www.4ocean.com
Surfrider Foundation www.surfrider.org
NY Marine Rescue Center www.nymarinerescue.org
Atlantic Marine Conservation Society www.amseas.org
Cooperative Extension Suffolk County www.ccesuffolk.org/marine