58 Clean Ocean Access volunteers braved the freezing temperatures and gusts of wind to collect a whopping 290 pounds of marine debris from the Second Beach coastline last Saturday. Volunteers, included several students from Salve Regina University and residents from across Aquidneck Island.
“A big part of being at Salve is the ocean, especially as we’re right on the Cliff Walk. If the ocean is ruined others will not have the same opportunity to enjoy it as we do now,” said Faith Lambert, a student at Salve Regina.
Volunteers collected over 442 individual items of marine and litter across two miles of shoreline, including 82 plastic and glass bottles, 54 caps and lids, 52 food wrappers and containers.
“Pollution is a growing concern, especially here in Rhode Island. We just came out to do our part because we know how important it is; it starts with the little things and works its way back up. Cleaning up the beach is the least we can do,” said PJ McNamara, a biology major at Salve Regina University.
