As the year comes to a close, we have a lot to be proud of.
Our citizen science water testing program collected 1280 samples from 55 beach, pond, ocean, and stormwater sampling locations in Eastern Long Island (34 in East Hampton and 21 in Southampton).
During 2018, Surfrider ELI & Piazza Horticultural augmented planting at the East Hampton Village Green Ocean Friendly Garden.
In August, this garden was awarded the Civic Landscaping Award by the Garden Club of East Hampton.
We have also initiated discussions to install a third Ocean Friendly Garden further up the watershed, behind the Methodist Church in East Hampton Village.
We have held 22 education programs, reaching 877 people (787 children and 90 adults).
Our focus is on water quality and plastic pollution, and we emphasize with all participants how everyone can pitch in to be part of the solution to our local pollution problems.
We held 18 beach cleanups this year, removing 4424 pounds of trash from our beaches.
We are now collecting data about what we are finding on the beach, including a total 394 balloons and 1611 straws.
Between February and mid-March of 2018, our chapter held four "Protect What You Love Beach Cleanups," and the trash found was made into a massive floatto show our community what a big problem plastic pollution is creating at our beaches.
The float was featured in three St. Patricks Day parades: Westhampton Beach, Hampton Bays, and Montauk, and won 1st place in all three!
About 50 establishments pledged as part of Strawless Summer to (1) Go completely strawless, (2) provide backyard biodegradable straws upon request only, OR (3) provide reusable straws.
The Strawless Summer campaign was also picked up on the county level by a Suffolk County Legislator, "Strawless Suffolk".
We have held 22 education programs, reaching 877 people (787 children and 90 adults).
Our focus is on water quality and plastic pollution, and we emphasize with all participants how everyone can pitch in to be part of the solution to our local pollution problems.
Three members from our chapter traveled to Washington, D.C. for Ocean Recreation Hill Day to speak to our federal representatives about clean water, healthy beaches, and stopping new offshore oil drilling.
We participated in three public hearings on Long Island, vehemently opposing new offshore oil drilling.
We gathered in Westhampton Beach on a frigid winter day for "Hands Across the Sand" - saying no to drilling on our coasts.
We continue to oppose any permanent hard structures on our shoreline, as they are known to exacerbate erosion.
We oppose the Army Corps of Engineer's proposed revetment expansion around the Montauk Lighthouse, and have submitted a letter to the State Parks Department & Department of Environmental Conservation voicing our concerns.
In the face of sea level rise and climate change, managed retreat continues to be the focal point of our dialogue moving forward.
Thank you to the supporters of Surfrider Foundation's Eastern Long Island Chapter. Nothing we do today would be possible without you.
