This week, as Global Citizen gears up for the 12th annual festival on the iconic Central Park Great Lawn, our local citizens have partnered with Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy to defend the planet — right here in our own backyard.
On September 21, over 100 volunteers from across the city gathered to celebrate International Coastal Cleanup Day and kick off Climate Week by participating in restorative efforts at Plumb Beach in Brooklyn. The community event was hosted with our partners The American Littoral Society’s NYS Beach Cleanup Program, Black Surfing Association, and Surfrider Foundation NYC, with the support of Assemblymember Jaime R. WIlliams, Councilmember Mercedes Narcisse, Goodera, conEdison, and NYC Ferry.
The 10,000 acres of Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks make up over 35 public parks in New York City, beloved by locals and tourists alike. The astounding 520 miles (yes, you read that right!) of coastline stretch longer than the coasts of Miami, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco combined and encompass diverse ecosystems.
But every year, as New Yorkers flock to enjoy the beaches, the effects of climate change and hyperconsumerism are clear to see. Of the 82 million tons of global plastic waste mismanaged each year, it’s estimated that about 19 million tons are leaked directly into the environment. In our oceans, that means about a truckload of plastic being dumped every minute. If no immediate action is taken, the amount of plastic in the ocean is on track to outweigh the amount of fish by the year 2050.
According to the Jamaica Bay Program Director of the American Littoral Society, Alexandra Kanonik, International Coastal Cleanup Day in New York has grown from 100 volunteers in 1986 to an average of 6,000 volunteers across 120 beaches. She adds: “A well-organized beach cleanup is a prime activity for learning about the marine environment — its value to people and wildlife, threats to its productivity, and the actions that people can take to improve it.”
Every year, the American Littoral Society documents what is contributing the most to polluting our beaches, dubbing them “The Dirty Dozen,” which includes pieces of plastic, cigarette butts, straws, and food wrappers. The smaller debris that often gets overlooked tends to have the largest impact. For example, birds, marine life, and wetland inhabitants are negatively impacted by plastic pieces, which can be persistent in the environment for many years. This year for International Coastal CleanUp Day at Plumb Beach, New Yorkers did not shy away from the challenge, and collected 872 bottle caps and lids, 842 food wrappers, 829 cigarette butts — a total of 555 pounds of trash that would have otherwise been a hazard for local wildlife.
Queens residents and frequent beachgoers Cassidy and Ella attended the event together to preserve one of their favorite summer spots. As they stood amongst the discarded bottles, wrappers, and single-use plastics, both girls agreed that having a plan to pack before heading to the beach makes a world of difference in respecting your surroundings. “Cleaning up all of this trash really shows that reusing your items is so incredibly important,” they agreed. After noting a striking amount of plastic bottle caps, they added, “Especially after doing this event, it makes you re-evaluate all of your consumption habits.” On average, Americans use 13 plastic water bottles a month, totaling nearly 50 million plastic water bottles annually. Opting for sustainable alternatives cuts down on personal costs while contributing to natural preservation.
Black Surfing Association volunteers and friends attend Plumb Beach cleanup. Image: Zoë Arnitois
Founder of the Black Surfing Association Lou Harris has become a fixture at the Rockaway beaches by offering free surf lessons for New York children lessons, along with a message to preserve and respect the environment: “My thing is teaching the kids at a young age about ocean conservation. About keeping plastic out of our oceans. I explained to my students that plastic can kill the animals that swim in the ocean, and now when we are surfing and see plastic, they put it under the wrist of their wetsuit and throw it away when they get out of the water.” He attended the cleanup with many of his students and their families on Saturday to show their support, fostering a sense of New York pride in the Rockaway parks. When asked about the global change he’d like to see, Harris emphasized the need to start on a local level: “If you want things to grow, especially a non-profit to grow, you have to connect with the community.”
Visitors in New York for Climate Week even participated in the local efforts. Juan Pablo Celis Garcia, who works for the United Nations Environment Programme, was in town from Nairobi, Kenya, for the 79th UN General Assembly. He said, “These events and activities raise awareness about the issues that are happening and that are affecting our ecosystems, such as plastic pollution, and this is why it’s so important to support organizations like Global Citizen who are actively engaging in environmental awareness and action.”
Global leaders are currently negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty to help stop the flow of plastics into the environment — a necessary and overdue step towards protecting ecosystems and human health from plastic waste. As the 2025 implementation goal for the treaty rapidly approaches, it’s important now more than ever to highlight what’s at stake. Celis Garcia states, “The aim is to complete these negotiations by the end of this year so we have an instrument to tackle pollution for the full life-cycle [of plastics] from source to sea. It’s really important that we raise awareness of the need to tackle plastic pollution now and not wait until the situation gets worse.”
While we wait for world leaders to reach an agreement, the movement begins at home. Global Citizen is fuelled by the efforts of motivated action takers and impact makers. As we strive to make our voices heard worldwide, positive change begins in our own communities.
By supporting nature-based initiatives and practicing sustainable lifestyles, the collective effort champions a clear future headed by a new generation.