International Coastal Clean Up

was established in 1986, when a staff person from the Ocean Conservancy decided to take action to clean the

litter from the shores of South Padre Island, Tex.

Grocery bags...bottles...cigarette butts...wrappers and straws. They don’t fall from the sky; they fall from

human hands. And what's washed up on the shore is only a fraction of what is in the water. From Baltimore

to Bangladesh, Ocean Conservancy leads the world's largest volunteer effort for the ocean. Every year in September, more than half-a-million people in 100 countries remove millions of pounds of trash from

beaches and waterways all over the world. Over the last quarter-century, the International Coastal Cleanup has

grown from a single cleanup on a Texas beach to a worldwide movement to end the threat of trash in our

ocean.

The event was brought to Monroe County in 1993 through the ambitions of a young lady (eight years old), then part of a 4-H club, the West Irondequoit Green Keepers. She came home from her volunteer job at the local library’s summer reading program and announced her desire to “clean up our beach.”

This young lady had read about the Ocean Conservancy and their efforts to engage others to clean litter from their local shorelines.

“The Ocean Conservancy is setting the agenda in the halls of power. Their legacy continues today as they translate threats into sound, practical policies that protect our ocean and improve our lives. They recognize that real leadership means real cooperation — between governments, businesses, scientists, policymakers, conservation organizations, and citizen advocates. With your help, they will continue to create concrete solutions that lead to lasting change.”

She also understood (from the very beginning) the importance of the collected trash being properly categorized and recorded on the data cards provided by the Ocean Conservancy. This data, once compiled can and has been used to support proposed legislation for environmental protection.

Although the first year only brought out seven other volunteers, this humble beginning … was just the beginning.

Her goal has always been two-fold. She wanted to clean up the litter and educate her community. Following the very first cleanup this young lady

began to plan for the next year. She and her sisters often went to public education venues (like the one

you are at today) to share their enthusiasm for environmental protection.

This picture is their “Wall of Trash.” Built from post-consumer pizza boxes and the actual trash picked up on Durand Beach in September of 1993. They would go on to staff their own booth at many local events.

1994 – 1997 the event grew each year and by 1997 it also

included a live broadcast from Lori Baister (WMAX) and scuba volunteers from the

WMAX Green Team.

In 1998, this dedicated young lady reached out to a variety of local organizations/businesses to provide food and beverages for

a morning snack and eventually an entire Trash Bash. By 1999, the Trash Bash came to include prizes for the most, best,

grossest etc. as well as lunch for all the volunteers.

20041,036 volunteers picked up over 10,137 pounds of trash from 26 miles of local shoreline

2006Over 10,175 volunteers removed over 272,157 pounds of debris in New York state alone!

2008716 volunteers picked up over 5,000 pounds of trash from eight County shoreline sites.

2009740 volunteers picked up 3,310 pounds of trash from 28 miles of Lake Ontario shoreline.

2010481 volunteers picked up over 3,500 pounds of trash, along the lakeshore in Monroe County

STOP!Yes, it's a beautiful day, the waves cozy up to lavish the shore,the sun drives on to the tunes of the radio, we’re so fab when we’re driving...soSTOP!Out the window to the beautiful day went your wrappers, your cups, your cigarette butts...STOP!Because somewhere...else…someone...else…someplace…else…will pick up your castawaysSTOP! That bird from pecking up food, beak wrapped up with plastic and worm, the duck, with the six-pack too quacked up to speak.the scrawny tailed squirrel, with tinfoil to cheek,the chipmunk who exchanged an acorn for litterwill be cold and hungry for all of the winterSTOP!Your trash from floating… neon, food bits for a fish who ingests only particles of a “yummy” dishSTOP!So we can count ONE LESS butt, one less piece to record on the counter side upSTOP!on our data cards, for the Coastal Clean-Up. Can’t you try to--STOP!

Jamie Romeo has been instrumental in bringing the coastal cleanup effort to our local shoreline and continues to be a diligent watchdog,

protecting its integrity by keeping the International Coastal Cleanup as the grassroots effort it was intended to be. She works tirelessly to reach

out to businesses in both the public and private sector for in-kind support, continuing to provide beach-side breakfast, gloves and bags to

hundreds of volunteers each year. Jamie signs off on her e-mail notes with “Stay True to You” and just under her electronic signature she

shares this quote "One person can make a difference, but everyone should try." -JFK