Help clean Daniel Island's waterways!
It’s time to take the plunge when it comes to ensuring the health of Daniel Island’s waterways. Volunteers are needed for the Annual Daniel Island Beach/River Sweep, held in conjunction with a larger South Carolina clean-up initiative sponsored by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium. The event will take place Saturday, September 17, at 3 p.m. beginning at Daniel Island Children’s Park at the end of River Landing Drive.
“The waterways surrounding Daniel Island bring us much joy but they, and the wonderful creatures we are thrilled to spot among them, also need our care,” said Daniel Island resident Andrea Kelly, who is coordinating the island event. “The Beach and River Sweep offers a great opportunity to give back to an ecosystem in need to help ensure that future generations also get to experience all the wonders it has to offer.”
This is the fourth year for the event on Daniel Island. In 2015, more than 3600 volunteers on the South Carolina coast collected nearly 14 tons of litter, covering 181 miles of beaches, marshes, and waterways at 130 cleanup locations in seven counties.
“Because of our volunteers, our state’s natural resources are cleaner and safer for the wildlife that depend on it and more beautiful and safer for all to enjoy!” added Kelly.
The effort is made even more pressing, she added, due to the prediction that by the year 2050, fish will officially be out-populated by plastic trash, according to a recent study from the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
“It’s only going to get worse without serious efforts to change on our part,” said Kelly.
Volunteers of all ages are welcome to come out and take part in the September 17 event, including students who are in need of community service hours. Participants are asked to wear sturdy shoes or rain boots, long pants and long-sleeved shirts, hat, and sunglasses. In addition, volunteers are encouraged to bring beverages, bug spray, sunblock, gloves, and trash picker tools if they have them. Trash bags and trash tally sheets will be provided. Those interested in taking part can also come by boat, kayak, or paddleboard to help pick-up items that are difficult to reach by land. For additional information, contact Kelly at (919) 943-5023 or atkgeneral@gmail.com.