NAS Key West participates in coastal cleanup

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Brian Morales | Sailors and families clean Naval Air Station Key West's Truman Annex during the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup. NAS Key West is a state-of-the-art training facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian Morales/ Released  

KEY WEST, FL, UNITED STATES

09.21.2013

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Morales 

Naval Air Station Key West

KEY WEST, Fla. - Naval Air Station Key West sailors and families cleaned up the Truman Annex shoreline as part of this year’s Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, Sept. 21.

Approximately 25 service members and dependents donned hats, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses to pick up all types of debris washed ashore.

“Great time to come out and cleanup the beach and pick up the trash,” said Environmental Director Edward Barham.

more than 800 pounds of trash was collected by volunteers to include: bottles caps, shoes and half a kayak.

“It is a beautiful beach and a beautiful world we have to protect,” said Niki Hascova, a coastal cleanup volunteer.

Hascova and others living around the area walk the coastline on a daily basis, grabbing trash along the way, but the organized beach cleanup really got down into the (sea) weeds.

“We’re focusing on the small stuff here. Wildlife is more susceptible to the small items which can cause injuries. Birds and sea turtles, they’ll eat the debris thinking that it’s jellyfish or some other type of sea life,” said Barham.

NAS Key West participates in the coastal cleanup every year.

NAS Key West is a state-of-the-art training facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services.

• Date Taken: 09.21.2013
• Date Posted: 09.23.2013 14:46
• Story ID: 114114
• Location: KEY WEST, FL, US