SAN DIEGO (Feb. 24, 2017) Sailors from the San Diego metro area volunteered their time to participate in the annual Naval Base Coronado (NBC) Beach Clean-Up, Feb. 21-24.
This event targets the beaches around Coronado Island to ensure that the beaches are rid of any trash or debris that may have washed up during storms or that was left there by patrons.
“The annual beach clean-up is a way to clean up the beaches on the Silver Strand as well as Coronado Island,” said Tiffany Shepherd, a Natural Resources Specialist on Naval Base Coronado. “We pick up everything from plastic wrappers to buoys that have been left there or washed up during a storm.”
Naval Base Coronado teams up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Coastkeeper Marine to keep track of all the debris and type of litter that’s found.
“We partner with the EPA and Coastkeeper to keep track of the trash that is collected,” said Shepherd. “This allows us to see which type of trash is the biggest culprit whether its plastic bottles, wrappers or even McDonalds cups and straws.”
According to Shepherd, the last few years, one to two tons of trash has been picked up over the course of the clean-up event.
“I think it’s definitely a good thing that we get out here and pick up this trash,” said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Keivan Perry from Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest. “It’s always good to give back to the community and see everyone come together to help keep these beautiful beaches clean.”
Sailors are not only keeping the local beaches clean for people to enjoy them, they are also preparing a habitat for the nesting birds on the federally protected list.
“We are cleaning up the beaches to help keep them clean,” said Shepherd. “But we are also preparing the area for the Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover, two endangered birds that nest here every year.”
With the beach clean-up coming to an end for another year, Sailors are happy to do it and are prepared to do it again next year.
“I am excited to be out here and to give a few hours to help out,” said Perry. “I plan on doing this again next year and for as long as I’m stationed out here.”
| Date Taken: | 02.23.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2017 18:09 |
| Story ID: | 224879 |
| Location: | CORONADO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Sailors Clean up Coronado Beaches, by PO2 Anthony Hilkowski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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