Matawan Teens Organize Beach Clean-Up

Casting a ray of sunshine through the darkness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, two local teens organized a community clean-up of Cliffwood Beach this past Friday, August 14.

Cliffwood Beach is an idyllic spot facing the Raritan Bay and offering panoramic views of the New York City skyline. Offering a quiet escape from busy suburban life, the beach has been attracting more visitors during the pandemic lock-down. Unfortunately, more visits have resulted in more trash being discarded on the sand and along the hiking trails.

Enter the dynamic duo of Amanda Serpi and Mehr Kotval. students at Matawan Regional High School who collaborated to create the Sea the Future Project.

"Based on our love of the ocean, beaches, and the environment, we saw the need to keep the beaches in our community clean," said Serpi.

The two teens are Matawan Regional H.S. liaisons who serve on the Aberdeen Environmental Board and the Aberdeen Green Team. In the past few years, they have organized three other clean-ups on their own and one in partnership with another non-profit group called Clean Ocean Action.

Friday's clean-up was publicized by reaching out to friends, former volunteers, local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and the Environmental Club at Matawan Regional H.S. The event was also posted on the Aberdeen Township Facebook page. A total of 59 volunteers-- from elementary school students to adults of all ages-- pitched in to clean up the beach.

In order to collect garbage safely, volunteers were provided with gloves, trash pokers, trash grabbers, trash bags for both recyclables and garbage, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, and masks. Volunteers spread out across the beach in order to maintain social distance.

Serpi estimates that more than 100 pounds of trash were collected. The most unusual items found on the beach were a sink and a chair. The trash was taken to Clean Communities of New Jersey--a state-wide litter abatement program-- for weighing, disposal and recycling.