The Socrates High School at Oak Hill Academy
Opening September 2020 for Grades 9 & 10
Clean Ocean Action Cancels 35th Spring Sweeps
BY LORI DRAZ
TheJournalNJ.com | MAY 2020 15
The Socrates High School is a small, innovative school that uses a personalized
approach. This means that each student will have an individualized curriculum tailored
to their needs. A state certified program will include direct instruction, using the
Socratic Method, project-based learning, and online instruction mentored by an
Oak Hill teacher. The academic program is rounded out with student electives.
For more information or to speak to
Director and Lead Educator, Dr. Joey Lipp contact
732-530-1343 or admissions@oakhillacademy.com
347 Middletown-Lincroft Road
Lincroft, NJ 07738
www.oakhillacademy.com/about/Socrates-school
THE FUTURE OF HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION TODAY
This April marked Clean Ocean Action’s 35th
anniversary of the Beach Sweeps. Thousands
were looking forward to the day of citizen action
to help reduce beach litter. However, to ensure
public safety during the COVID-19 crisis, Clean
to cancel the April 25 Spring Beach Sweeps. This
is only the second time in 35 years that a Beach
due to a hurricane.
COA held a virtual Beach Sweeps celebration
on social media, which began on Earth Day and
ran through April 25. The Virtual Vintage Beach
Sweeps asked veteran Beach Sweepers to share
some of their amazing stories and photographs. COA also shared nostalgic photos,
facts, quizzes and challenges. Winners received a commemorative T-shirt designed
exclusively for COA by their generous and supportive friends at Jetty Ink.
The Beach Sweeps is New Jersey’s largest volunteer-driven, citizen science
and environmental event with 62 site locations in 2019. COA remains optimistic
that the fall Beach Sweeps on Saturday, Oct. 24 will go on as planned.
As is its practice, COA released the 2019 Spring and Fall Beach Sweeps
Report which documented the efforts of the 10,744 volunteers who removed a
record 496,291 items from the beach in just six hours during last year’s events.
Included in the report were data on the cumulative 7,239,232 items removed
over the past 34 years along with the “The Dirty Dozen” and the “Roster of the
Ridiculous.” The report also shows how data were used to promote policies to
reduce sources of marine debris.
“The Beach Sweeps data is always fascinating and tells endless stories
about our wasteful ways, but also celebrates the power of the people to make a
difference. It is clear that people are becoming more mindful about the plastic
problem,” said Cindy Zipf, executive director of Clean Ocean Action.
2019 Beach Sweep Results
Plastic and foam plastic items accounted for 83.19 percent of the total
items collected in 2019.
In 2019, single-use foam containers increased by 38.83 percent, despite
local and statewide legislation aimed to reduce or eliminate these items. Single
use plastic bags decreased by 13.02 percent. Further, the 2.85 percent decrease
in the number of plastic straws/stirrers
may be attributed to growing public awareness
about their harmful impacts on the marine environment.
After increasing annually since 2016, the
number of plastic beverage/soda bottles declined
by 14.98 percent in 2019. The increased
use of reusable beverage bottles reduces consumption
of single-use plastic bottles, resulting
in fewer plastic bottles on beaches and in waterways.
Food and candy wrappers/bags reached a
record number of 50,270, jumping 23.27 percent
from the previous year.
“The Dirty Dozen” lists the top 12 most commonly collected items at
the Beach Sweeps. This year, a record 93.5 percent of the items was plastic.
Plastic pieces have held the top spot on the list since 2013, but they
increased sharply in 2019, reaching a record 95,963 pieces.
For the third year in a row, plastic pieces, plastic caps/lids, food and
candy wrappers/bags, and straws/stirrers occupied the top four spots on
the Dirty Dozen list.
The Roster of Ridiculous
most unusual earn a spot on “The Roster of the Ridiculous” list. A red
sweater made its way to a Keyport beach while a red car bumper was found
– a $6,000 diamond engagement ring lost two years ago on the beach.
Thanks to some remarkable detective work by Beach Sweeps Volunteer
Brianne Sinks, the ring was returned to the owner!
The beach sweeps data are essential to helping the COA and others
work to improve and maintain the quality of the waters, and none of it
would be possible without the dedicated volunteers and sponsors.
“We love that this is a family affair,” said Beach Captains Crystal De-
Caro and Ryan Carr, ably assisted by Hamlette the pig. “We must provide
Mother Earth with as much love she has given us!”
To see a copy of the full report and learn more about the virtual spring
event and the fall 2020 Beach Sweeps, visit CleanOceanAction.org.
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