Last Saturday, members of Eco-Reps headed to Rye Beach in New Hampshire to organize a beach clean-up and remove trash from the beach.
Eco-Reps is a student organization focused on sustainability, engagement and education in the Keene State community.
Senior and Eco-Reps Treasurer Lena Goins shared how she got involved in the club and how she continues to contribute to it. She said she wanted to join the club because of her interest in environmental science.
“I started as a sophomore and [in] my junior year I became the vice president. I wasn’t planning on being a part of the e-board again because I was studying abroad, but their treasurer stepped down so I stepped up for the semester,” Goins said.
“I have an environmental science background, and I like to bring in a lot of the environmental things and maybe try to draw some attention to it and environmental issues,” she added.
Goins explained how trash is collected and disposed of during the clean-up.
“It’s all going to be disposed of at the Seacoast Science Center,” said Goins. “I know we got fourteen [bags of trash] in the past, but it really just depends on the weather and how long we decide to spend outside. Unfortunately, the trash will not be sorted or anything. Although we might get some recycling, it’s been dirtied and degraded enough that we actually can’t put it through a recycling facility.”
Goins shared why Rye Beach was the chosen location for the event, emphasizing that the beach has been a clean-up spot for the club in the past.
“It’s actually [the] Odiorne State Park and that’s where the Seacoast Science Center is,” she said. “They’re right on the beach and they are really great partners. I’m not sure why the original leaders chose this location. It was way before me, but I know they are really great partners, so that’s why the location is great.”
Senior and President of Eco-Reps Amanda Rotigliano as well as junior and Vice President Emma Heimer shared the importance of the beach clean-up and the amount of years it has been occurring.
“The beach clean-up is one of our main travel events to show students how fun sustainable actions and caring for our environment can be,” Rotigliano said. “It’s a day out away from the college and a little community service cleaning up the beach, but also a fun day to learn at the Seacoast Science Center. They always do a little lesson for us. It’s a fun way to learn and to get our hands on and have our members of the club do community service, make a difference on the Earth and also do it in a place that is not Keene.”
“It’s an easy beach to get to from us–it’s two hours away,” she continued. “It’s not just an opportunity for students to clean up the beach. It gives us something to do after since it is in a pretty small town, so we get to explore the Science Center and then get lunch. It’s a way to showcase to students where beaches are in New Hampshire and have a hands-on experience rather than just picking up trash.”
Speaking on how long the event has been recurring, Heimer said, “I’m assuming five years past the COVID-19 mark, at least with the Seacoast Science Center, maybe longer. This clean-up has been going on for four to five years I would say.”
Heimer said the number of participants who went on the trip this year was 13.
“We try to have a good mix of members of the Eco-Reps and the public,” said Heimer. “It’s an open invitation to whoever is interested in doing the beach clean-up.”
Tamy Jacques can be contacted at
tjacques@kscequinox.com
