Submitted by Helen Comba Environmental Chair
On Wednesday, July 8, 2026 the Environmental Committee participated in the 20th annual Barnegat Bay Day event sponsored by the LBI Foundation of Arts & Sciences For this hands-on family friendly event, our committee provided a display of resources focused on our concerns about single use plastics, as well as environmentally friendly gardening tips. With the new Skip the Stuff Law going into effect on August 1st, we continue to encourage participants to go the extra step by packing cutlery in their cars as an alternative to asking for “the stuff.†Samples of cutlery wrapped in cloth napkins inside small bags with our Garden Club Stickers were one of the giveaways at our first table. Resources also included information about native plants, ways to make environmentally safe weed killer and how to make a bee bath for your garden.
At our second table, children were given the opportunity to make two crafts, The first was a pirate ship made out of corks tied together with rubber bands. Some children even chose to put popsicle stick planks on their boats. A second craft provided children with the opportunity to create ocean scenes with fish delivering dire messages about the impact plastic has on them. As it turns out, most children opted to do both activities!
While our young participants worked on the projects, conversations shared with us revealed that many of these young families do their own beach clean-up walks where they live on the island. Many also expressed their appreciation for the opportunity given by our small committee for them to continue to promote the importance of protecting our natural resources at a family friendly event.
