Megan Proctor

As part of Pratt Institute's Earth Action Week 2023, students of the Pratt Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment's Watershed Planning facilitated a cleanup at Coney Island Creek Park Beach, picking up trash and other anthropic debris, as well as participating in data collection for the Ocean Conservancy and the New York Littoral Society.

Gloves, trash bags, and other materials were provided for the students.

3 students glove up as they prepare to begin cleaning up the beach.

Students collected items such as papers, plastic wrappers, and latex gloves and disposed of them.

A student surveys the beach, looking for debris.

Six students work to free canvas boat seats embedded in the sand.

Students gloving up and collecting materials at a table set up near the entrance to the beach.

Plastic bottles were among the debris collected and disposed of.

Despite it being late October, students were rewarded with a warm and sunny day along Coney Island's waterfront.

Students walking along the water with trash bags and grabbers.

Two students unearth a pair of pants from the sand near the waterfront. 

A student carries a tire along the beach to bring to the disposal area.

Posters from the International Coastal Cleanup inform students on how to track their findings, as well as provide facts and statistics on commonly found ocean and coastal debris.

Students were also joined by others looking to clean up the beach, including this couple visiting from Europe.

A student combs through the sand looking for small pieces of plastic or other debris.

Students track and record their findings, which will then be sent to the International Coastal Cleanup.

A volunteer wipes sweat off of her forehead after hours of cleaning up the beach.

Students and volunteers pose with the total amount of trash they cleaned during the event.