Keeping Long Beach's shoreline free of litter

Posted Friday, November 21, 2025 12:13 pm

Long Beach Cleanup members after they picked up the weekly round of trash on the beach on Nov. 15.

Alice Moreno/Herald

Liam Bobe, 14, collected debris on the beach by Monroe Boulevard.

Alice Moreno/Herald

The Bartel family: Jason; Alex, 13; Gianna, 4; and Jessica pick up debris.

Alice Moreno/Herald

Gwenn Vandijk scooped some refuse that was left by the shoreline.

Alice Moreno/Herald

By Jeff Bessen

Saturdays in the fall on Long Island don’t usually have people conjuring images of being on the beach, but members of the Long Beach-based organization Long Beach Clean Up can be found near the shoreline weekly picking up trash.

Matthew Crosta founded the group in 2020. Members are typically out there for an hour beginning at 2 p.m. According to a statement on its website Long Beach Clean Up “is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of our beaches. We are on a mission to combat marine pollution, protect coastal ecosystems, and inspire sustainable habits.

“Through weekly cleanup events we empower individuals of all ages to take action for the environment. By removing trash and raising awareness about the impact of litter we aim to create lasting change in our community.”

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