RSS 2.0 FeedArchives before June 26, 2010, Weekly editorial
SPLASH marks its 20th year
‘If more people and corporations did the right thing we wouldn’t be
in this boat, but we are.’
– Rob Weltner, president of Operation SPLASH
Operation SPLASH is marking its 20th year of operation this year and has expanded from Freeport to several other South Shore ports. Its acronym name asks us to stop polluting and littering, and save our harbors.
The truth is Operation SPLASH members would not have to pull thousands of pounds of litter and trash out of our coastal waterways if we did not dump them there in the first place. And even those who never go near the shore, but who throw cigarette butts and other litter in the roadways, are polluting. Where do you think that cigarette butt goes? Why, down the road to the storm drain and from there out to the sea. And then it kills some poor fish.
So many SPLASH volunteers spend their time hauling trash onto boats, and many spend time trying to get people not to litter and pollute in the first place.
This is the time of year when many boats are launched into the water for the season. Every community in our readership area from Baldwin to Freeport to Merrick, Bellmore, Wantagh and Seaford lives the waterfront lifestyle. Some of us are fortunate enough to actually live right on the water. Others have to fight the traffic to the beach like everybody else coming from the city.
Having a bikeway along the Wantagh Parkway really helps. We wish there were more pathways like it. Don’t you imagine there is a lot less littering by bikers, joggers and skaters than from cars? When people get up close to the results of their littering, don’t you think it would make them think twice?
Operation SPLASH meets the first Tuesday of the month, at the Freeport Recreation Center at 7:30 p.m.
To kick off its “Movies by the Sea” program, Operation SPLASH is hosting a free showing of “Finding Nemo,” Monday, June 28, at 8 p.m. at the Freeport Museum, 202 Woodcleft Avenue on the Nautical Mile, which opens at 6 p.m. In nice weather, seating will be outside, so bring lawn chairs and bug repellant. Space is limited. To reserve your spot you can send an e-mail to JerryFosterOperationSPLASH@msn.com.
