On a chilly, midwinter day, a total of 79 volunteers of ASEZ WAO, held a beach cleanup at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT. This was part of their ongoing “No More GPGP” mission to combat the formation of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. As a result, volunteers collected 20 large bags of trash, including many plastic items like bottles and food containers.
Visitors often enjoy their time on Seaside Park’s beaches, under the sunshine, along three miles of glistening coastline. The park has a rich history, being established just after the Civil War by Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. They are also responsible for designing Manhattan’s Central Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Such nineteenth century landscapes have proved timeless as they entice and bring joy to each new generation of park-goers.
Today, Seaside Park, located on Connecticut’s Eastern Seaboard, attracts many visitors each year. Because of the constant foot traffic, plastic pollution has become a big problem. Through the “No More GPGP” campaign, ASEZ WAO educates that although plastics are convenient in our daily life, they have become a major threat to the health of the earth.
Mayor Signs an MOU of Support for ASEZ WAO
The ASEZ WAO volunteers’ hard work gained attention from government officials like Mayor Joe Ganim. Mayor Ganim praised the volunteers for helping the environment and signed an MOU to support ASEZ WAO’s initiatives. He expressed, “I, personally, the Mayor of the City of Bridgeport, want to congratulate you and say thank you from all our residents … Your efforts here today in the cold and windy rain are above the call of duty, so thank you again!”
Sustainability Manager of the City of Bridgeport, Chadwick Schroeder, also showed his support by attending the cleanup. After seeing the impactful results, he said, “I want to thank ASEZ WAO for their hard work today by keeping the City of Bridgeport a clean place, protecting our natural environment and our parks, and keeping them safe for the next generation.”
The attendance of these officials showed how important it is for everyone to work together to solve environmental problems. ASEZ WAO believes in teamwork and keeps pushing for a cleaner future. Their message isn’t just local—it’s global. ASEZ WAO is making progress step by step, moving closer to a world without the threat of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. To learn more about the No More GPGP campaign, please click here.
7 Responses
It was cold and raining, yet we still had the opportunity to serve. No matter the weather conditions, we stayed true to our goal and promise to support No GPGP and help the community. It was a meaningful and rewarding experience that showed the power of dedication, unity, and service. I’m grateful to have been part of this volunteer effort and proud of the impact we made.
I remember this day much rain and cold. I had much admiration for everyone who had a never quit mindset. Everyone just kept singing, laughing, and many other things to encourage each other to beat the cold. This made the service that much more meaningful and felt like we all gave it everything we had to give back to the community. I will definitely be there next time lots of fun.
This day was truly one for the books. The rain and cold gave us every reason to say “not today,” yet despite the challenges, we pushed through and overcame it all together. I don’t even remember feeling cold at all. There was too much fun, love, and unity surrounding us. I wouldn’t change a single thing about this day, even the cleanup, because it showed just how strong we are when we stand together.
#ASEZWAO #WarmerTogether
Even though the day was cold and windy, the beach clean-up was an incredibly rewarding experience. The volunteers’ passion, positivity, and energy truly made all the difference and turned challenging weather into a meaningful and uplifting day. Being surrounded by people who genuinely care about the environment was inspiring, and it reminded me how powerful community effort can be. I left feeling proud, motivated, and grateful to have been part of such a dedicated group.
This group of people are truly amazing. As someone who grew up going to seaside, I know how messing this place can be. Thanks to ASEZWAO they were able to clean up despite the cold and rain. Truly ASEZ is making a great change, one step at a time. Making not only my community, but the environment for the animals better and cleaner.
It’s truly inspiring to see volunteers come together to care for our beaches. Activities like this protect marine life, preserve natural beauty, and remind us how powerful community effort can be. Thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy to make a real difference—your impact matters more than you know.
A lot of people do not understand how bad the GPGP situation is. Literally a floating country of trash in the middle of the ocean. It’s so good that the Church of God is bringing awareness to this situation they have encouraged me to be more conscious about leaving behind a Heavey Carbon footprint. Good job!