Last month I spent International Coastal Cleanup Day with Coastal Steward on the Long Island Sound. Over 20 years ago Coastal Steward founders were diving in Port Jefferson Harbor and discovered that marine debris and trash were piling up. They started a group to do beach cleanups and today have expanded the organization into four additional programs, including shellfish restoration, osprey platforms, fish tagging, and marine science education. My favorite part of working on this project was the opportunity to help protect the beaches and coastal areas where I spend so much of my time.