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Huntington campaigns against boat trash

BY DEBORAH S. MORRIS | deborah.morris@newsday.com

10:20 AM EDT, May 20, 2008

Besen, center, with poster and participants in the program.

Town of Huntington officials were out touting a new initiative Monday designed to keep Huntington waters clean and protect the environment.

In partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County town officials unveiled a campaign telling boaters to "Stow your Trash."

"We cannot take our gold coast for granted," Councilman Stuart Besen said at the entrance of the Mill Dam Boat Ramp, where he was joined by town personnel, members of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and BoatU. S. Foundation.

"Over the past two years, I have preached to beachgoers to leave no trace . . . if you carry it in, carry it out. That goes the same for boaters. If you bring it on board, make sure you stow your trash and bring it back with you," Besen said.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County was awarded a grant from BoatU. S. Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting safe and environmentally sensitive boating, for the development of waterproof posters asking boaters to "Stow Your Trash."

Besen teamed up with Cornell on the layout and design of three different posters to be placed at area marinas, yacht clubs and boat ramps.

By "stowing your trash" officials say waterways will be better protected and by recycling trash brought back home, landfills stand a better chance of not being overused.

"This project targets marine debris that is derived from our local boating and fishing community," said Chris Smith, director of the marine program for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. "It is our intention that these posters will be the first in a series of annual projects that will be designed to address and offer solutions to the accumulating toxic problems caused by marine debris and our local aquatic environment."

There are many ways boaters can help keep the water clean, officials said. Among them are having a permanent trash can with a sturdy, tight fitting lid on board; explaining to passengers on board that absolutely nothing gets thrown overboard, including cigarette butts; putting empty cans back in the cooler so they can be put with recyclable items at home; and, if trash somehow finds its way overboard, go back and get it. Boaters are reminded to use good, clean boating maintenance methods, use pump out stations for sewage and work to prevent fuel and oil from entering the water.

"These simple steps, if used by boaters, could alleviate so much damage to our waterways and our environment," Besen said. "Like I tell students, learning simple habits now, pays off triplefold in years to come toward keeping our bays, harbors and waterways environmentally safe."