Action today so future generations can enjoy ocean activities
Ocean Program
Our Ocean program relaunched at the start of the beach season in early June, where we began measuring bacteria levels again at 13 popular recreational locations in order to understand the sources of bacteria – whether it is human or animal sourced – using the EPA’s Stormwater Tool Kit for Bacterial Source Tracking. We also reignited performing a 4-point test along Bailey Brook to better understand the source of bacteria along the stream before it enters the North Green End Pond which supplies drinking water to the entire island. All of this amazing work is completed by our community science volunteers who collect the water samples on Thursday mornings, organize the water samples so our team can drive them to the lab, and perform the in-house testing for our Bacterial Source Tracking project. So, a big THANK YOU to our volunteers for performing the field work so we can use the water sampling data to further improve ocean health!  
Land to Sea Speaker Series
We are excited to announce that we will be launching our Land to Sea Speaker Series starting in October and continuing each month until May! The Land to Sea Speaker Series aims to inspire and empower the local
community to take actionable steps to improve our local environment by highlighting past and present projects which address water quality impairments and improvements on Aquidneck Island. The series will also explore how composting can be used as a method for improving ocean health. This series will provide our community members with background knowledge of our vibrant coastal ecosystems and the tools for making responsible decisions so residents and visitors can enjoy the Aquidneck Island shoreline for generations to come. Please join us for the first
event on October 13th at 6:30 p.m. Stay tuned for more details about this event and the entire series!
Circular Economy
To position the sailing and marine community as leaders for environmental sustainability, we are thrilled to announce a grant from 11th Hour Racing for our shrink wrap recycling project! This innovative initiative is designed to advance the re-use of shrink wrap (plastic film) that is commonly used with seasonal boat storage, as well as within the agriculture, automotive and construction industries. With over 140,000 pounds of material recycled in year #1, we are now tackling the challenge of creating regional partnerships and a circular economy, sharing the true costs and values, and exploring reusable options.
Strategic Planning
After our founding grassroots efforts and years of hustling to create a nonprofit organization, we are officially on our way to creating our first board-led strategic plan. The Board of Directors has formed a strategic planning committee (Ben Tuff, Julie Frost, Sean Daly, Tracey Cunningham, and Dionysios Skaliotis) and hired the New Kensington Group to create our first strategic plan. In the coming weeks and months, we will be reaching out to the community for input and ideas, as we continue our commitment of positioning Clean Ocean Access for success for years to come.
Staying On Track!
Over the past six months, we’ve certainly missed hosting community and fundraising events that provide us the opportunity to connect with our COA friends, volunteers and sponsors. Those many events help to sustain our work throughout the year. We appreciate the partnerships we have with all of our dedicated supporters who share our vision for clean beaches, healthy water quality, and access to our beautiful shorelines. YOU help us to fulfill our mission and together we are making a difference for our environment! And although the pandemic has impacted our fundraising efforts, our work continues unabated. In fact, with the demand for disposable protective equipment and the increase of single-use plastics, our mission is even more relevant now than ever. 
We understand this year has presented challenges for all of us in different ways, however, we hope we can still count on your support at this time. Please help us continue to move our mission forward by making a secure donation today! THANK YOU for believing in our vision and partnering with us to keep our oceans healthy and our local shorelines enjoyable for all! 
RI Department of Health
As one of Rhode Island’s most active community nonprofits, we are pleased to announce our partnership with the RI Department of Health (RIDOH) through their new Crushing COVID initiative! This innovative program was designed by the RIDOH to mitigate the spread of the COVID virus by working together with community groups like Clean Ocean Access and leveraging our reach to the public. Through this partnership, the RIDOH provides protective supplies such as reusable face masks, as well as project support, so that we can distribute supplies to the public while also helping to educate them on best practices to stay safe. Join us at one of our beach cleanups and visit our Crushing COVID Outside Together! information table and help Rhode Island crush COVID!
About Clean Ocean Access: Since 2006 our mission is action today so future generations can enjoy ocean activities with a vision of a healthy ocean that is free of marine debris with water that is safe for all ocean activities and a shoreline that is accessible for everyone. Learn more at cleanoceanaccess.org/.