Cannabis Crew Cleans Up Coast
On Monday, August 29th, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay teamed up with Coast Cannabis Co. and Apothca to clean up Kings Beach in Lynn. Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson met the group to thank them for their efforts to keep the city’s beaches clean and therefore accessible.
“Keeping our beach clean is a team effort,” said Mayor Jared Nicholson. “Save the Harbor/Save the Bay plays an important role with their advocacy for environmental protection, particularly the marine environment, and I’m grateful for their collaborative approach to make our beach safe and accessible for everyone.”
Save the Harbor Executive Director (and Swampscott Resident) Chris Mancini led the cleanup, putting it in the context of the larger effort to try and eliminate bacterial contamination from the swimming beach. "King's Beach is one of the dirtiest beaches in the Commonwealth, due to stormwater and sewer contamination from Stacey's Brook," Mancini said. "But even on days when you can't swim, hundreds of people rely on the beach and waterfront for recreation, exercise, or just enjoying the incredible view of the sea and skyline. We're grateful to folks like Apothca and Coast who can help our partners at the Department of Conservation and Recreation keep this site as trash-free as possible."
Save the Harbor continues to work with Lynn, Swampscott, the DCR and the Department of Public Health to drive efforts to clean the water at Kings Beach and make it safe for swimming.
“COAST Cannabis Co. was founded on the idea that wellness can be found in nature. With a name like COAST, it's no surprise that we believe that everyone can find wellness and inner peace at the beaches and beautiful waterways for their own mental well-being. That starts with access,” said Angela Brown, co-founder and CEO of Coast Cannabis Co. “That's why we help organizations that are focused on cleaning up our coastline and waterways in Massachusetts, as well as those that are committed to making and keeping them accessible to all.”
“APOTHCA is more than proud to be part of this community. Being the first dispensary established in Lynn back in 2018, we have led by example over the years volunteering and helping our City in every way we can from cleaning downtown Lynn to volunteering at My Brothers table,” said Joseph Estrella, Marketing Coordinator at Apothca. “For our staff, it’s more than just volunteer work. A good portion of our team are natives to this beloved city. Being part of our community means ensuring our neighbors are able to grow and prosper in our beautiful city for generations to come.”
In total, the volunteer team removed 50 pounds of trash from Kings Beach. The trash mostly consisted of cigarette butts and small plastics, items that marine animals commonly mistake for food. The group also identified nine deceased seagulls and notified the Department of Conservation and Recreation for their removal.
For other groups or individuals that want to be involved in future beach cleanups, contact Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. Visit savetheharbor.org