St. Joseph’s University, New York faculty and students participated in the annual Patchogue River Clean Up on Sunday morning, doing their part to remove garbage from on and around the Long Island Campus.
“The SJNY crew, including members of the Sustainability Committee, Department of Biology, Biology Club and Green Team, collected ~25 kg (55 pounds) of trash from Patchogue Lake, Waverly Avenue and around West Roe Boulevard in two hours,” said Konstantine Rountos, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, coordinator of the environmental studies minor and head of the Sustainability Committee. “Not too shabby!”
The event, hosted each year by the local group Protecting the Environment in Patchogue (PEP), drew 60 volunteers and collected 240 pounds of trash.
“Having the opportunity for the Biology club to work in tandem with the Green Team at St. Joe’s to participate in the Patchogue River Clean Up was a wonderful experience,” said Biology Club President Timothy Hirdt ’24, a biology major with a minor in chemistry and Spanish. “Events like this allow us to affect positive change on our local ecosystems. Keeping the Earth clean ensures a healthy place to live for us and future generations.”
Volunteers cleaning the lake used a canoe and paddles purchased with the help of donors who supported the Green Team during the University’s inaugural Giving Day in 2019.
“Getting involved in these sustainability efforts, or acts of service in general, is an amazing way to make a noticeable difference in your community,” said Green Team President Shane Muller ’25, a biology major preparing for medical school. “Not only does it make your community more environmentally friendly and sustainable, but it brings people closer together toward a common goal of helping the environment.”
Check out more photos from the event:
