SO Rhode Island — Saving South County Shores, One Community Cleanup at a Time

Photos by David Silverman, Courtesy of ORCA

Apr 29, 2021
By Megan Monte

A Narragansett surfer runs local nonprofit’s beach cleanups to build community and keep shorelines healthy

Few areas demonstrate Rhode Island’s tie to the ocean better than South County. From fresh seafood and seaside restaurants to nautical styles, beloved beach days, and water activities, southern Rhode Island culture is deeply intertwined with the coastline. This same picture-perfect coastline, however, is not immune to an issue that harms the environment across the world: trash. Whether it washes in with the tide, gets deposited by the wind, or is left behind, non-biodegradable items of all shapes and sizes end up on beaches and in rocky outcroppings. Trash affects some locations much more than others, but litter anywhere affects the health of the ocean water that is so vital to South County life.

This very problem is why Narragansett surfer Kevin Carmignani jumped at the opportunity to become Project Coordinator of the Ocean Recovery Community Alliance, or ORCA, when it was created last summer. An initiative from the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR), ORCA’s main function is to run beach cleanups. For Carmignani, it’s not only a way to keep our coastline beautiful, but also a way to service the environment that has given him so much. “I’ve always had this connection to the ocean,” he reflects. “I moved to Rhode Island to be closer to the water to surf. I’m pretty much in the water all the time and what better way to take care of what I love and do it for a career.”

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