“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” That spirit was at the heart of Save The Great South Bay’s recent Speaker Series, Keeping Long Island Beautiful: Uniting Efforts to Clean, Restore, and Steward Our Island, held on July 24 at The View in Oakdale.
Every day across Long Island, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, environmental groups, businesses, schools, civic associations, and volunteers are working to improve the places we call home. They organize cleanups, restore habitats, educate residents, advocate for stronger environmental policies, and inspire others to get involved.
But one question inspired this year’s Speaker Series:
What could we accomplish if we worked together even more intentionally?
The event brought together environmental professionals, municipal leaders, nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and community volunteers for an engaging discussion focused on sharing successful programs, strengthening partnerships, and identifying new opportunities to work together to protect Long Island’s environment.
A Panel of Leaders, One Shared Mission
The morning featured an outstanding panel representing different sectors of the environmental community.
David Wheeler, Vice President of National Partnerships for Keep America Beautiful, discussed how lasting environmental change begins by building civic pride and empowering residents to become active stewards of their communities. While cleanups are essential, he emphasized that long-term success comes from changing behaviors through education, volunteer engagement, and creating a sense of ownership in the places we live.
David also shared the organization’s “Love Your Happy Place” campaign, which encourages people to reconnect with their communities through service. Simple actions—whether participating in the Great American Cleanup or reporting the litter collected during a neighborhood cleanup—help individuals feel connected to something much larger than themselves.
Rich Groh, Chief Environmental Analyst for the Town of Babylon, provided a municipal perspective on protecting water quality. Drawing on nearly four decades of experience in watershed management, stormwater planning, wetland restoration, and environmental permitting, he explained how infrastructure improvements, thoughtful planning, and regional collaboration reduce pollution before it ever reaches our bays and waterways.
Representing Balloon Mission, founder Cynthia Seibold shared how one environmental concern evolved into a regional movement. Through partnerships with more than 115 organizations, educational outreach, advocacy, and the installation of approximately 60 educational signs throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Balloon Mission has significantly increased public awareness about balloon litter and its impacts on wildlife. Her presentation served as a reminder that preventing pollution at its source is every bit as important as removing it after it enters the environment.
Representing Save The Great South Bay, James Bertsch, Co-Chair of the organization’s Creek Defender Program, spoke about the power of community leadership. Through local volunteers who adopt and care for their waterways, the Creek Defender Program has demonstrated that ordinary citizens can create extraordinary environmental impact. By organizing cleanups, building relationships with local stakeholders, and inspiring neighbors to get involved, volunteers become ambassadors for their own communities.
Guiding the conversation was moderator Theresa Block, founder of Sonas Integrative Strategies. Drawing on her experience as both a Fortune 500 marketing executive and environmental advocate, Theresa facilitated a thoughtful discussion focused on collaboration, innovation, and expanding the collective impact of environmental stewardship efforts across Long Island.
Protecting the Bay Starts Upstream
Opening the event, Save The Great South Bay Executive Director Robyn Silvestri reminded attendees that protecting the Great South Bay begins long before pollution reaches the water.
“What happens upstream ultimately impacts our bays.”
That philosophy guides every initiative at Save The Great South Bay.
Through the Creek Defender Program, volunteers organize cleanups and monitor waterways stretching from Massapequa to Mastic Beach. The Great South Bay Oyster Project continues restoring one of nature’s most effective water filters, with more than 1.4 million oysters planted throughout the bay. Education and advocacy efforts are helping residents better understand local water quality through community outreach and the upcoming South Shore Bays Water Quality Report Card, while the Bay Friendly Yards initiative empowers homeowners to reduce polluted runoff using native plants, rain gardens, and sustainable landscaping practices.
Together, these programs reinforce a simple truth: healthier neighborhoods create healthier waterways.
Collaboration Creates Bigger Impact
One message surfaced repeatedly throughout the morning:
No single organization can solve Long Island’s environmental challenges alone.
Municipal governments bring resources and infrastructure. Nonprofits contribute education, restoration, and volunteer engagement. Community organizations mobilize local residents. Businesses provide support and leadership. Volunteers donate their time, energy, and passion.
When those efforts are coordinated rather than isolated, everyone benefits.
The discussion explored how organizations can better share resources, promote one another’s volunteer opportunities, collaborate on educational campaigns, and amplify successful initiatives instead of working independently.
Rather than duplicating efforts, the goal is to build a stronger network where every organization contributes its unique strengths toward a shared vision of a cleaner, healthier Long Island.
Every Volunteer Matters
One of the most inspiring themes of the event was recognizing the extraordinary impact of ordinary people. Whether organizing a creek cleanup, planting native species, restoring oyster habitat, educating neighbors, or simply picking up litter during an evening walk, every action contributes to protecting Long Island’s environment. Environmental stewardship isn’t reserved for scientists or government agencies.
It belongs to all of us.
Each volunteer, each cleanup, each educational conversation, and each restored habitat helps create healthier waterways and stronger communities for generations to come.
Looking Ahead
The Speaker Series was never intended to be a one-day conversation.
It was the beginning of a broader effort to strengthen partnerships, connect organizations, and build a more coordinated environmental movement across Long Island. By sharing ideas, celebrating successes, and working together, we can accomplish far more than any one organization could achieve alone. Because protecting Long Island isn’t the responsibility of a single group. It’s a shared commitment.
And together, we can keep Long Island beautiful—from our neighborhoods and parks to our creeks, rivers, bays, and beaches.
Get Involved
Whether you’re interested in joining a Creek Defender cleanup, volunteering with the Great South Bay Oyster Project, creating a Bay Friendly Yard, or supporting one of the many outstanding environmental organizations working across Long Island, there’s a place for you.
Visit www.BeautifyLI.org to explore volunteer opportunities from organizations throughout Long Island and discover how your time and talents can make a lasting difference.
Together, we’re building a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful Long Island—one partnership, one volunteer, and one community at a time.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Events like the Keeping Long Island Beautiful Speaker Series would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We extend our sincere gratitude to New York League of Conservation Voters, Reworld, and Lessing’s Hospitality Group for their commitment to environmental stewardship and community engagement. Their support helped bring together leaders from across Long Island to share ideas, build partnerships, and inspire collective action to protect our waterways and communities. We are grateful for their investment in creating a cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful Long Island for future generations.