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Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is a powerful reminder that every community holds tremendous strengths — and that each of us is able to help those strengths shine. On this day, we honor Dr. King’s belief that “everybody can be great, because everybody can serve” by working together to create meaningful, positive change where it’s needed most. One accessible and impactful way people contribute to their neighborhoods is through community cleanups. A cleaner environment not only improves public spaces but also encourages others to care for the places they call home. With consistent effort and supportive policy, cultural norms around litter can shift — helping all residents enjoy healthier, safer, and more vibrant surroundings.  This year, the Littoral Society and our partners at Southeast Gateway Community Action Partnership and United Advocacy were awarded a small grant from the New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission to host a community cleanup in Bridgeton where we’ve long collaborated on green stormwater infrastructure projects.
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 Yesterday, New Jersey took a major step forward in protecting people, nature, and communities from the increasing threats of climate change by officially adopting the NJ Protecting Against Climate Threats (PACT) Resilient Environments and Landscapes (REAL) Rules.
These updated regulations modernize how the state approaches flooding, sea-level rise, wetlands protection, stormwater, and land use, because the risks we face now are very different from the risks we faced in the past. At their core, these rules are about keeping people from flooding over and over again. Why These Rules Matter New Jersey is both densely developed and deeply shaped by water. With nearly 1,800 miles of coastline and approximately 18,000 miles of rivers and streams, New Jerseyans need policies and practices that reflect how water moves through our communities and how climate change is affecting flooding, rainfall, and storms. Much of our state was planned and built at a time when sea-level rise, heavier rainfall, stronger storms, and chronic flooding were not fully understood. The REAL rules update New Jersey’s regulations to reflect today’s science and on-the-ground realities, helping communities plan for what’s coming rather than relying on outdated assumptions.  Walkers on Sandy Hook wade through blowing sand.  Alexandra Kanonik, director of the Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter, carries a signal mirror on the New York walk. January blew in with a spirited 25–35 mph breeze this year, but a little wind was never going to stop a 50-year tradition. On January 1, 2026, the American Littoral Society celebrated five decades of New Year’s Day walks, bringing together a hardy community of coastal defenders on both sides of the New York/New Jersey Bight.
At our headquarters on Sandy Hook, nearly 200 people turned out to commemorate our golden anniversary trek. The destination was the northern tip of the Hook, a journey that became a true test of resolve as the final mile was spent walking almost directly into the gale. While not everyone made it to the very end, we were grateful to have so many Littoral Society members and supporters come out to our offices on Sandy Hook and help commemorate the 50th anniversary of our first-day walk. On the other side of the water, our New York contingent gathered outside the Little Chapel in Fort Tilden for a walk along Breezy Point. The "breezy" name lived up to expectations, but the group kept spirits high with coffee and doughnuts. |
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