Rockaway, a quaint neighborhood in Queens, New York, known for its expansive beach and sunny skies, is at risk of being swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean. With each passing year, Rockaway citizens like myself can’t help but notice our beloved beach is slowly slipping away. However, there is an achievable way to help prevent our beloved peninsula from becoming a part of the sea. By keeping our beaches clean, we will maintain enjoyable beaches for years to come. Beach animals confuse plastics with food, and ingesting these microplastics cause harm. The same plastics that harm these animals destroy the environment. The more plastics there are in the water, the higher the level of greenhouse gasses. High temperatures from gasses cause water to rise as it warms, acting as a main contributor to erosion of Rockaway beaches. To improve our local beaches, we can make a simple goal to remove garbage from them. I will be teaching the students at my old religious school about the importance of keeping our beaches clean and how caring for our planet is a mitzvah (good deed done from religious duty.) We will walk to the beach for a cleanup event for everyone to participate.