NJ man creates art from trash in effort to promote cleaner beaches at the Jersey Shore

One NJ man takes the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” seriously and for a good cause. 

Eduardo Jimenez starts his days off with a three-and-a-half to four-mile walk down the Brigantine beach every morning just 40 minutes before the sun fully rises. 

This all began during the pandemic when he and his wife moved to Brigantine from Monmouth County.

During COVID, the gym was not an option for Eduardo, so he opted for the long, therapeutic walks on the beach and the habit stuck with him. 

In the early days of starting his daily walks, the NJ resident noticed litter along the beach. This prompted him to do something to make a difference.

Eduardo now makes it his mission to pick up trash along his morning "trail" in an effort to promote and create cleaner beaches.

“I have a wish to never find trash,” the environmental cleanup advocate says.

While seeing litter at the beach is not an aesthetic look, it also has the potential to harm wildlife, both on the beach and if swept into the ocean.

According to the Office of Response and Restoration National and Atmospheric Administration, if ingested, marine debris can puncture animals' stomachs or create a false sense of fullness leading to illness or starvation.    

In addition, sea turtles, whales and other species can get entangled in plastic litter on beaches and in oceans which can be deadly for the animals. 

“I started using Instagram to promote the awareness of trash on the beach every single day,” Eduardo said. 

Once Eduardo gets home from his walk, he disposes of a good amount of the garbage, but not all of it. Some trash, he keeps to repurpose into art. 

The artist says he has made around 100 art pieces with the trash he found along the Brigantine beach since 2020. 

“Trash is free. So it's amazing. I don't have to have paints,” Eduardo said.

Due to his several years of dedication to make the Jersey Shore beach a cleaner place, he was honored with an award from the New Jersey Clean Communities Council.

This organization aims to work towards cleaner litter-free New Jersey beaches through clean-up crews, "skip the straw" initiatives and more. 

In addition to his recognition from the NJ Clean Communities Council, Eduardo also received recognition specifically for his art in local exhibitions. 

Eduardo’s collection "Seaside Salvage" is currently being showcased at the Brigantine Community School to show students how something like litter can be transformed into something bigger and more impactful. 

Brigantine Superintendent of Schools says, “Seeing the work that he's done with the pollution on the beaches, I think it's very important for our scholars to see that. To see what can be transformed into something better.”

“Seaside Salvage” is curated of several pieces of trash Eduardo made into many three-dimensional art fixtures.

Each piece is meant to inspire awareness and start discussions around coastal conservation all while encouraging the viewer to think twice before dropping a cigarette butt or releasing balloons into the sky. 

To help reach cleaner beaches, The United States Environmental Protection Agency has several practices the public can take when visiting beaches to reduce coastal litter :

• Dispose of trash properly in waste and recycling receptacles.
• Bring an extra bag with you so that you can bring your trash home if receptacles are not available.
• If your children use diapers, be sure to dispose of them properly in a receptacle.
• If you are fishing at the beach, be sure to collect and dispose of any broken or used fishing line.

In addition to the litter the art is made from, each frame that holds Eduardo’s work in his collection is made from discarded wooden pallets that the artist finds at local construction sites. 

“I'm not gonna clean the whole planet's trash, but at least I'm doing my little part, try to help and maybe others will also do their little part to help,” Eduardo says.