When you think of items to be recycled, you likely think of glass, paper, plastic, or metal, but I suspect few readers had oyster shells on their mind.
However, on Cape Cod, the Massachusetts Oyster Project partners with restaurants to collect their shells and place them in the water as an ideal underlying layer for baby oysters to attach to as an oyster reef grows. The project has collected over 66,000 pounds of shells that would otherwise go to a landfill.
But the real benefits of the project come from what oysters provide. Oysters are a valuable component of the island’s climate change mitigation strategy. They filter seawater that can lead to harmful algal blooms, create reefs that can reduce the impact of storm surges and limit coastal erosion, and provide homes for other shellfish. The shells help to restore the oyster reefs and grow the oyster population.
Personally, I am not a fan of the slimy appetizers, but I am delighted by the project to save them. Kudos to the volunteers who took this on as their project.
There is a non-profit organization for almost every issue imaginable. Support those groups that are working for causes you believe in, either with time or money. Don’t leave all the hard work to others.
