Caring for the Great South Bay begins on land and you can be part of the solution. We invite architects and students to join us for a hands-on environmental cleanup focused on improving the quality of water flowing into the bay. By removing litter, debris, and invasive species, you’ll help protect this vital ecosystem while earning AIA Learning Units.

For architects, this work highlights an essential shift in design thinking. Rather than treating a site as isolated, architects are challenged to consider the entire water system; how runoff, landscaping, and material choices impact nearby creeks and, ultimately, the bay. This perspective leads to more responsible design strategies, including stormwater management, native planting, and natural filtration features like bioswales.

In short, programs like this push architecture toward working with ecosystems, not against them making environmental impact a core part of the design process rather than an afterthought.