Environmental organizations and Native Americans of Hudson Valley came together on Earth Day for the Blessing of the Hudson River.

The group tossed wampum shells, which were once used as money, into the river as a way of giving back.

This is the 15th year the group blessed the Hudson as a celebration of Earth Day. They say it's a way to keep the need for environmental conservation front of mind.

"My grandmother used to say the river is our food, it's our water, it's our life. And without water and food, we're no longer here. So, we have to respect it and keep it clean," says Marcey Langhorne, of the Ramapough Lenape Nation.

The group says residents can make a difference every day through easy steps, including using reusable bottles, planting milkweed and not putting chemicals on lawns.