Miami Beach Cleanup with Park View Island Sustainable Development Association


Miami Beach, Florida
August 20, 2022

Overview

On Saturday, August 20th, 2022, The International SeaKeepers Society co-hosted a cleanup on 73rd Street Beach in North Miami with Park View Island Sustainable Development Association; a non-profit focused on addressing neighborhood concerns, community improvement, and sustainable development for a brighter future. Sixteen volunteers joined us in cleaning 109 pounds of trash from the sands and dunes of the site, and among these volunteers were both Laura Dominguez and Gustavo Ortega, who are currently running for office here in Florida. Laura Dominguez is running for Commissioner of the City of Miami Beach, and Gustavo Ortega is running for State Representative. We were happy to see those running to represent us involved in their community and demonstrating their care for our coastal environment. The most common items collected at this cleanup were cigarettes and beverage bottles, both glass and plastic.

Outing Goal

CleanSwell is a trash collection mobile app developed by Ocean Conservancy and utilized by volunteers at each of our cleanups that allows them to record the types and quantities of trash found during their clean. Our mission at SeaKeepers begins with the foundation of research followed by the education of communities that empower them to protect and restore the surrounding coastal and marine environments. Data from the CleanSwell app is included in a global database that scientists everywhere can access and provides a means of identifying pollution trends that are location specific. Using CleanSwell at our cleanups involves community members in the Ocean Conservancy’s pursuit of evidence based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and people that depend on it, as well as provides the data necessary for effective local legislation to be written accomplishing the SeaKeepers’ goal of protection and eventual restoration. This cleanup, 50% of volunteers participated in tracking their trash with CleanSwell, and 36% of the trash was accounted for.

Photo Gallery

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