On June 13th, MAR hosted a beach clean up at Madeira Beach, in celebration of World Oceans Month! About 25 volunteers joined us at the beach on this Saturday morning, and together we were able to remove over 100 pounds of garbage from this beautiful coastal habitat!
A Closer Look at Madeira Beach
Upon first arrival at Madeira Beach, it did not look to be too heavily covered in trash. However as our volunteers set out walking along the beach, they began to find lots of garbage of all different sizes that was not visible at first glance. From large construction debris to tiny microplastics, volunteers collected everything they could find and carry. Someone even found a large metal stake with a pointed end sticking out of the water! The total weight of trash we removed from the beach ended up being an impressive 108.5 pounds!
The Bigger Picture Behind Every Beach Clean Up
Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we were able to make a lasting positive impact on the Madeira Beach ecosystem, in only a couple of hours! Trash on beaches can pose serious dangers to sea turtles, shorebirds, dolphins, and countless other species that live in and around these waters.This is why removing said trash is so important! Beach clean ups not only improve the appearance of beaches, but also protect ecosystems and their inhabitants from the damage that garbage can cause. As we celebrate World Oceans Month this June, we are reminded that the health of our oceans starts right here, on the shores we love.
The Next Step Towards a Cleaner Coast
Although World Oceans Month is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean we should stop fighting to make the ocean a cleaner and healthier place. Next month, the Plastic Free Foundation will be celebrating Plastic Free July, inviting participants around the world to pledge to reduce their single use plastic usage for one month. This is a great way to prevent plastic pollution before it reaches our beaches! Visit their website to make your own pledge to protect the ocean!
Event Photos
