Saturday, September 15th, was the 2012 International Coastal Clean Up, organized by the Ocean Conservancy (and locally by the Robert Allen Law Firm). University of Miami faculty, staff, and students participated by cleaning up their little pieces of paradise and teaching children about the importance of a clean ocean.
The RSMAS community cleaned the University’s Virginia Key beach. We had over 20 people participate and together they picked up hundreds of pieces of plastic and Styrofoam, over 100 bottles and cans, close to 100 straws, 15 articles of clothing, a battery, fireworks, and much more! By noon, the dumpster was full and our beach was clean (at least temporarily).
Three current UM students (Nate Formel, Kelly Montenero, and Virginia Ansaldi) and one RSMAS alumna (Danni Washington, Big Blue & You Foundation) partnered with Greg Anderson and the City of Miami to bring 15 children to clean up a local barrier island. They taught the students about the native ecosystem and why it is important to keep Biscayne Bay clean, and then eagerly picked up a huge amount of trash!
UM Biology students who are spending the Fall 2012 semester at the Isabela Oceanographic Institute in the Galapagos Islands cleaned the coast of Puerto Villamil, their home for the next few months. They teamed up with local residents to ensure that their beaches, mangroves, and wetlands were trash-free.
How did you participate in the International Coastal Clean Up?
-Laura Bracken
Outreach Manager
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