MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Right now, the Florida Senate Rules Committee just advanced a bill that would ban any local laws that would regulate plastic.
Meanwhile, in Miami-Dade County last weekend alone, more than 16 tons of trash was removed from our marine environment. The majority of it was, as you may have guessed, plastic.
It was part of the pre-Earth Day annual county-wide cleanup known as Baynanza where hundreds of volunteers roll up their sleeves to do their part to save Biscayne Bay.
Baynanza 2025 officially started at Homestead Bayfront Park.
The countywide clean up, now in its 43rd year, brought out almost 4,000 volunteers to remove all the trash littering Miami-Dade parks, waterways and shorelines at 32 sites from Aventura down to Biscayne National Park.
Twelve volunteers from Clean This Beach Up attacked Sands Key, just north of Elliott Key to pick up 2,330 pounds of debris.
“Save Biscayne Bay and don’t trash our treasure,” said MJ Algarra, founder of Clean This Beach Up.
Clean Miami Beach hit the shoreline at Alto Del Mar Park off 76th Street and Collins Avenue.
“With the help of 113 volunteers we picked over 300 pounds of trash,” said Founder and Executive Director of Clean Miami Beach Sophie Ringel.
The only way out is to stop the problem at the source.
The majority of what was picked up was single-use plastic.
In fact, a 2021 FDEP report found that an estimated 7,000 tons of plastic enter Florida’s marine environment every year. So why are some state lawmakers currently trying to pass a bill that would ban local governments from regulating plastic?
“It’s shooting ourselves in the foot,” said environmentalist Andrew Otazo. “It’s the dumbest possible move you can make. We depend on these environments for our livelihoods.”
Biscayne Bay represents a $64 billion economic engine for Miami-Dade County and provides us a lifestyle that’s the envy of millions around the world. No wonder thousands of volunteers of all ages stepped up to protect it.
The kids from Ojus Elementary came out in force to help clean up Sandspur Island in the northern bay, by Florida International University.
“People are being really bad because they don’t care about the ecosystem,” said 9-year-old Aquiles Salas.
“We have to take care of our planet and our ecosystem, so we can stay alive and stay on planet Earth,” added 7-year-old Carlos McLiberty.
Elsewhere, a brother sister team from Culter Bay made Baynanza a family affair.
“We’ve been doing it with our parents for years now, probably close to over a decade,” said volunteer Kayla Hinchey. “South Florida is beautiful. We’re just doing our part to keep up with the environment and its natural beauty.”
“There’s a lot of trash and plastics around, and it’s bad for the animals,” added Matthew Hinchey. “It’s bad for us. It’s ugly. So, yeah, just doing our part.”
Sixteen-year-old Guillermo Jaramillio was celebrating a family birthday on the beach, but saw the cleanup and pitched in.
“Now I know (there is a problem) and now I’m going to keep an eye out for it and definitely pick up more trash whenever I see it,” said Jaramillo.
The resounding message was clear.
“I think if we don’t all contribute something to the planet, it’s just going to become worse and worse,” said high school senior Dana Arismendi.
Miami-Dade County reported this year’s Baynanza removed a whopping 35,000 single-use. of trash from our most precious backyard.
Baynanza is organized every year by Miami-Dade’s Division of Environmental Resource Management. It was founded by the late great public servant Harvey Ruvin back in 1983 as a way to honor Earth Month.
Earth Day, by the way, is Tuesday, but you don’t have to wait until then to show your love for our planet, because every day is Earth Day.
Regarding the Florida Senate bill that aims to ban local governments from regulating plastic, it will soon be placed to a vote. The Florida House version of the bill is stalled.
If you want your voice heard on this, now is the time to reach out to your local representative and senator and let them know how you feel.
RELATED LINKS
https://volunteercleanup.org/events/
https://www.miamiandbeaches.com/events/earth-day-guide
https://www.miamidade.gov/global/news-item.page?Mduid_news=news1679951811283497