Get sand in your shoes this weekend!
September 11th, 2006 by admin
This weekend (Saturday, September 16), thousands of volunteers across Florida will participate in the International Coastal Cleanup, an annual event to clean up the coastal environment.
Volunteers not only collect debris but also collect and report information to help determine where marine debris is coming from, and to evaluate its impact on wildlife.
During last year’s cleanup, over 25,000 volunteers across the state picked up over 500,000 pounds of debris. Cigarettes accounted for almost 30% of all items collected. Caps and lids, and food wrappers were also a big problem. Although not as commonly found, debris such as fishing line, plastic bags and balloons can be especially dangerous to wildlife. In 2005, volunteers in Florida found 3 dead birds entangled in discarded fishing line.
Can you spare a few hours this Saturday morning? To get involved in a clean-up near you, click here: Florida Coastal Cleanups.