The Florida Aquarium hosted a coastal cleanup in Tampa to celebrate International Coastal Cleanup Day, Sept 16th. In three hours, three Aquarium team members and 14 volunteers collected 84.6 lbs of trash along 1-4 mile of coastline. They collected 23.4 lbs of recycling, 41.2 lbs of trash and 20 lbs of wood, everything from glass, plastic bottles, aluminum cans and plastic straws to shoes, shirts and cigarette lighters.
The 14 volunteers ranged from 10-years-old to teens and adults. One group of teenagers came as a team. Ocean trash affects the health of wildlife, people and local economies. Trash in the water and on the shore can be mistaken as food by wildlife, or entangle animals with lethal consequences. Plastic also attracts and concentrates other pollutants from surrounding seawater, posing a contamination risk to those species that then eat it.
All trash that was collected at Ballast Point Park was reported to Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful and tracked in the Marine Debris Tracker, a mobile application, which is a joint initiative between the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative, run out of the University of Georgia College of Engineering. The Florida Aquarium is proud to be one of 19 aquariums that belong to the Aquarium Conservation Partnership that has discontinued the use of plastic straws and single-use plastic bags.
Gulf Beaches Rotary sorting 1000 new clothes to be distributed to children in Foster Care, thru the Guardian at Litem Foundation and Raising Hope a huge thank you to M.Hidary & Co., for their generosity. Photo by Mitchell Shenkman
As our Tampa Bay community recovers from Hurricane Irma, we all share a sense of gratitude that our community was spared from what could have been much worse. Because we were so fortunate, Tampa Bay Watch has committed to helping our fellow Floridians who were affected by Hurricane Irma and are still struggling to recover. We are partnering with Everyday Hero Project and OperationFloat, who are coordinating relief efforts in Naples and the Everglades, and will continue providing relief where there is a need.
With our partners, Tampa Bay Watch is running a donation drive. Supplies can be dropped off at Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715. Other drop off locations include Awakening Wellness, 6161 9th St N, St. Petersburg, FL 33703 and Kriseman Headquarters, 1638 Dr M.L.K. Jr St N St Petersburg, FL 33704.
For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact: Catalina Farrington 808.389.1518 (Activate Tour) Operation Float coalition email: OperationFloatFL@gmail.com.
Monetary donations may be made to http://www.gofundme.com/OperationFloat-Florida Contributors can receive 501(c)(3) tax donation receipts from Everyday Hero Project 501c(3). Please email receipt requests to www.EverydayHeroSquad@gmail.com and include your name, address, photos (of receipts, goods, or cash/check), and total cash value. Operation Float’s project budget will be given upon request as they are operating with total transparency.