Coastal News

With Biscayne Bay at a Tipping Point, Ocean Conservancy Launches “Plastic Free Cities”

Studies show the health of Biscayne Bay is in crisis, with pollution killing off coral, fish and nearly 80 percent of the seagrass. Ocean Conservancy, the nation’s oldest marine conservation nonprofit, is empowering high school students to take action.

This Saturday October 14, students celebrated the launch of “Plastic Free Cities” with a cleanup challenge at Goodlet Park in Hialeah in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy, Debris Free Oceans and Big Blue & You.

Under this new program, high school students will learn innovative ways local businesses can improve sustainability. Then, the students will go out and talk to business owners in person, encouraging them to enroll in Miami-Dade’s Plastic Free 305 program. It’s a pledge to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics.

“We believe the next generation has a voice and can bring new energy to inspire local businesses to help protect our environment,” said Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker, Ocean Conservancy’s Director of Florida Conservation. “Because what happens on land has a lasting impact on the health of Biscayne Bay, the Miami River and the ocean.”

Earlier this year, Ocean Conservancy was first in the nation to commission a comprehensive study on the sources of plastic pollution in Miami. Researchers recorded 10,122 litter items and 55% were commonly used plastic items like food wrappers and tobacco products. The report showed plastic fragments, food wrappers, and tobacco products are the top items contributing to urban litter in Miami, consistent with data from Ocean Conservancy's annual International Coastal Cleanup.

The health of Biscayne Bay impacts the city’s economy. Miami-Dade County’s annual GDP is over $100 billion, and a large part of it stems from real estate, trade, and tourism, all of which depend on a healthy environment. A study by the Downtown Development Authority reported the taxable value of the downtown’s property including the waterfront is $39 billion.

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