Spring Break Beach Cleanup

Join City of Miami Beach staff for a day of fun and environmental stewardship. Let’s keep the beaches beautiful together!

What to Bring for Safety:

• Reusable water bottle to stay hydrated
• Sunscreen for protection against the sun
• Hats and sunglasses for extra shade
• Gloves to keep hands clean and safe

Understand what not to do. Stay out of the dunes. Dunes protect coastal properties and seaweed acts as a valuable source of nutrients for flora and fauna. Trespassing is not only harmful to the habitat but illegal in the City of Miami Beach.

Know what to look for. The hunt is on for the dangerous items that pose a threat to marine wildlife. Did you know the most common item consumed by seagulls is bottle caps? Many seabirds cannot tell the difference between food and tiny pieces of plastic. Plastic bags are also deadly for sea turtles who often mistake them for the jellyfish they eat. Taking two to 10 years to biodegrade, cigarettes can also be consumed and harmful to a marine animal’s well-being. Litter, from aluminum cans to empty bags of chips, comes in all shapes and sizes. No one wants to go to the beach and see garbage on the sand or in the water. Keep it separate. Place trash bags on the east side of the wire mesh cans so Miami-Dade County can easily pick them up. Recyclables, such as plastic, aluminum, glass, paper and cardboard containers belong next to the wire mesh can that has a recycling wrap around it.

Track it. Download the CleanSwell app to track all the items you found! The data you enter contributes to a global snapshot of ocean trash/debris. This information provides researchers and policy-makers insight into solutions that can help mitigate the problem. Through the app, you can track your cleanup history which allows you to see the impact you’ve had on protecting our planet!

For more information on how the City of Miami Beach is keeping beaches clean, please visit MBRisingAbove.com.