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Debris Free Oceans is a Miami-based organization that inspires local communities to responsibly manage the lifecycle of plastics and waste as part of a global initiative to eradicate marine debris from our beaches, reefs, and oceans.

We believe in shifting our culture towards a circular economy, where “waste” no longer exists and all consumables are part of a closed-loop lifecycle. Our messaging encourages us all to RETHINK single-use consumption and to embrace lifestyles with more action and less clutter. This begins with understanding how the 5Rs can be incorporated into all facets of society.

We promote ways to REDUCE the amount of waste we send to the landfill by refusing single-use plastics. We spawn innovative means to REUSE what we already have instead of spending time and money on products we don’t need. We promote RECYCLING and regenerating objects unfit for reuse into functional and indispensable innovations. We RECAPTURE marine debris to prevent its consumption by marine life, its harmful interaction with our global food web, and its impacts on the aesthetic and intrinsic values of our oceans. We advocate for the REDESIGN of marine debris into artistic and functional contributions to our society.

Annual Programs

01. Education

Educating students, organizations, businesses, and politicians about zero-waste lifestyles.

02. Cleanups

Merging Miami’s social scene with sustainability by cleaning up marine debris during beach parties and pub-crawl events.

03. Zero-Waste Lifestyle Events

Hosting zero-waste events highlighting how individuals, businesses, and communities can incorporate zero-waste principles into immediate and long-term strategy.

04. Sustainability Consulting

Consulting companies on how to eliminate waste, increase product reuse, and inspire other businesses and their consumers to live waste-free.

05. Law & Policy

Supporting law and policy reform that supports the responsible lifecycle management of plastics and waste.

06. Research

Researching marine debris to help fill gaps in knowledge regarding marine debris accumulation and dispersal.

Oh, & We Blog Sometimes

May 31, 2024 in Awareness, Cleanups, Education, Featured, Food for thought, Law & Policy, Single-Use Plastics

Reflecting on My Journey as a Chef Andrew Scholar

The Chef Andrew Scholar Program is a paid internship for college students based in South Florida who are passionate about empowering their community to go zero waste through education and…
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January 11, 2024 in Awareness, Consulting, Education, Featured, Food for thought, Single-Use Plastics

Trash Basel

Plastic Free Cities is an awesome program funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Program, to promote plastic free usage throughout businesses. The first step is to attend a 5 week…
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October 3, 2023 in Awareness, Consulting, Education, Featured, Food for thought, Single-Use Plastics

Waste Minimalism: How I Manage My Wardrobe

When I was 16, I had a bit of an eye-opener about how the fashion industry really shapes our world today. You see, in my family, it was totally normal…
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August 24, 2023 in Awareness, Consulting, Education, Featured, Food for thought, Single-Use Plastics

Plastic Free Cities Hialeah Cohort 1 recap!

That’s a wrap on our Hialeah #PlasticFreeCities cohort - what an amazing semester! In case you missed it, Plastic Free Cities is our NOAA-funded project in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy…
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May 19, 2023 in Awareness, Consulting, Education, Featured, Food for thought, Single-Use Plastics

Chef Andrew Scholar Program: Amanda Di Perna’s Experience

The Chef Andrew Scholar Program is a paid six-month internship for college students based in South Florida who are passionate about engaging with their community through education and outreach to…
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12,204
Students Educated about Plastic Pollution
50,174
Pounds of Trash Removed from Miami
14,451
People engaged at Zero-Waste lifestyle events