The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the men’s international soccer tournament, with 48 national teams playing 104 matches across three countries (U.S., Mexico, Canada) from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Miami is hosting 7 matches at Hard Rock Stadium (called “Miami Stadium”) during the tournament. Those 7 include group stage games plus knockout rounds, reaching as far as a quarterfinal and the third-place (“Bronze Final”) match. Given the stadium’s capacity of approximately 65,000 fans, we could see nearly 455,000 seats filled across all matches.

Additionally, the official FIFA Fan Festival™ Miami will be taking place at Bayfront Park. Local host and tourism partners have said it will last more than 20 days, host more than 30,000 fans per day, and feature dozens of live match broadcasts, concerts, interactive zones, and food & beverage vendors. If estimated capacity is reached each day, we could see more than 600,000 individuals visiting Fan Fest.

These two official events represent more than one million consumers, but does not include the hundreds of unofficial events and World Cup watch parties that will be taking place across Miami-Dade. We anticipate hundreds of thousands of disposable cups being used and disposed of over the course of the games in Miami-Dade, a County that is already experiencing a waste crisis with all landfills nearing capacity and recycling rates falling short.

The good news: there are proven solutions. Large-scale reusable cup systems already operate successfully at major sporting events, festivals, and fan zones around the world, handling crowds in the tens and hundreds of thousands through deposit-return, incentive-based, or managed reuse models. These systems are designed for high-volume events, with centralized collection, commercial washing, and rapid redistribution, dramatically reducing waste while maintaining smooth operations and positive fan experiences. Example companies that provide this professional service include CupZero, Vytal, Bold Reuse, and r.World.

For bars, breweries, and smaller venues, switching to reusable cups is even simpler. Many already have dishwashing infrastructure in place, making it easy to wash and reuse durable cups on-site. Reusables reduce the need for constant re-ordering of disposables, lower storage demands, cut trash hauling costs, and perform better during high-traffic events like World Cup watch parties. Together, large-event reuse systems and bar-level reuse offer a practical, cost-effective path to dramatically reducing cup waste during the World Cup, without sacrificing convenience, speed, or the fan experience.

With support from a $500 mini-grant from The 5 Gyres Institute, the Zero Waste Miami coalition mobilized to advocate for reuse at the Miami World Cup matches and related events. In November 2025, we submitted a sign-on letter to the Miami Host Committee requesting the inclusion of reuse and refill initiatives at the FIFA Fan Festival, and offering our support with planning and implementation. To amplify this effort, we developed the #KickTheCup campaign, featuring ready-to-share content that empowers organizations and individuals to engage their communities, tag their favorite venues, bars, and event producers, and encourage them to #KickTheCup by swapping disposable cups with reusables at World Cup events.

Join the movement and head to our social media toolkit to participate!

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 workshop where students will be taught everything needed to know on plastic. After attending these workshops, students will become Junior Sustainability consultants, where they will approach businesses and offer plastic free alternatives, and would also offer the Plastic 305 program. 

On December 10th, 2023, DDCUS Plastic Free cities hosted Trash Basel. This was an event where students designed their own art pieces from trash particles. There were so many plastic pieces of many colors and shapes, and they were used to create beautiful designs. So many students came and  collaborated by creating canvasses with their friends and peers.

Another thing to shout out is that so many speakers came to talk about their task and experience with their time at PFC! Some of these awesome speakers were Dulce Pantaleon, a sustainable manager from City of Doral, Sarah Perez, DDCUS Student, Milly, PFC Mentor, Alejandro Ganaza, PFC Mentor, and more! Following these amazing speakers, the Florida Regional Debris Coordinator ( PFC Founder) and Ana Zangronis, Florida Sea Grant Miami-Dade County Exposition attended our amazing Trash Basel.

To add on, Trash Basel took place in Doral Yard. Doral Yard is an amazing dining place wich offers so many types of foods. An amazing news is how Doral Yard joined Level 2 of Plastic Free 305. Plastic Free 305 is a Miami-Dade County Program where it encourages businesses to reduce and eliminate the use of single-use plastics, therefore, when businesses join the different levels, they adopt reusable and sustainable materials in their businesses. Trash Basel was such an amazing and fun event because everyone was welcome to join us and to learn!

Speaking of my personal experience, Natalia De Prisco, this program was so fun and at the same time demanding due to the opportunity to be able to learn things about plastic to a greater extent. The PFC group went to restaurants to give business owners alternatives of single-plastic products, which benefited their businesses. I also made more friendships and worked on my leadership and public speaking skills. This program has taught me a bunch of lifelong experiences and information. I’m forever grateful to have joined this amazing program because not only did my peers and myself learn about plastic but we applied these skills taught to us into the real world. Shout out to Maddie, Milly, Maggie, and Arianna for making PFC at Downtown Doral Charter Upper School amazing!

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 to have multiple copies of something, and we thought it was a big deal.

But as time went on, those “big deals” ended up stashed away in boxes, never to see the light of day again. Then came 2019, a year that turned out to be a real learning experience for me. I originally set out to learn about financial literacy, but little did I know, this journey would completely change how I looked at my wardrobe.

The word ‘minimalism‘ started to take on a whole new meaning for me. It began to signify freedom – not just in terms of finances but also in cutting down on fast fashion. I dove into documentaries about how fast fashion impacts the United States and, more importantly, the damage it does to underdeveloped countries. The sad truth is that this industry’s pollution continues to wreak havoc on marginalized communities worldwide, from landfills to beaches and waterways.

This newfound awareness lit a fire under me, pushing me to rethink my shopping choices and take a closer look at the story behind the clothes. After connecting with others and hearing their stories, I found myself asking, “How can I change my life?”

So, I embraced the idea of “quality over quantity” and started shopping smarter. I found two options that really worked for me. First, I began investing in quality items that were built to last and were versatile and sustainable. And second, I dipped my toes into the world of second-hand fashion. I got involved with a business that supported the second-hand fashion community, where people could buy and sell gently-used items. This led me to start my own small business, selling items that had lost their charm for me. I loved the idea of giving these items a second chance to shine in someone else’s wardrobe. It made me realize that second-hand fashion is way more diverse than I initially thought.

Over the last four years, I’ve changed my shopping habits to be more efficient. My closet now boasts a mix of second-hand gems and high-quality, sustainable pieces that can be styled in many ways. I’ve also joined clothing swap events both on and off campus. These events not only let me pass on items to others but also offer the chance to pick up gently used items that spark my creativity. I’ve turned these items into fun projects – whether it’s revamping a bag, patching up some denim, or giving a dress a fresh makeover.

As I continue to shine a light on the fashion waste issue, I’m constantly exploring new ways to reduce waste and get better at upcycling. It’s been quite a journey, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next!

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 and Big Blue & You, where high school students are empowered to stop plastic pollution in their community through business consulting and sustainability events. Read more about the details of this project in our earlier blog post here.

We are very excited to provide you all with an update on all that we have accomplished thanks to our students’ work in Hialeah, and what’s coming next! We want to give a huge thank you to our students from Jose Marti Mast and Hialeah Senior High, and their teachers Andy Kearns and Julissa Estrella, for their participation in this project.

Student Training

Student training consisted of five 1-hour workshops at both schools, where we covered a variety of topics including plastic pollution basics, solutions to marine debris, sustainable business theory, public speaking, and more. We engaged 43 unique students over the course of these trainings, amassing a total of 144 student volunteer hours. Moreover, 32 of these students signed plastic-free pledges, committing to lifestyle changes to reduce their own plastic consumption. Students completed anonymous surveys at the end of the training period, and the majority of participants reported increases in plastic pollution knowledge, sustainable business knowledge, and comfort with public speaking.

Student training at Hialeah Senior High

Acting out business visit scenarios with Jose Marti Mast (in wigs to get into character!)

Showing students sustainable business product samples

Student Canvassing

During canvassing sessions our students visited businesses by their campuses, surveyed their plastic use, provided sustainable business recommendations, and encouraged them to sign up for Plastic Free 305! Throughout 5 days of canvassing, they visited and surveyed 31 unique businesses and provided recommendations to 7 interested businesses during follow up visits. They are now working with 2 businesses on purchasing reusables, and signed 1 business up for Plastic Free 305– way to go El Sarten Restaurant & Lounge!

One thing we realized during canvassing was that many businesses are currently using all reusable tableware for dine in- which is amazing! Unfortunately, we also realized that switching to plastic-free, biodegradable disposables for carryout is currently cost-prohibitive for many small businesses. At the time of canvassing, Tier 1 of Plastic Free 305 required that a business eliminate at least one plastic item, but we wanted to be able to recognize businesses that are doing as much as they can within their bottom line. We touched base with staff from Miami-Dade County, and they are now working on changing the Tier 1 requirements to recognize businesses implementing any plastic-reduction effort, such as using all reusables for dine-in! We are excited to return to many businesses and sign them up for Tier 1 once this change is implemented 🙂

Jose Marti Mast students gearing up for an afternoon of business canvassing

Hialeah Senior High students surveying plastic use at Vicky Bakery

Hialeah Senior High students celebrating a successful afternoon of business canvassing

Community Events

As part of Plastic Free Cities, participating students helped to plan and host sustainable lifestyle events with their community. Hialeah Senior High students hosted a Baynanza Cleanup at Amelia Earhart Park, and Jose Marti Mast students hosted an Earth Day Celebration on their campus – check out a blog post recapping these events here, written by Plastic Free Cities student Alejandro Ganaza!

More than 600 community members participated in these events, including local elected officials Senator Rene Garcia and Councilman Bryan Calvo! Local 10 News also joined to cover the cleanup, and over 80 lbs of debris were picked up from our inland environments, preventing this trash from washing into our storm drains, canals, and ultimately into our oceans.

A huge crowd joined for Jose Marti Mast’s Earth Day Celebration

Thank you Senator Garcia and Councilman Calvo for coming out to Hialeah Senior High’s cleanup!

Jose Marti Mast PFC students giving out plastic-free bites from one of the businesses that they surveyed

Graduation Celebration

We had the most amazing time celebrating our Plastic Free Cities graduates at Goodlet Park earlier this month! Senator Garcia attended and spoke, and presented the students with an official Tribute from Miami-Dade County, highlighting their efforts to “stop the use of single-use plastic and make Miami-Dade County a healthier destination to live, work, and play.” Councilman Calvo also attended and spoke, and presented the Plastic Free Cities nonprofit partners (DFO, Ocean Conservancy, and Big Blue & You) with Certificates of Appreciation from the City of Hialeah for our ““support in plastic reduction and community cleanups…and helping make Hialeah a Plastic Free City!” Miami-Dade County’s Department of Environmental Resource Management also gifted our graduates reusable Plastic Free 305 bags with free tickets to local parks and the Miami Zoo.

Our team shared highlights from the semester, and Plastic Free Cities mentors Alejandro Ganaza and Alexia Lorie spoke about their favorite parts of the program and how they will continue to grow Plastic Free Cities at their school moving forward. Then each graduate received certificates of completion and our amazing teacher leads Andy & Julissa received certificates of appreciation. After the ceremony, we all enjoyed delicious plastic-free bites from Mi Sandwich Cubano, a local business who worked with our students this semester.

Students, nonprofit leads, Senator Garcia, and Councilman Calvo with their Tribute from Miami-Dade County

Councilman Calvo and PFC nonprofit leads with their Certificates of Appreciation from City of Hialeah

Plastic Free Cities mentors Alexia and Ale speaking about their favorite parts of the program

What’s Next

…so many exciting things! For one, Alexia and Ale will be joining the Plastic Free Cities mentorship program to build leadership skills and continue to grow the movement. Alexia will be starting a Plastic Free Cities club at her school to keep up the momentum at Jose Marti Mast, and Alejandro will be helping to train and oversee our next cohort of students in Doral.

Yes- Plastic Free Cities is coming to City of Doral this Fall! We will be working with Doral Academy and Downtown Doral Upper Charter School, to train a new group of students to encourage businesses in their community to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics and engage their friends, family, and neighbors in sustainability events. Stay tuned for updates, and thank you all for your support of this initiative.

Let’s build Plastic Free Cities together!

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 address the plastic pollution crisis. 

When my inboxes were flooded with forwarded messages about an internship opportunity with Debris Free Oceans (DFO), I took that as a sign that the Chef Andrew Scholar program was meant for me. I had spent my first two years as a marine biology undergrad at Florida International University organizing coastal cleanups across Miami-Dade, delivering plastic pollution talks to various local groups, and researching the intricacies of the plastic pollution crisis. As I read more about the Chef Andrew Scholar Program, I was amazed by how perfectly it aligned with my passion and interests. I was moved by the story behind the creation of the program and found it to be a beautiful way to honor the life of Chef Andrew Michael Alessi. I applied straight away, eager for the chance to be mentored by waste reduction champions, gain experience in working for a non-profit organization, and make a positive difference in my community. I knew this was an opportunity that could take my skills in marine conservation to the next level.  

The day I was welcomed to the DFO team, I was ecstatic. The environment that is cultivated by the people that bring DFO’s mission to life is one filled with joy and excitement. Everyone has a contagious energy that makes you confident that you can accomplish a feat as ambitious as eradicating marine debris. It is an amazing feeling to be surrounded by people that share your passion, including my fellow Chef Andrew Scholar, Kevin Oakley.  

Entering the Chef Andrew Scholar program, I thought I knew a lot about the plastic pollution crisis, but I was surprised to realize how much I didn’t know. As part of the training process, we are assigned several incredibly educational readings, viewings, and podcasts that open your eyes to how extensive and alarming the issue truly is. Within a month I felt as though I was a walking encyclopedia of marine debris knowledge, knowing everything from the history of plastics to the intersections between plastic pollution and social justice.  

Education

Together, Kevin and I conducted 13 educational talks, reaching nearly 400 students, that ranged from elementary through college level.  

Engaging with communities through education is just one of the many ways Debris Free Oceans is involved in helping solve the plastic pollution crisis. To me, education is the most powerful tool to bring about change. Many do not know about the ins and outs of the plastic pollution crisis; therefore, it is our responsibility to spread the word so that everyone can make informed consumer choices that benefit the health of their environment and community. 

Public speaking can be nerve-wracking, but upon graduating from the Chef Andrew Scholar program, I can now speak to large crowds with confidence. It didn’t happen overnight; I might have practiced our “Beyond Our Oceans” talk 100 times before I delivered it to my toughest audience – the DFO team. This presentation covers the history of plastics and marine debris, marine debris’ impacts on ecosystems, the economy and the health of our residents, and actions each person can take to reduce the amount of waste in their own lives. Following our talks, most students indicate that they now know a lot about plastics, waste, and/or marine debris, and that they will change their behaviors/actions as a result of the educational experience. Receiving this feedback makes me certain that our youth will lead us to a more sustainable future if we continue to inspire them and provide them with the tools to get there.  

Beyond the classroom, I developed an educational program for Surfrider Miami’s SEAS program, where I converted a traditional PowerPoint presentation into a flipbook that could be taken to the beach. I also hosted a workshop at the Miami Youth Climate Summit where I taught attendees how to turn an old t-shirt into a tote bag. Not only so, but I shared what I know about plastic pollution with nearly everyone I know, so now the people around me are actively engaged in reducing their waste and continuing to spread the word.  

Delivering a talk to Doral Academy’s Green Club

Beyond Our Oceans Talk with MAST @ FIU and Society for Women in Marine Science FIU club 

No computer? No problem! We can learn about plastic at the beach, too! 

Cleanups

Kevin and I organized 18 cleanups across South Florida, including locations in North Miami, Miami Beach, and Key Biscayne. 

 Every cleanup makes a difference. The largest cleanup I helped organize as a Chef Andrew Scholar removed nearly one ton of marine debris from the Miami coastline. Even the cleanups that remove 20 pounds of marine debris have a lasting impact not only on our environment, but the mindsets of the people that interact with the cleanup. Cleanups are just as educational as the talks we deliver in classrooms, because people have the opportunity to witness South Florida’s pollution problem first-hand.   

Cleanups are also FUN. From yoga cleanups to cleanups with live DJs, what better way to spend a weekend than enjoying South Florida’s beautiful nature surrounded by people connected by their desire to protect it?! Helping people realize taking care of our ocean is just as fun as enjoying it gives me the fuel to keep hosting more cleanups.  

Beach cleanup at Crandon Park with Westminister High School 

Sunrise yoga beach cleanup at South Beach with Lightrail Yoga and UM RSMAS’ Sustainability by the Sea 

Clean the Beat cleanup at Bayfront Park with Clean Miami Beach, Clean This Beach Up, Ultra, and Volunteercleanup.org 

Zero-Waste Lifestyle Events

Kevin and I attended 8 lifestyle awareness events where we showed over 400 people how they could “party with a purpose.”  

Zero-waste living is possible, and DFO’s lifestyle awareness events help inspire others to live closer to this lifestyle. From watching Argentina win the World Cup from a floating LED screen to dancing the night away at Ultra Music Festival’s Eco Village, I lived it up as a Chef Andrew Scholar, all while remaining plastic free. Bringing sustainability into spaces where you would least expect it, helps sustainable living gain popularity until it becomes the new normal. Through sustainable events such as Eco Fest, we can prove to businesses that there is a demand to transition towards more sustainable practices, and that this transition is feasible.  

Reusable cup provided at World Cup Finale Watch Party’s open bar

The infamous DFO bag monster at Ultra Music Festival 

How has my experience as a Chef Andrew Scholar contributed to the life cycle of plastics? 

The best way to tackle the plastic pollution crisis is to stop the flow of plastics at the source. Plastic is harmful no matter where it ends up – whether it be the ocean or a landfill. 

As Chef Andrew Scholars, Kevin and I reached over 1,000 people across our various educational talks, cleanups, and lifestyle awareness events. That means, over 1,000 people are now at least slightly more conscious about the waste they produce, and hopefully inspired to commit to producing less waste. Following our educational talks, many students indicated that they will now commit to using a reusable water bottle and bringing a reusable bag. If even half the people we reached commit to those two simple actions, think about how many plastic bottles and bags we are preventing from causing harm to our health and environment. 

We don’t expect everyone to immediately halt all waste production, because we understand that achieving a zero-waste lifestyle takes time. That is why we also strive to show others what they could do with the waste they do come across before sending it to a landfill or recycling it. When it comes to repurposing trash, the possibilities are endless. Plastic bottles could be turned into bird feeders, and t-shirts can be turned into tote bags to hold groceries, to name a few!  

And when waste does make its way into our environment, we are there to pick it up. Plastic does not break down it only breaks apart, so if it is not removed, it will remain in our environment for hundreds of years. Every piece of marine debris that is removed counts, whether it be a 1 mm piece of microplastic, or 50 pounds of rope.  

 In my own life, I have significantly reduced the amount of waste I produce. My reusable water bottle, cutlery kit, and tote bags, go with me everywhere I go which also sparks conversation and encourages others to do the same. My loved ones know better than to buy me balloons or glitter, as we work towards a cleaner planet.  

 In my experience, the more you learn about the plastic pollution crisis, the more concerned you become about the issue, and the more compelled you are to do something about it. As a Chef Andrew Scholar, I strived to inspire local communities to responsibly manage the lifecycle of plastics and waste. If you are an undergraduate student motivated to do the same, applications to join the program are open until Friday, May 26. 

We are so excited to provide you all with an update on our ongoing #PlasticFreeCities program with Ocean Conservancy and Big Blue & You! 

In case you missed it, last year we received funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program to run a 2-year youth empowerment program known as Plastic Free Cities. This program involves training high school students from inland neighborhoods along the Miami River to become Junior Sustainability Consultants through a 5-part workshop series. After training, these students visit local businesses, survey plastic use and waste management, provide recommendations on how to reduce single-use plastics, and register them for Miami-Dade County’s #PlasticFree305 program! Each semester we are focusing on a specific neighborhood, and this semester we kicked off the program in Hialeah with Jose Marti Mast and Hialeah Senior High School! Read about this epic project in full detail in our earlier blog post.

As part of the program, each school is responsible for coordinating and hosting one community event. Jose Marti Mast hosted an epic Earth Day Celebration at their campus on 4.20 and Hialeah Senior High School hosted a wonderful Baynanza Cleanup at Amelia Earhart on 4.15! Check out this event recap written by our own Plastic Free Cities student from Jose Marti Mast, Alejandro Ganaza!

Jose Marti Mast Earth Day Celebration

April 20, 2023 @ Jose Marti Mast

With nearly 600 students joining this inspiring event to better the environment in which we live, many students took the advantage to participate in the 7 activities that were offered. Those included a seed sowing activity, native plant potting, a fun scavenger hunt, eco-friendly art showcases, some environmental organization tables (like Miami Dade County’s DERM and Plastic Free Cities), rocket launches, and of course an overall cleanup. The event took place on April 20th, 2023 from 2:00-5:00 PM, providing awareness to many of our students about the impact of plastic and our actions on the planet.

“This event is far more amazing than what I expected.” – 8th Grade Student

Thanks to our incredible business canvassing from the Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy, we were able to get plastic-free food from Bamboo Restaurant & Lounge. Open Water also donated 240 cans of water for the event (and we brought our water cooler for refills). Miami-Dade County’s Division of Environmental Resource Management tabled with a trivia wheel with Biscayne Bay questions, giving out 2022 Baynanza t-shirts to the winners.

DERM hosting Biscayne Bay trivia wheel

An epic rocket launch

Plastic-free bites from Bamboo Restaurant and Lounge served by PFC students

Students enjoying canned water donated from Open Water

Students receiving their new native plants

Participating in interactive eco-artwork

Apart from the incredible activities, there was an eco-fashion show (“trashion” show) where students wore pieces they made from repurposed trash and upcycled items; one student even volunteered to wear the bag monster. Earth-inspired musical performances were hosted by some of JMMAST’s incredible High Schoolers, which would then segway into an Interactive art table that allowed eco-friendly parchment to be utilized to demonstrate abstract works created by the students themselves. Small cleanups around campus were hosted by the Interact Club, where more than 50 volunteers showed up to pick up around 18.3 lbs. of trash on the school premises alone.

Plastic Free Cities hosted a table with interactive pieces of art and questionnaires for the kids to answer. Later on in the event, Alejandro Ganaza spoke about the program and gave his remarks on the fantastic success of this year’s Earth Day at Jose Marti MAST 6-12 Academy. The lines were filled, the smiles were present, and everyone kept wanting more of this astounding event.

Epic outfits from the ecofashion show

Jose Marti Mast student rocking the bag monster

Plastic Free Cities students tabling with educational materials about the program + plastic pollution

Alejandro Ganaza speaking about Plastic Free Cities

Musical performances inspired by Mother Earth

What a crowd!

Baynanza Cleanup with Hialeah Senior High

April 15, 2023 @ Amelia Earhart Park

Baynanza 2023 was a triumph! With over 100 volunteers (including an awesome group from Liberty City Elementary) we picked up around 39.2 lbs of trash and 27.6 lbs of recyclables. Although only one group successfully submitted data through CleanSwell, they picked up about 342 items. An astonishing insight into the massive loads of small confetti and balloons opened up a convo with the commissioner and park staff to
ban these items that greatly harm the environment in which we live.

Incredible guest speakers also joined to participated in the event and speak about the importance of such cleanups. This included Hialeah Commissioner and former state senator Rene Garcia, Hialeah Councilman Bryan Calvo, and Hialeah Senior High Plastic Free Cities student Krissie Vallejo-Mennes. Nancy Jackson from the Miami-Dade County Office of Resilience also attended, and the phenomenal Local 10 News joined to cover the event! With all the hard work Lo Cubano Tropical was served to all attendees, offering many delicious bites, plastic-free of course.

Thank you to the Hialeah Senior High students who helped plan and run the event, and to the staff from DERM and Amelia Earhart Park who helped run this event with Plastic Free Cities partners (DFO, Ocean Conservancy, and Big Blue & You).

DERM giving out free Baynanza t-shirts to all participants

Kicking off the cleanup with a group cheer

Admiring the waterways that we were cleaning up

Krissie Vallejo-Menes speaking

Councilman Calvo speaking

Senator Garcia speaking

Local 10 News interviewing participants

Plastic Free Cities crew picture with Councilman Calvo

Enjoying plastic-free bites from A Lo Cubano Tropical

Interested in finding out about future Plastic Free Cities events?

Join our mailing list at this link!

We are so excited to provide you all with an update on our ongoing #PlasticFreeCities program with Ocean Conservancy and Big Blue & You! 

In case you missed it, last year we received funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program to run a 2-year youth empowerment program known as Plastic Free Cities. This program involves training high school students from inland neighborhoods along the Miami River to become Junior Sustainability Consultants through a 5-part workshop series. After training, these students will visit local businesses, survey plastic use and waste management, provide recommendations on how to reduce single-use plastics, and register them for Miami-Dade County’s #PlasticFree305 program! Read about this epic project in full detail in our previous blog post.

Each semester we will be focusing on a specific neighborhood, and this semester we are kicking off the program in Hialeah! We are currently working with ~20 stellar students from Jose Marti Mast and 30 stellar students from Hialeah Senior High School. Shout out to our incredible teacher leads Dr. Andrew Kearns and Dr. Julissa Estrella who have made it possible to work with these two schools – we couldn’t do it without them.

Over the last few months we have been visiting both schools on a weekly basis to host educational, informative workshops, equipping them with the skills they need to engage the business community around their campuses in combatting plastic pollution.

Trainings

Training 1- All About Plastics

During Training 1 the students learned all about the history and prevalence of plastic pollution, and the harmful impacts of the entire lifecycle of single-use plastics from production, to use, to disposal. They broke out into small groups and used flip charts to brainstorm on these lifecycle impacts by categories including 1) wildlife, 2) climate change, 3) human health & social justice, and 4) the economy. At the end of the session the students filled out Plastic Free Cities pledge cards: they selected a few behavior changes that they would commit to in order to combat plastic pollution, and then wrote down the steps that they will take to achieve these commitments.

Some pledge highlights: 100% of students committed to carrying a reusable water bottle, 72% of students committed to buying local instead of ordering delivery, and 67% of students committed to talking to family about environmental issues.

PFC facilitators from DFO, Ocean Conservancy, and Big Blue & You introducing themselves

Student sustainability commitment pledge cards

Introducing the students to plastic pollution

Training 2- Solutions to Plastic Pollution

During Training 2, the students learned about the many solutions to plastic pollution and the specific roles that individuals, businesses, and governments play in solving this problem. They learned about how governments have successfully regulated plastics in other parts of the United States, but how local governments in Florida are preempted from banning plastic containers (with the exception of a few loopholes that you can learn about here). We then introduced them to Plastic Free 305, Miami-Dade County’s business certification program that incentivizes local establishments to eliminate plastics, as a means of stopping plastic pollution where bans are currently not possible.

Discussing successful plastic bans like the cigarette ban on the City of Miami Beach

Discussing how Florida preemption laws restrict our ability to ban plastic containers

Introducing Plastic Free 305 as a business x government solution

Training 3- Sustainable Business Basics

During Training 3, the students learned all about the How and the Why businesses should operate more sustainably! We discussed how businesses save money by switching to reusables and introduced them to our Reusables Calculator, where business owners can calculate their annual savings from making the switch. They learned about the rising consumer demand for sustainability, and how businesses can gain new customers & marketing benefits by eliminating plastics. We finished the session by passing around sustainable disposable samples, including straws, cutlery, cups, carryout containers, and bags made from renewable, biodegradable sources such as wheat stems, sugar cane stalks, and sustainably-sourced paper. We also introduced the students to our Responsible Products Guide where business owners can browse a catalog of alternatives to plastic disposables.

Walking the students through a crash course in sustainable business

Showing students samples of sustainable disposables that they will be gifting to local businesses

Showing the students DFO’s full online guide of responsible products

Training 4- Business Engagement and Empowerment

During Training 4, the students learned about the power of YOUth in influencing real change and various strategies on how to best engage local businesses. They learned about meeting people where they are and being respectful of business owners’ time. Then the students used iPads to explore the Plastics Survey that they will be conducting with businesses that work with us. We wrapped up the session with a lesson on how to craft an effective Elevator Pitch for the Plastic Free Cities program, and then passed out worksheets where they drafted their own personal pitches. We brought back the flip charts from Training 1 to help inspire their “Why’s” about why they are involved in this program.

Check out our Reel recap of training 4 here!

Highlighting the Power of YOUth

Testing out the Plastics Survey on iPads

Revisiting plastic impact flip chats from training 1

Training 5- Time to Practice

Training 5 was dedicated to prepping & practicing for our business visits! First, our program facilitators from DFO, Ocean Conservancy, and Big Blue & You acted out some business visit scenarios then paused to ask the students what was and was not going well. Then we spent some time doing some rapid elevator pitch rotations, where the students would partner up with a classmate, have 45 seconds to introduce themselves and pitch our Plastic Free Cities program to their partner, then find a new partner to speak to. To close, our students acted out some example business visit scenarios, drawing pieces of paper from jars to set the scene- one jar had pieces of paper with different business types (ie restaurant, market, barber shop), and one had different potential business owner responses (ie not interested in the environment, too busy to talk right now).

You might be wondering about the wigs in the recap photos below- our facilitators thought it would be fun to put on wigs for the different roles we were acting out. When it was the students’ turns to do mock business visit scenarios, they wanted to use some wigs to get into character as well! This made for quite the hilarious and memorable experience.

PFC facilitators acting out an example business visit and plastic survey

Discussing what went well and what went wrong in example business visit

Students acting out an example business visit

Program Impact

We are using surveys to evaluate the social impact of Plastic Free Cities throughout the entire program, and have distributed pre-program and mid-program surveys to this first cohort.

Prior to the workshops, 80% of students reported that they either did not know anything (Likert of 1) or only knew 1-2 things about sustainable business (Likert of 2). After the workshops, 75% of students reported that they knew several facts (Likert of 3) or a lot of information (Likert of 4) about sustainable business, or said they felt like experts on the topic (Likert of 5).

We also also asked them to select their comfort level with public speaking from 1 to 5, 1 being least comfortable. Prior to the workshops, 68% of students selected a comfort level of 3 or higher, and after the workshops,  88% of students selected 3 or higher.

Excitingly, 100% of students have expressed interest in staying involved in this program beyond our semester in Hialeah through serving as mentors for future cohorts! And 100% of students have reported speaking to people outside of the program about Plastic Free Cities (25% of students reporting that they have spoken to 5+ people about it!) highlighting the reach of the program beyond the cohort that we are directly working with.

Next Steps

Over the next 3 weeks we are so excited to begin canvassing Hialeah businesses with our trained consultants! Our facilitators will be overseeing 6 afternoons of business visits, 3 per school. We have distributed flyers and sent out emails to businesses nearby each school to let them know about this exciting opportunity. Two businesses have scheduled meetings with our students – A lo Cubano Tropical and El Riconcito Peruano – and several others have expressed interest in participating. We can’t wait to update you on progress on this front in a few weeks! Stay tuned.

Upcoming Events

As part of this program, our students are also helping to plan sustainability events with their community! On Saturday, April 15th 9am-12pm, Hialeah Senior High students will be helping host a Baynanza Cleanup at Amelia Earhart Park, and on Thursday April 20th at 2-5pm, Jose Marti Mast students will be helping us co-host an Earth Day celebration at their campus. Email Maddie@debrisfreeoceans.org and sign up for the Debris Free Oceans newsletter here to be notified of these events.

We are honored to have recently been awarded one of the NOAA Marine Debris Program’s Prevention Grants for 2022, funding an exciting 2-year collaborative project between DFO, Ocean Conservancy and the Big Blue & You (the highest funded prevention project this year)! We celebrated the launch of this new program, known as Plastic Free Cities, in October with a community cleanup in Hialeah, Florida – check out Local 10 News’ coverage of this event here. This program relies on an intersectional grassroots approach to mitigating the plastic pollution crisis. By focussing on coalition building, we will educate students on the topics of plastics and sustainability consulting, work with local businesses to reduce plastic use and reliance, and work with Miami-Dade County to recognize those businesses through their Plastic Free 305 program. Plastic Free 305 is a certification program that highlights businesses voluntarily eliminating single-use plastics.

This program was developed collaboratively so that each of the three partner organizations could contribute in different ways using their specialized knowledge and experiences. Debris Free Oceans is responsible for educating the participating students about plastic pollution, training them in sustainable business consulting, and overseeing the student meetings with businesses. We will be working with students from under-resourced schools in Miami-Dade County and consulting businesses within neighborhoods along the Miami River, one of South Florida’s most polluted waterways.

Launch event partners from Big Blue & You, Ocean Conservancy, Kush by Stephens, City of Hialeah, Miami-Dade County, and EcoRenew Solutions

Chief Bay Officer of Miami-Dade County Irela Bague speaking to kick off our launch event

Volunteers cleaning up a canal next to Goodlet Park in Hialeah, preventing waste from flowing into the ocean

Student Training

Before visiting local businesses, the students will undergo comprehensive training to equip them with the skills that they will need to 1) introduce themselves to a business and persuade management to meet with them, 2) conduct a survey of disposable plastic use, 3) provide recommendations on how to reduce plastics and save money, 4) and register the business for Plastic Free 305. These training sessions (co-hosted by the Big Blue & You and DFO) will consist of five 1-hour in-person presentations and workshops, during which we will cover the plastic pollution crisis, plastics policy, sustainable business theory, crafting an elevator pitch + public speaking, and more. These sessions will take place at each school with teachers to ensure students are comfortable, engaged, and enthusiastic about the content.

If you would like to get your school involved, email Milly@bigblueandyou.org.

Sustainable Business Training at South Broward Elementary

Showing Ransom Everglades samples of biodegradable disposables

Walking DASH students through the plastic survey

Student Canvassing

After participating in these trainings, the students will sign up for business canvassing sessions with Debris Free Oceans. These will take place after school (~2-4 pm) and  will consist of a combination of pre-arranged meetings with businesses and pitching to new businesses on the spot. During each session, groups of students will visit 4-6 businesses to survey their plastic use, provide sustainable business recommendations, and encourage them to sign up for Plastic Free 305! They will also showcase some samples of sustainable swaps for plastic disposables and leave some samples behind with the businesses. After initial meetings, businesses who expressed interest in some of the sustainable practices and materials will be revisited by Debris Free Oceans consultants, who will bring additional information and resources tailored to the business’ needs based on the outcomes of student canvassing.

If you would like to get your business involved, email Maddie@debrisfreeoceans.org

Ransom Everglades students talking to LuLus in the Grove about Plastic Free 305

DASH students getting KITH to sign up for #PlasticFreeMB

La Salle showing Harry’s Pizzeria samples of biodegradable disposables

Pilot Programs

We have conducted 2 pilot programs for Plastic Free Cities before and have found them to be wildly successful. Last year, we worked with high school students to recruit Miami Beach businesses to #PlasticFreeMB, the City of Miami Beach’s business certification program that inspired Plastic Free 305, and this Fall, we worked with local students to recruit Coconut Grove businesses to Plastic Free 305.

#PlasticFreeMB

Debris Free Oceans partnered with the City of Miami Beach to create #PlasticFreeMB in 2019, a tiered business certification program that highlights Miami Beach businesses voluntarily eliminating single-use plastics. This initiative inspired the Miami-Dade County Commission to pass a resolution creating the County’s Plastic Free 305 Program in December of 2021, and this program was officially launched in April of 2022.

In summer of 2021, as part of their Shores Forward programming with the City of Miami Beach, the Ocean Conservancy built upon #PlasticFreeMB by bringing youth advocates from the Design and Architecture Senior High School/Big Blue & You to canvas businesses to join #PlasticFreeMB. Throughout this program, 15 students were able to survey 63 businesses during 4 business canvassing sessions! The students enrolled 12 businesses in #PlasticFreeMB and an additional 20 businesses committed to joining in the future. As most businesses in the area create 100,000 lbs of trash each year, this represents a 1.2 million pound in savings of trash generation! In honor of their efforts, Mayor Dan Gelber designated September 30th as the official Big Blue Crew Day in the City of Miami Beach. Moreover, in a follow up survey, the majority of students said they felt comfortable speaking about plastic pollution and climate change.

Blue Grove

Working with the students was so rewarding and successful that we sought out funding from the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District to bring a similar program to our DFO neighborhood. We worked with Ransom Everglades and Immaculata la Salle to recruit high school juniors and seniors who were interested in sustainability to become Blue Grove Sustainability Consulting Scholars. This program also consisted of student trainings, group business visits, and DFO business follow ups, except we enrolled businesses into #PlasticFree305 instead of #PlasticFreeMB. Over the course of 3 canvassing sessions, we engaged 27 students, reached 53 unique businesses, conducted a total of 81 business visits including repeat/follow up visits, and completed 17 comprehensive plastic surveys. Three businesses signed up for Plastic Free 305 on the spot, and several others committed to doing so once they make their sustainable swaps. The students have already eliminated over 2500 plastic carryout containers and 550 plastic utensils per month. Thank you to Harry’s Pizzeria for switching to biodegradable degradable carryout containers and Buro for switching to wooden cutlery and degradable coffee cups+lids! Harry’s will also be switching to biodegradable hay straws once they run out of their bioplastic straws, which will result in an additional 700 plastic straws eliminated per month, and Buro will be switching to biodegradable coffee cups and aluminum canned water. We are still tabulating our impact so stay tuned for more!

Blue Grove Sustainability Consulting Scholars from Ransom Everglades and La Salle

Proclamation of Big Blue Crew day in Miami Beach in honor of DASH students

DASH Plastic Free MVPs from #PlasticFreeMB Pilot

DFO Sustainability Consulting

Sustainability Consulting is central to our mission at Debris Free Oceans. We have been working with businesses since 2015 trying to eliminate plastic waste and lower reliance on single-use plastics. Throughout our programs, we have worked with students all over the city, large businesses, and local government. In Doral, students at Doral Academy Preparatory School eliminated 5000 plastic food trays per day. We have worked with large businesses like Wynwood Yard, The Rusty Pelican, and Whiskey Joes to eliminate plastic items. Since our inception, we have eliminated over 2.1 million pieces of plastic, and that is just the beginning. We are so excited to be bringing you our latest program, Plastic Free Cities, so we can continue tackling such a crucial issue and empowering our community to do the same. 

Throughout September and October, our collaborative programming will focus around 3 central goals: cleaning up our neighborhood for International Coastal Cleanup Day, working with local highschool students to teach them the ins and outs of sustainability consulting, and overseeing these students as they help Coconut Grove businesses to eliminate plastics. 

This initiative will include two coastal cleanups in Coconut Grove, one block party, and a series of sustainability consultations for businesses. 

Each cleanup will take place September 17th on International Coastal Cleanup day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon), and all cleanup attendees will receive a free limited-edition reusable stainless steel tumbler and a gift card to Grove businesses that make a plastic reduction pledge. To register for these cleanups, click  here. The block party will begin at 6pm after the afternoon cleanup, and the first ~150 attendees who take a personal plastic pollution pledge will receive the tumbler, which gets you a discount for a beverage at Barracuda’s. 

The business consultations will take place from mid September to late October, after Debris Free Oceans has trained high school students from Ransom Everglades and La Salle in business engagement. 

Why should your Coconut Grove business sign up? 

This is an amazing opportunity for businesses! Through this program, businesses will receive free marketing, free sustainability consulting, and a guaranteed increase in business (and guaranteed pride in helping to save our planet!). 

Your business will be promoted through Debris Free Oceans social media and newsletter (20k+ reach), Miami-Dade County’s Plastic Free 305 program, the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District, and news media coverage we receive. 

Another perk – the Coconut Grove BID will purchase gift cards from your business for distribution during our beach cleanups and provide you with free water-soluble carryout bags + reusable bento boxes to give to customers for to-go orders! 

The last and perhaps most inspiring aspect of this program is the opportunity to receive free sustainability consulting from Debris Free Oceans and work with youth from local high schools to eliminate plastics from your business. You will work directly with a DFO team member and students who have been trained in Sustainability Consulting and are Blue Grove Sustainability Consulting Scholars. 

Any businesses interested in registering should fill out this form. 

For any questions, please reach out to plasticfree@debrisfreeoceans.org

Why should students register for the Blue Grove Sustainability Consulting Scholars Program? 

We are partnering with two schools in Coconut Grove: Ransom Everglades and La Salle. These schools were selected because we wanted to engage our immediate community in the Grove. 

This is a unique opportunity for high schoolers to gain real world experience in such an important field while working with a leading nonprofit in the Plastic Pollution Space, DFO. This program will involve 1) two mandatory training sessions held at school, 2) accompanying DFO staff to visit and recruit businesses in the Grove during September and October, and 3) presenting findings at the end to showcase how many plastics you were able to eliminate from businesses. 

As high schoolers, it can be difficult to distinguish yourself from other students while applying for internships and colleges, and a program like this could help set you apart. Additionally, you will begin to meet people and build your network in the environmental space! Plus, you’ll be doing good for our local community and our global oceans.

Any students interested in registering should fill out this form.  

For any questions, please reach out to plasticfree@debrisfreeoceans.org

How does this program fit in with our mission? 

Here at DFO, our end goal is to work with a network of organizations and businesses to reach a place where all communities are free from all harmful debris. We have started in Miami by curating programs which prioritize community engagement with plastic pollution, empower individuals to make lifestyle changes reducing their single use plastic consumption, and educate people about the benefits of a circular economy where items are not thrown out immediately after use. We believe that change will be achieved by working at all levels of society: the youth, the general public, the business community, and the local government.

Our efforts have taken us all throughout Miami, organizing beach cleanups, educational events, and consulting businesses, but Coconut Grove is our home turf. It is where our offices are and our staff members live, which is why we are so excited to launch this new initiative with the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District and focus on our immediate community. 

We hope you all are as excited about this as we are, and that you come out to support our events, enroll your children in our Blue Grove Sustainability Scholars Program, and support the businesses we work with who are eliminating plastics from their business models. This is a community effort, and we couldn’t ask for a better community.