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!

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. 

Every week or so, it seems as though there are new studies and striking headlines drawing our attention to yet another terrible consequence of plastic production, consumption, and waste. Researchers are finding tiny microplastics in the deep ocean sediments, diverse marine species, presumably clean drinking water, and human organ tissues. These advancements are helpful for scientists to better understand the scope and scale of the plastic pollution crisis, but their progress remains very disconnected from the day-to-day interactions we have with plastics products and packaging.

Scientists have been sounding the alarm about our reliance on plastics for decades, and the conclusions of their studies aren’t much different now than they were as far back as the 70s. See, for example: Edward J. Carpenter’s 1972 research articles on “plastic particles” found in the Sargasso Sea and plastic nurdles found along the southern coast of New England.

Although plastic pollution wasn’t making news headlines decades ago, the research did continue, and leading scholars published several important early findings. Early research suggests that scientists were particularly concerned about the persistent and resilient chemical structure of plastics. Because they do not readily break down, plastics pose a unique threat to coastal communities, humans, and marine life that persists and accumulates over generations. Material consequences of marine debris were unclear, but scientists did recognize that plastics could absorb and leach out toxic chemicals – amplifying possible damages far beyond the already complicated mix of different plastic polymers.

Meanwhile, top manufacturers within the petrochemical industry heavily marketed the utility of single-use items without assuming responsibility for the proven and possible harms that their production, use, and disposal would cause. See, for example, Rebecca Altman’s story on “how plastic bags came to rule our lives.”

Low-income and racial and ethnic minority communities in the Global North and historically oppressed populations throughout the Global South were among the first forced to deal with the real consequences of the single-use plastics boom. Plastics are noxious at every stage of their life cycle: from the air, water, and land pollution created throughout production to the economic, public health, and safety consequences of mismanaged plastic waste.

As plastics became more convenient and single-use consumerism was assimilated into mainstream culture, demand for new plastics wasn’t the only factor on the rise. Plastic waste has consistently been accumulating at a rate that exceeds the capacity of global waste management infrastructure. Industrialized countries producing the greatest share of plastic and single-use waste funnel their garbage into developing countries that lack the necessary capacity to process and manage all the waste that comes from more developed countries.

It’s clear that the consistent flurry of daunting plastic-related headlines about scientific studies isn’t compelling a strong enough response from the system churning out single-use products. As the problem increases in scope and severity, there is no better time for us to tap into the local knowledge of communities that are actively adapting to the harms caused by plastic production, consumption, and wastage.

High level government and corporate actors have historically overlooked and devalued the rich intergenerational, collaborative, and experiential knowledge that community members hold. Those living on the frontlines of petrochemical plants have unique insights on the consequences of industrial activity that are most harmful to their community. Families up-cycling and repurposing all they already own and value out of necessity have unique insights on how we can foster a culture of regeneration and transition away from a throw-away economy. Those living overseas with limited resources to pursue the same educational and workforce opportunities as those of us in industrialized countries have unique insights on pathways to innovation that do not require invasive or extractive forms of technology.

I believe that we have all the tools we need to transition away from single-use plastics. When we tap into the unique value of the knowledge and skills that different groups possess, we have all we need to construct a system that meets our needs while valuing the health of our populations, land, and waters. See Intersectional Environmentalist’s Waste page for resources on waste, regenerative economics and circularity.

One of the most powerful ways we can contribute to solving the global plastic pollution problem is by amplifying the voices of those whose knowledge has historically been excluded from critical conversations about development and social well-being. We can construct economic and sociopolitical institutions that uplift present and future generations by taking this charge in our work, in our schooling, in our civic engagement, and even in conversations across the dinner table!

Plastic is problematic from cradle to grave: all stages of the life cycle of plastics release pollution and create physical hazards that plague frontline communities with chronic illnesses, negatively impact local economies, and contribute to the decline of our natural environment. Our dependence on plastics for day-to-day tasks has become a characteristic of the modern industrial era, and it may be difficult to imagine a world without so much waste.

That’s why Debris Free Oceans has recently endorsed the #PlasticFreePresident campaign to amplify demands that can help our country to begin the large-scale transition to a circular economy. A circular economy is an economic system that eliminates waste by keeping products and materials in use through innovative design and technology. 

We can transform our extractive, throwaway economy to a regenerative, inclusive one that’s good for our environment and creates quality job opportunities. We need to stop plastic pollution at its source while improving our waste-management systems, developing new business models, phasing out the worst plastic offenders, and shifting to reusable non-plastic alternatives. The federal government needs to be a catalyst for innovation!

Our sustained civic action and participation in the 2020 general election have led to a moment where this type of change is within reach. We’ve elected a President and Vice President who prioritize environmental justice, environmental stewardship, and economic growth through a sustainable economic system. Once in office, President-elect Joe Biden can take action on the following eight demands without Congressional approval. While some have the potential to catalyze immediate changes, others are longer-term measures that will require consensus at all levels of government and consistency from the general public to be most effective.

The #PlasticFreePresident campaign is advancing the following 8 actions for advocates to promote for President-Elect Biden and his administration:

1. Use the purchasing power of the federal government to eliminate single-use plastic items and replace them with reusable products.

There is a long history of consumer activism in the United States (suggested read: Buying Power by Lawrence B. Glickman). The concept of buying or purchasing power refers to the potential for collective shifts in spending patterns to determine the trajectory of the markets. When it comes to plastics, this would look like diverting our hard-earned dollars from low-quality plastic items and favoring longer-lasting, plastic-free reusables. When sufficient consumers make this change, our preferences are amplified and clearer to producers. Companies selling more sustainable products should succeed, and overtime increased demand for their products enables them to scale their operations and reach more consumers. Meanwhile low-quality plastic producers are forced to assimilate more sustainable alternatives or risk suffering losses. This is an indirect way that market forces can change production and consumption norms over the long-term.

The federal government is the single largest purchaser of goods and services in the United States, spending more than $450 billion on products and services each year. That means the government is likely the country’s largest consumer of disposable plastic products.

By reforming their purchasing practices, the federal government could greatly reduce the footprint of plastic waste and bolster demand for plastic-free and reusable goods.

2. Suspend and deny permits for new or expanded plastic production facilities, associated infrastructure projects, and exports.

When we think about the negative effects of plastic production, it’s easy to focus on the end of the plastic life cycle: its contribution to our global waste footprint and potential to end up as marine pollution. However, it is just as important to recognize that every piece of plastic is derived from fossil fuels and emits excess greenhouse gases throughout each phase of its life cycle (suggested read: Plastic & Climate: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet).

In the next 10 years, the petrochemical industry is projected to increase plastics production by at least 35 percent. This includes over 300 new projects slated for territories within the United States. New and expanded facilities produce raw material for single-use plastics using fossil fuels. Because plastics are made from crude oil or fracked natural gas, these bans would curb the impacts of plastic pollution and the climate crisis simultaneously.

3. Make corporate polluters pay and reject false solutions.

Plastic producers must be held accountable for the social, financial, and ecological damage they are causing. The President can hold corporations accountable by supporting legislation such as the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act; calling for investigations on plastic producers, transporters, and manufacturers; and imposing more stringent regulation to minimize disinformation about recycling and product sustainability.

Additionally, the Biden administration can minimize greenwashed, false solutions to the plastic pollution crisis by rejecting funding for projects that ultimately worsen the scope and scale of environmental injustices. Some of these false solutions heavily marketed by the petrochemical industry include: chemical recycling, waste-to-fuel, waste-to-energy, incineration, gasification, pyrolysis, and plasma arc.

4. Advance environmental justice in petrochemical corridors.

Plastic production and refining facilities are often sited near fossil fuel infrastructure. In the United States, these clusters marginalize low-income and racial and ethnic minority communities in the Gulf Coast, Appalachia, and the Ohio River Valley (to name a few).

Fenceline communities are most directly impacted by the air, land, and water pollution released throughout the production of plastics. The #PlasticFreePresident campaign demands that executive agencies conduct their responsibilities transparently and facilitate spaces for historically excluded individuals living in fenceline communities to contribute meaningfully in petrochemical permitting decisions.

In order to advance a transition away from the petrochemical and fossil fuel industries, executive actions will be critical. The President can direct federal agencies to collect more data on environmental quality and the health of affected communities, develop mechanisms to increase investment in their local economies, and call for investigations on violations of their rights to sovereignty, dignity, and quality of life.

5. Update existing federal regulations to curtail pollution from plastics facilities by using the best available science and technology.

The mission of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. This federal agency is required to ensure that our nation’s air, water, land, wildlife and human life are not harmed by industry activities. However, the EPA is not as effective in curbing the effects of advancing industrial processes when its standards are not updated. Public health and the natural environment are increasingly harmed by their reliance on standards that are growing decades old. The President has an important responsibility to direct the EPA to update its performance standards, regulatory guidelines, and research agenda.

6. Stop subsidizing plastic producers.

For most of our nation’s history, the federal government has subsidized the fossil fuel industry. In 2020, the United States provided more unconditional financial support to the fossil fuel sector than any other G20 country has provided to all energy sectors combined (suggested read: The Climate Transparency Report 2020). It’s time to stop the flow of federal funds to the petrochemical industry and the fossil fuel industry (which supplies the inputs for plastic production). These funds can be redirected to advance innovation in sustainable waste management and support the growth of reusable plastic-free alternatives.

7. Join international efforts to address the global plastic pollution crisis through new and strengthened multilateral agreements.

The United States’ extractive and wasteful economy does not exist in a bubble. Our actions have a direct effect on the global economy and an indirect effect on the decisions made by other countries. For many years, the United States has been counterproductive in others’ efforts to address the global plastic crisis. It is time for the U.S. to become an active champion of circular economics, encourage our allies to address the global plastic crisis, and begin targeting global patterns of production, consumption, and disposal. This can be achieved by forging legally-binding agreements with other major players in the production and waste management of plastics. Cooperative action can be a powerful agent in bringing justice to the low-to-middle income groups that have been marginalized by the life cycle of plastics beyond our borders.

8. Reduce and mitigate the impacts of discarded and lost fishing gear.

Some of the most dangerous hazards posed by marine debris come from lost or discarded fishing gear in the open ocean. This includes gill nets, traps, and heavy metal equipment that change the biochemical composition of the marine environment, entangle and kill marine organisms, impede navigation, introduce toxic chemicals into the food web, and impose massive cleanup costs for coastal communities. The President can work with other federal agencies to mandate more stringent reporting, monitoring, and retrieval projects to recover lost materials. There are many unique, innovative solutions that can be employed generate new products from the materials that are recovered. One example is Netplus, an alternative to virgin fibers that’s made of recovered fishing nets. They’ve worked with 50 fisheries in South America and collected over 2.6 million pounds of discarded material to date!

In 2021, we will urge President Biden to take these actions during his first year in office so that we may collectively build a safer, healthier, and more equitable society. We urge you to learn more about the power of having an actively plastic-free president and join us in this advocacy throughout the coming year!

The holiday season is quickly approaching! Over the next two months you’re likely to be bombarded with ads, flyers, and promotions urging you to purchase gifts for your family and friends. Gift-giving is a great way to express how much you value relationships with the special people in your life, but it can be difficult to find vendors that align with your aims to lead an environmentally and socially conscious lifestyle.

I’d argue that experiential gifts are the most meaningful and memorable! Planning an intentional activity that you and the person you are gifting for can enjoy together is a great way to celebrate and strengthen your relationship. But, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about new risks and challenges for social gatherings, and it is likely that you will find yourself in need of a gift for those you are unable to physically be with in the near-future.

When we decide to invest in a product—whether stocking up on a weekly grocery staple, purchasing a gift, or making the big decision to furnish a new space—we have the opportunity to express our values and priorities as consumers. This blog post will highlight some of the environmentally and socially conscious, local businesses in Miami that are worth looking into and supporting this holiday season.

For household items and bulk-buying, Verde Market is the DFO Team’s top pick! They offer plant-based, organic, and waste-free products sure to meet your needs year-round. To learn more about all that Verde Market’s team does to promote conscious consumption, check out our IG live interview featuring Co-owner Pamela Barrera.

Throughout Miami, there are many farmers and vendors growing and selling fresh fruits and vegetables. The option to purchase locally grown food offers many benefits! Although it is not accessible or affordable for everyone to make weekly purchases in this way, each time you make the decision to buy locally sourced foods, you strengthen this aspect of the local economy. Over time, as more consumers express their interest in advancing local and sustainable systems for food production, Miami’s local farmers and vendors can increase their capacity to make the fruits of their labor more accessible for all. Some of our favorites are: Urban Oasis Project, Bee Heaven Farm, Harpke Family Farm, and Little River Cooperative.

Verde Market

Urban Oasis Project

Little River Cooperative

If you’re interested in dabbling in organic gardening yourself, check out Tree Amigos Growers for an abundance of information and supplies!

A great gift for all ages is a set of reusable utensils to stay clean and plastic-free when enjoying meals on-the-go. Pauji Outdoors offers great sets, and they’re also based in sunny South Florida!

In addition to the purchases that’ll help to keep you healthy on the inside, it’s also important to identify vendors that will help you stay healthy on the outside. Cruda Soaps, Tree Hugging Soap, Sarada Craft, Vita Vibe Organics, and Camellia Naturals each offer all-natural, minimal-waste personal care products to keep you refreshed and rejuvenated. Any of their high quality products would make a thoughtful gift to encourage your friends and family to take some time for themselves after this long year.

Cruda Soaps

Waterlust

Pauji Outdoors

A great place to find many different local businesses and handmade goods is Etsy. They have a vibrant stock of children’s toys, home-ware, event decor, accessories, clothes, art and more! As you’re searching for the item or gift of your choice, you can learn about sellers’ businesses, filter results by shops located closest to you (again, it’s great to support local entrepreneurs!), and message sellers directly.

If you are looking to refresh your wardrobe, we suggest you scope out the racks at a nearby thrift store. Shopping second hand is a more ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to buying new, and it’s a great way to find one-of-a-kind pieces to make your own!

Fortunately, there are lots of great second hand stores in Miami, but one of my personal favorites is the Lotus House Thrift Chic Boutique. They are consistently stocked with treasures, and the store’s success directly benefits the house-less women, youth, and children serviced by the Lotus House Shelter. You can support the Lotus House through the Thrift Chic Boutique by indulging in a bit of shopping or donating clothing, furnishings, small appliances, kitchenware, decor, and other household goods that are new or gently used.

Gift giving is a fun way to celebrate your relationships, but it’s important to stay grounded in the meaning of the holiday season beyond the material or non-material joys that you exchange with those around you. We all have the power to give back to the people and places we love through acts of kindness and gratitude!

Some pieces, such as active-wear and swimwear, may be a bit more difficult to find in your specific size and style at a second hand store. As part of our Positive Impact Partnership, you can give back to DFO by shopping at Waterlust: www.waterlust.com/DFO. This locally owned and operated apparel company offers unique and sustainable pieces to meet those needs. Plus, when shoppers use our link, the company donates 25% of the proceeds from your purchase to advancing our work!

We can’t talk about fashion without mentioning face masks—after all, it’s 2020! Sea Jasper is one of many local vendors hand-making masks to keep our communities safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the support of their customers, the company has donated over 600 masks to frontline workers since March.

Finally, keep an eye out for Boho Birch’s site launch! This up-and-coming local business will be offering customizable, sustainable plant gifts to streamline your searches for special occasions.