Throughout their noxious life cycle, petrochemical products used to make household plastics inflict persistent harms on human health and the environment. It’s becoming very clear that we need to break free from plastic, so what’s stopping us?

“Research shows that knowledge isn’t the only thing that will change behavior. You usually need much more,” according to Caitie Nigrelli, an environmental social scientist at Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.

Plastics are nearly impossible to avoid, so for those of us strapped for time or cash plastic-free living can easily seem unrealistic. That’s one of the main motivations behind Debris Free Oceans’ Sustainability Consultation program! Individuals, groups, and businesses at all levels need effective and accessible alternatives to successfully phase-out a material that is so embedded in our lives. DFO provides consultation services, free of cost, to facilitate local businesses’ transition away from single-use plastics and towards more sustainable alternatives.

The program was initially developed as a means to assist businesses because, just as the responsibility for addressing this crisis does not all fall on consumers, many small businesses lack the capacity to align their purchasing policies with their values. DFO’s sustainable business consultations are individually tailored to make that connection a reality! In turn, businesses are equipped to contribute to the health and well-being of their communities into their long and fruitful future.

While businesses may reach out to DFO when seeking consultation services, our team often initiates contact with the leadership teams of local ventures that would benefit from this program. Buyers with the ability to use their purchasing power are seeking out more plastic-free alternatives by the day, and businesses need to be ready to play their part!

According to a recent survey of consumers from the US & UK by Globalwebindex:

• More than half of the participants said they’ve started making a conscious choice to use less disposable plastic in the last year.
• 42% of consumers said that recycled and/or sustainable packaging materials are important in their day-to-day shopping.
• In only seven years, the percentage of consumers who are willing to pay more for these alternatives has grown from 47 to 59%.

That said, avoiding plastics is no easy feat for buyers or businesses. There are a host of distracting and misleading products promoted as alternatives. In reality, many of these “greenwashed” materials are still contributing to economic, social, and environmental damages. Ethical small businesses often have the right intentions of creating positive social impact, but are forced to dodge the misinformation that’s out in the markets.

“It’s basically when organizations succumb to the temptation to present a different image from what’s really there,” according to Renee Lertzman, Ph.D., Project Inside Out founder and a psychologist who specializes in the mental toll of climate change. “It’s a particular image or facade that purports to be in alignment with sustainability and climate issues—but it’s not the real deal.”

DFO is proud to play a role in making compostable and reusable products more easily accessible through our virtual tools and one-on-one consultations. Be sure to check out the “Sustainable Business” drop-down menu to browse some of our suggested responsible products, submit your favorite plastic free-alternatives, and plug n’ chug metrics for a quick calculation of how much you could save by swapping reusables for plastics.

At the end of the day, the economic burdens associated with phasing-out plastics should not fall on any one small business or organization. In order for alternatives to truly be more accessible, we need systemic change. DFO targets businesses that are more likely to need cost-free consultation services in order to make the switch, and our work isn’t possible without the support of city and county governments.

“Business practices closely intersect with standards set by law and policy, which is ultimately a reflection of society’s shared values.” – Caiti Waks, Co-Founder and Director of Debris Free Oceans

The public sector (including different levels of government and policy-making bodies) plays an important role in making sustainable business practices more accessible. DFO’s team is proud to be working alongside the City of Miami Beach as they pave the way for municipalities to play an active role in this transition through their #PlasticFreeMB initiative!

In 2019, the DFO team worked with the City of Miami Beach to launch the #PlasticFreeMB Program, which recognizes businesses as they voluntarily progress along a spectrum of plastic-free practices:

• Level 1 Businesses, such as Surfcomber Hotel or Buenos Aires Bakery & Cafe, have phased out plastic straws or plastic bags.
• Level 2 Businesses, such as Ben & Jerry’s or David’s Café Cafecito, have phased out plastic straws, plastic bags, and one of the following eligible items.
• Level 3 Businesses, such as Biscayne Cowboys or the Miami Beach Convention Center, have eliminated all single-use plastic utensils, stirrers, straws, take-out containers, coffee cups, lids, and bags and/or switched over to 100% reusable products.

The timeline of developing, implementing, and enforcing local ordinances is often slow to create change, but this voluntary business recognition program has already created a ripple of positive impact through the promotion of sustainable business practices. In addition to promotional support and access to interactive consultation resources, the #PlasticFreeMB Program includes a unique educational component in which DFO will be working with schools to reach at least three hundred students and leading three community workshops for adults and businesses to learn more about their role in mitigating the plastic pollution crisis. This will be a critical component for the collective shift in purchasing policies and consumer preferences in the City of Miami Beach. We can only truly begin to create change once we achieve a strong shared understanding of the challenges at hand.

Just as each business consultation is unique, so are our partnerships with municipalities. The City of Miami Beach and the DFO team are currently in the process of growing our capacity to extend these working partnerships to more cities and businesses. The City of Miami Beach distributes their #PlasticFreeMB marketing package to cities interested in replicating the program and DFO provides the tools and consultation services to bring the transition to life. During the Summer of 2020, the City of North Bay Village joined in to launch #PlasticFreeNBV!

For more information about our business consultation services, visit our Sustainable Business page. To connect with our team regarding partnerships or the forthcoming Plastic Free Cities initiative, email hello@debrisfreeoceans.org!

It’s election season! The COVID-19 pandemic has created unfamiliar, new circumstances for even the most experienced voters to navigate this year. This blog post breaks-down the upcoming phases of the electoral process to make our roles as voters and advocates as clear as possible.

First things first, let’s run through the timeline.

August 18th, 2020 is the primary election date for the State of Florida. In simple terms, you can consider this the “first round” that narrows the field of candidates for offices specific to your district. For the primary election, it is in your best interest to have a declared political party in your voter registration. This is because Florida is a closed primary state where only members of political parties get to vote in the partisan races, such as for congressional seats. There are also very important non-partisan races that we vote on in the primaries, such as county judges or mayor.

Throughout Miami-Dade County, ballots will differ based on the district that you are a registered resident of. You may see candidates for county mayor, county commissioners, school board member seats, state attorney, property appraiser, state legislators, county judges, and party committee persons (among others).

You can register for the first time or update an existing registration any time before the deadline: July 20th, 2020.

November 3rd, 2020 is the general election for all US states. In simple terms, you can consider this the “final round” in which voters make their final choice from the party nominees and independent candidates running for the presidency and other offices specific to your district.

You can register for the first time or update an existing registration any time before the deadline: October 5th, 2020.

As early as you can in the election season, it’s important to (1) if you are a first time voter, register or (2) if you have voted in the past, verify and update your registration. If you will be living at a different address during the different elections, it will be especially important to update your registration before the deadlines.

To minimize the spread of COVID-19, all Florida voters can request to vote by mail in the upcoming elections. Fortunately, requesting to vote from home with an absentee ballot does not require an excuse in most states.

All Florida residents can successfully request a vote-by-mail ballot by following these 3 steps:

1. Visit https://dos.elections.myflorida.com/supervisors/
2. Select your county for the Supervisors of Elections’ contact info.
3. Request a vote-by-mail ballot via the application on their website; or by email, fax, mail, telephone call, or in-person meeting.

It is recommended that you do this at least 10 days before the date of the election. For example, you would be on the right track if you’ve requested a mail-in ballot before August 8th for the primary election on August 18th. This is because we want to be mindful of delays in the time it takes for the request to be received, ballot to be mailed, completed, and returned. I strongly encourage you to submit this request sooner rather than later!

Once you receive a vote-by mail ballot, you can complete it on your own time just as you would in-person. It is very important that you follow the steps for packaging/mailing or turning in your ballot to make sure it is submitted in time and can be counted. There will be clear instructions on the ballot itself and in the other materials included in the envelope, but there are a host of additional resources to help you along the way provided by the County.

Mail-in ballots must be returned (1) by mail via USPS or (2) in person at a secure drop box.

If you choose to mail your ballot, it may be returned via the United States Postal Service and must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Postage is paid for you, so no stamp is required. Once mailed out, you can also track the status of your ballot online!

If you choose to submit the completed ballot in-person, be prepared to respect the COVID-19 protocol at your polling place. This will likely include wearing a face covering, using hand washing stations, and maintaining 6-feet of distance between yourself and other community members. You can drop off the ballot in a secure drop box at an Early Voting location or the Stephen P. Clark Center Voter Information Center (VIC) during their open hours or at the Miami-Dade Elections Department no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Whether you choose to vote-by-mail or submit your ballot in-person, it is recommended that you make use of the Early Voting window to avoid crowds or lines for all elections. Click here for updated access to early voting locations and schedules.

For answers to additional questions regarding the vote-by-mail process, reference this resource.

If you chose to vote in-person, you will be required to bring a form of photo ID that includes your name, photo, and signature such as a valid driver’s license. If you are unable to provide that, reference page 11 of this resource for alternatives.

Before election day, it is recommended that you learn about the positions and candidates that you’ll be voting on. Miami-Dade County has an excellent resource that generates a custom sample ballot, based on your address, so that you can get a sense of exactly what you’ll be asked at the polling place.

Additional Resources:

If you have any questions about the electoral process at all, do not hesitate to reach out to a local civic engagement organization or county official to ensure that you are able to effectively participate in this important process.

A collaboratively-developed resource on the candidates and their platforms, as well as this collection of questionnaire responses organized by issues and candidates for the primary elections in Miami-Dade County.

Voter Help and Election Protection Hotlines:

English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)

Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)

Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)

Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urudu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Vietnamese: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)

Information that residents of any state may find useful on: new registration, registration status, vote-by-mail and absentee ballots, early voting periods, election dates and reminders, voting rights, in-person voting at polling places, voting in the age of COVID-19, and completing the 2020 census.

It doesn’t have to be Election Day to harness the power of civic engagement! Here are some activities you can participate in year-round to organize and advocate in your community:

Volunteerism: Research suggests that young people who volunteer in their communities are more likely to vote and feel empowered as citizens. One study found that volunteers become emotionally connected to the communities they serve. Their sustained involvement may even translate to future economic growth (Promoting Student Engagement).

Volunteering has been found to help people of all ages to develop skills for professional success and build personal confidence. Engaged community leaders quickly gain a better understanding of the complex inner-workings of society and build skills to promote well-being for their communities.

The United Nations has credited volunteerism as a requirement for better governance at the local and national level. In fact, it’s considered a necessary first step for achievement of the international Sustainable Development Goals!

Community Involvement: Many studies have supported collaborative problem-solving and diversity in decision-making as important for stepping stones for positive impact. Joining a grassroots organization, participating in mutual aid, or creating partnerships between different groups can all contribute to fostering more collaboration and diversity in our community’s advocacy efforts.

To support plastic pollution reduction, we suggest that you engage with organizations that are advancing this agenda through social (beach cleanups, recreational events) and political (issue advocacy, lobbying) methods. Some excellent organizations that we work alongside are Miami Waterkeeper and Oceana!

Electoral Participation: This Tuesday, March 17th is the day to cast your vote in the 2020 Democratic Primary elections. If you are well and able, we urge you to cast your ballot for the candidate you feel is best fit to lead our nation!

You can advocate for electoral participation by: wearing buttons, using campaign stickers or signs, sharing information about how to reach nearby polling places, volunteering for an issue advocacy organization, working with a campaign, phone banking to help eligible voters register, or volunteering at your nearest polling location.

Political Voice: When it isn’t election season, you can work towards building a stronger relationship with your elected officials. Engaging with those in office is crucial to holding public officials accountable to their community’s needs. You can contact them directly via email, visit a district office, or schedule a call with one of their staffers to speak about an issue or upcoming bill that is important to you.

You can also draft a blog post or op-ed on an issue that you feel strongly about to build more awareness in your community. Local journalists may be inspired by your contributions to increase coverage on an issue that would have otherwise been overlooked.

For many proposed bills and regulations, there are open windows for public comment where citizens can respond to specific proposals. This is a great way to directly contribute to the policy-making process, and it’s a great opportunity to learn more about policy alternatives that may be implemented to address an issue that you care about. That said, you won’t have the opportunity to provide a comment for a particular issue if nothing has been proposed to address it. This reinforces the importance of electing public officials who are in-tune with their constituencies and willing to build action-oriented relationships with advocates throughout their terms of office.

Digital Communications: We are living in unprecedented times—with limitless access to information and the ability to share our opinions with a massive audience at any moment. The internet has become a major avenue for social interaction and can be used as a tool for advocacy beyond our local communities. We encourage you to use this resource responsibly by sharing information from reputable sources and exposing yourself to diverse perspectives. Please be cognizant of the potential to be misled by misinformation and disinformation.

You can use social media and digital campaigns to advocate for issues that you care about and support candidates during electoral cycles. Digital communications, including social media and video calls, may also be a more accessible entry point for you to engage with elected officials that represent you.

Online advocacy is great for awareness-building and mobilization around our shared social struggles, but it’s not an equal replacement for electoral participation. Posting an informative graphic or re-sharing a statement by a preferred candidate does not have the same effect as voting for that candidate or issue area.

The right to vote is a great power and privilege that not all people are afforded. If you’re reading this during an election cycle, join us in supporting GOTV efforts! Sharing information with your online community can also be used to mobilize individuals towards actions. Consider re-sharing tips for folks to find their local polling place, obtain a vote-by-mail or absentee ballot, and join phone banking events for candidates they support.