The Biscayne Bay Marine Health Coalition (BBMHC) is a coalition of volunteers working collaboratively with government agencies, academic institutions, businesses and nonprofits dedicated to advocating solutions for a healthy and resilient Biscayne Bay watershed. The Biscayne Bay Marine Health Coalition invites Biscayne Bay stakeholders and interested community members, once again, to join us at the 2022 Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit (Spring '22) to report on the progress of the Task Force, advance its recommendations, and identify potential new restoration opportunities.

Thank you for supporting our vision to create a sustainable and healthy Biscayne Bay. 

The Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit is a sponsored project of Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup, Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions on behalf of the Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit must be made payable to Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup, Inc (VolunteerCleanup.Org) and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

2017 and 2019 Summit Pictures

Losing a loved one is a sad and difficult time. Activites and events should both memorialize the individual and help the survivors as they navigate the healing process. There are many positive ways to honor the departed - including planting a tree, raising money for a charity, or doing a community service event. If the deceased loved the outdoors, beaches, oceans, or turtles, a memorial beach, shoreline or park cleanup can be a very special way to celebrate life and include extended friends and community in the mourning process. Whatever you chose, please avoid destructive things like balloon / sky lantern releases (which cause death and destruction) or butterfly / dove releases (which promote the breeding and exploitation of animals).

A note about Balloon Releases - Don't do them. What goes up, must come down, and balloons create litter and deadly ingestion or entanglement for wildlife (popped balloons actually look like Jellyfish and are easily ingested by turtles). While the intent is beautiful, the outcome is deadly. Don't honor a life by causing death. In addition to being deadly for wildlife, balloons filled with helium are contributing to the depletion of this finite resource that is essential for life-saving medical procedures, scientific research, and many other important applications. If you'd like to learn more about why we shouldn't do balloon releases, visit our friends at www.balloonsblow.org. (photos below came from balloonsblow.org)

If you would like to organizing your own Memorial Cleanup, you can access our 'Host your Own Cleanup' guide here: https://www.volunteercleanup.org/organize. If you would like to lead your cleanup, we offer very affordable options to organize the entire activity and supplies. If you aren't sure which way you would like to go, reach out to us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.

To see a local news story about a wonderful memorial cleanup (and reaction from the attendees), click below: 

Are you looking for a fun Mitzvah Project? How about a beach or neighborhood cleanup! It's easy, impactful, and educational - and who doesn't love a day outside in nature....

Many Jewish congregations require bar / bat mitzvah students to take on a charity, social or community service project as part of their bar / bat mitzvah preparations. A Mitzvah Project is a meaningful way to engage the child and their family/friends in some of the most important values of Judaism – repairing the world (tikkun olam) and compassion for others (v’ahavta l’rayecha kamocha). Students are encouraged to create a unique project that suits his or her personality and focus on issues they care about.

But practicing tikkun olam doesn't apply only to Mitzvah students. Many Congregations aim to ignite a lifelong commitment to social justice, kindness and charity by organizing Mitzvah days for all members to participate in. Beach or Neighborhood Cleanups are appropriate for all ages and capacities.

Organizing a Beach, Shoreline, or Neighborhood Cleanup mitzvah projects is an easy, yet impactful and rewarding event for the participants, community and planet. While the event will clean up human made litter, the ultimate goal is to learn about the marine debris problem impacts, causes, and what we as individuals, businesses and society can do to solve the issue.

If you want to host your own event, you can access our 'Host your Own Cleanup' guide here: https://www.volunteercleanup.org/organize. If you need additional guidance, send us an email to [email protected] and we'd love to chat.

The Butt Ballot is a fun and engaging solution to ensure responsible cigarette disposal and recycling. These are great for music venues, festivals, or beaches. Customize it with your own messaging and 'voting' question.

If you are interested to connect with the manufacturer, just send us an email to [email protected].

Hosting a neighborhood, shoreline, or waterway cleanup is easy and fun, and we are here to help you succeed!

Once you decide when and where you want to do a cleanup, you can post your event to recruit and manage volunteers. Here how our free platform can help you:

• Your event will be promoted on our public search page (you can make it hidden if only want to have your group members to have access)
• Your event will be included in our weekly email blast to volunteers who have asked to be notified of upcoming cleanups near them (you can make it hidden)
• You will be able to manage and communicate with volunteers who have signed up
• Waivers are signed by volunteers when they register (You can also have your own via Google Form or printed when they arrive)
• We can provide a Community Service Form that you can provide to your volunteers upon completion of the event
• Email support if you have any questions or need guidance

Before you get started, you might find our "Host Your Own Cleanup" guide handy.
Volunteer Waivers can be downloaded here
If you have questions, feel free to email us at [email protected]

Click HERE to access your account and post your cleanup

Do your own #SoloCleanup

• You can participate as often as you'd like!

• Locations can be your favorite park, neighborhood, beach, or waterway

• Earn Community Service Hours (you must follow the instructions below to get your certificate)

Safety Guidelines: For anyone doing their own cleanup, please review the safety guidelines and 8 Steps to doing your own cleanup below. Reach out with any questions to [email protected] We are here to help! 

Supplies: If you are doing your own independent cleanup, at a bare minimum you will need gloves and a garbage bag. We like these reusable and washable gloves for $1/pair at Home Depot, but even dishwashing gloves available at your local grocery store are fine. You can easily re-purpose a used bucket too (ask local restaurants who may have food service items like soy sauce, pickles or condiments that come in buckets to donate!)

Clean Swell: Citizen Science Data collection is a crucial component used to quantify the problem and help support good government policy. Download the app before your cleanup and log the types and amounts of trash you collect. (Logging your trash in Clean Swell is required for community service hours). Check out the CleanSwell poster or Watch the short Video for more guidance on using the app. 

Community Service Hours: We give a maximum of 2-hours per cleanup. 

To be eligible to receive community service hours for your cleanup, you must log your cleanup in Clean Swell. When you are done collecting and have submitted your data you will receive an email summary. Forward that summary along with a photo of you and your bags from the cleanup to [email protected]  We will send you an electronic community service certificate within 1 week.  We'd like to see some action shot photos of you at the location, 1 photo that shows some of the items you found,  and at least 1 photo that shows the cumulative impact.. ALL of the trash you collected. So if you have multiple bags of trash or buckets, take a photo of ALL of the trash together before you throw it away so i can see the total volume. If you want to earn an additional hour (3-hours total) see details below about the optional essay you can submit along with your cleanup photos and cleanswell report.  The bonus hour for the essay is limited to 1 per person, but you can do as many cleanups as you'd like! 

We will give you an additional hour (1 per person) if you want to write a 1-page essay about your cleanup and addressing the following points. 

Cleanup Essay:

• Where and when did you do your cleanup? Who was with you?
• What kinds of items did you find on your cleanup?
  • What did you find the MOST of?
  • Did you find anything unusual or strange?
• How did it make you feel to find these items during your cleanup? What were your reactions to the activity? Any thoughts or insights as a result?
• Where do you think this trash is coming from? How did it get to the location where you found it?
• What are the impacts of trash in our oceans and beaches? Why should we be concerned about marine debris?
• Do you have any ideas on what we can ALL do better, to prevent this problem?
  • What can you do personally in your life?
  • What should government be doing?
  • What should businesses be doing?

Social Media: Spreading knowledge of our marine debris problem is critical to solving the problem. Share pictures on social media with any personal asks or changes that you are committing to, and tag @VolunteerCleanup so we can like your post.!. 

Thank you for your interest in doing your own #solocleanup as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Season. We expect most volunteers to provide their own gloves and garbage bags. However, if that is not possible, we have a limited number of bags and gloves available for pickup at various locations. 

In order to receive the list of locations where you can pick them up, please read and agree to the following terms. The email confirmation you receive may be required at the locations where you will pick up your supplies. 

By signing up below, I acknowledge and agree to the following: 

1. I have reviewed the Safety Guidelines 
2. I am aware of the Miami-Dade emergency orders currently in effect, requiring social distancing and mask wearing in public
3. I accept VolunteerCleanup.org's Terms of Service and Liability Release

VolunteerCleanup.Org hands out reusable pocket ashtrays to smokers at music festivals, events, tobacco shops and while walking down the street. We approach mid-smoke with a smile and a very simple 'Hey friend, here is a free pocket ashtray for you so you have a good place to put your butt when you are done.' While that might be the end of the engagement, the conversation is just beginning. The messaging on the pocket ashtray educates them that their butts are not biodegradable (they are made of cellulose plastic), and that cigarette litter washes down the storm drains and straight out to waterways. What they do after that is up to them.

• If you would like some pocket ashtrays to hand out, or would like to custom brand your own, email [email protected] and give us your plan.
• It costs us $1 to put a reusable pocket ashtray directly into the hands of a smoker. If you would like to support our efforts, feel free to make a donation.
• Check out the presentation we gave at the International Marine Debris Conference explaining how we use Design Thinking and the Theory of Reciprocity to Educate and Engage Cigarette Smokers.

Commissioner Ken Russell proclaims May 12, 2016 as "Henry West Lab 5th Grade Class Day" for their work in raising awareness of plastic trash in Biscayne Bay and taking action with shoreline cleanups. Story after the video.

VolunteerCleanup.Org runs a 'Cash for Trash' program to help student clubs, groups and PTA's raise money for projects, give students community service hours, and provide a valuable service for our planet. 

While groups can use the money for any project - including new band instruments, uniforms, or a school trip, we like specifically like to fund greening program projects within the schools. Want a water bottle refill station, recycling bins, or a school garden? We'd love to help partipcate. 

For more info, email [email protected]

Your tax-deductible gift to the Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup, Inc. - a 501(c)(3) non-profit - helps us engage volunteers to cleanup their neighborhoods, shorelines, and waterways as a way to raise awareness about marine debris and encourage people to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics.

Corporate Sponsorships or Material Donations: If you or your organization are interested in sponsoring VolunteerCleanup.Org (Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup), or have materials that you think would be valuable (services, buckets, reusable gloves, plastic bags, etc), please email [email protected]

You can also raise money for us while you shop on Amazon! https://smile.amazon.com/ch/42-1766017

Miami Dade Coastal Cleanup, Inc. is a tax approved 501(c)(3) public charity by the IRS and a Florida registered charity (#CH26608). No goods or services were provided in exchange for your contribution. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the State. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendations by the State.

Sponsors

VolunteerCleanup.Org relies on the support of local businesses and government entities to help fund this monumental event. Financial contributions from the sponsors listed below helped us increase the number of sites and providing material support for all the volunteers.

For tax-deductible sponsorship opportunities, check out our Sponsorship Package contact Dara Schoenwald at [email protected] or 786-525-6040. 

Thank you to our 2016 Sponsors

VolunteerCleanup.Org is a project of Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup, Inc., which is a tax approved 501c3 public charity by the IRS and a Florida registered charity (#CH26608). A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free (800-435-7352) within the State. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendations by the State.

      Hi, you've reached an outdated link on our site.   Please visit our new ICC page at: 

http://www.volunteercleanup.org/miami_coastal_cleanup_day

Come meet other Change Makers at the Official ICC Volunteer Appreciation and Celebration Party

Once again, we are excited to partner with the Love the Everglades Movement. 

The 9th ANNUAL EVERGLADES AWARENESS BENEFIT CONCERT AT GRAMPS will be our official Volunteer Celebration. 

https://www.facebook.com/events/712232532250837

FREE FOR ALL ICC VOLUNTEERS.  You will receive your pass/ticket in your giveaway bag. 

This is an all-ages, family friendly, educational, environmental and musical event! Face painting for kids, photo booths,  and more! 

NOTE is the day after ICC, not the same day!!! 

Sunday, September 18, 2016
2:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

HOSTED BY PLOPPY PALACE PRODUCTIONS
& LOVE THE EVERGLADES MOVEMENT

On Sunday, September 18, 2016 Ploppy Palace Productions and Love The Everglades Movement will be hosting a concert to raise awareness and funds for Everglades protection and public education. As part of this three stage extravaganza, some of South Florida's top bands, spoken word artists and community activists will join together to raise awareness for this vital natural resource.

There will be musical performances by The Spam Allstars, Army Gideon, The Baboons, Iko Iko, The Medicine Box Acoustic, Nag Champayons, The Oski Foundation, Magic City Hippies, Blue Sky Drive, Chantil Dukart, Above The Skyline, Spank, Zen Per Capita, PATH, Venus Rising, Kuyayky, Rachelle Coba, Sarah Packiam, Michelle Forman Duo, Steve Minotti, Grant Livingston, Anthony Nelson, Mr. Grim Reapa, Orion, Haviken Hayes and more.

Guest speakers include: FL State Rep. David Richardson, Houston Cypress from Love The Everglades Movement, Laura Reynolds from Conservation Concepts; Rhonda Roff from Sierra Club Callusa Chapter; Dara Schoenwald & David Doebler from VolunteerCleanup.org; George Cavros from Floridians For Solar Choice, Sam Van Leer from Urban Paradise Guild, Seth Bloomgarden from Surfrider Foundation Miami Chapter and other concerned citizens.

Spoken word by Alonso, Marcus Blake, Rio and more.

Dance and performance by Elviza's Rockabelly Hippies featuring Elviza, Symphony & Sofia Luna plus Melody Gedeon and more.

Live art by Anibal Fernandez, Linx, Rei Ramirez and more.

Information booths from Love The Everglades Movement,VolunteerCleanup.org and other organizations.

Vendors and small businesses promoting and selling their merchandise, including The Wallflower Gallery, Progressive Rags and others.

Face painting with Them There Eyes. More kids activities are being developed, so stay tuned!

This is an all ages event
Admission is $ 10. FREE FOR ICC VOLUNTEERS 
Children under 12 - FREE
============================================

The 9th Annual Everglades Awareness Benefit Concert at Gramps is sponsored by Ploppy Palace Productions and The Miccosukee Tribe of Florida, Dr. Michael Lemus and VolunteerCleanup.org.

Production Support by 7th Circuit Productions, Miccosukee Media, Mut Communications and KPW Media.

Gramps
176 NW 24th St
Miami, Florida 33127
www.gramps.com
www.facebook.com/grampsmiami

International Coastal Cleanup Day - September 15, 2018

Spearheaded by the Ocean Conservancy, this is the worlds largest single day cleanup event with cleanups in all 50 states and over 100 countries around the world. In 2015, 791,336 volunteers worldwide removed 18,062,911 pounds of marine debris. Ocean Conservancy's Annual Index of Marine Debris 

VolunteerCleanup.Org is the Miami-Dade host with 40+ sites across the county from Sunny Isles to Homestead.
In 2016, in Miami Dade, 2,200 volunteers removed 17,500 pounds of marine debris on this one single day of service. 

2018 Miami Coastal Cleanup Event Info

The 2017 Miami-Dade Coastal Cleanup will take place on Saturday, September 15th, 2018 at 50 locations around Miami-Dade

Get notified of upcoming cleanups near you here: http://www.volunteercleanup.org/volunteer
For a list of last years 2017 sites, visit http://www.volunteercleanup.org/iccmiami2017
To find a site outside of Miami, please visit the Ocean Conservancy Page
To become a site captain host a location or support our efforts, email [email protected]

Worldwide, thousands of volunteers from over 100 countries will spend their morning collecting millions of pounds of litter and debris on inland roadsides, coastal areas, inland lakes and rivers. Volunteers will assist in this effort to clean and protect the environment by eliminating debris that injures wildlife, contaminates our beaches and waterways, and threatens boater safety in Miami-Dade County. 

The ICC is much more than just removing trash. By using detailed, standardized data cards, volunteers gather valuable information about the types and sources of debris found. Analyzed and tracked year by year, this information serves as a powerful tool for educating the public, influencing public policy, and effecting positive behavioral change on the part of individuals, organizations, and communities.

The collection of this data by cleanup volunteers of all ages and the resulting report prepared by The Ocean Conservancy is used in the following ways:

• To raise awareness of the quantities and types of marine debris;
• To determine the various sources of marine debris;
• To evaluate the impact of marine debris on wildlife and habitat;
• To assist in the enforcement of regulations against illegal dumping;
• To influence industries that manufacture products that cause harm to the marine environment.

We hope you can join us in Miami - or in any other shoreline throughout the world.

Every year, a very large unsanctioned / unpermitted event called Floatopia brings 2-3,000 people with pool floats to Miami Beach as a result of a very effective social media concept. Every year locals complain about the amount of litter that ends up on the beach and in the waters. This year, a couple eco-groups decided to do something about it and put a plan together to help mitigate the problem. A major undertaking to say the least. Read how it went below....

I got an email out of the blue from a 5th grade teacher who heard about my work. She had been teaching her students about trash in the waters, and and asked if I we could coordinate a cleanup for her 45 students. The plan ultimately evolved into a one hour presentation to the students and then a shoreline cleanup involving the students and their siblings / parents. We broke up into 3 teams : 1) plastic bottles, 2) rigid plastics for the Method Soap collection, and 3) trash. We picked up 40+ bags of trash and recyclables that the ocean spit out in a little over an hour. Honestly, this was the most fun I've had in a long time - especially knowing that none of these 45 kids will ever litter. This may be a new direction in my strategy.

You can see my presentation here :

On a personal note - many of you are aware that the kayak I use to cleanup trash from the bay was stolen, and there was a tremendous outpouring of support from so many people wanting to help me find a new one. I was fully planning on purchasing another newer better one myself, but 3 very dear friends who so believed in what I am doing sent unsolicited contributions which covered the cost of my new kayak and an electric motor to help me continue and improve my efforts. I am so incredibly humbled by their generosity, belief in me, and kind words about how much my work inspires them. This past weekends cleanup is dedicated to these very dear friends who probably don't want to be publically named. If anyone else wants to help, they can grab a few friends and I will help organize / host a trash cleanup - which is ultimately what this is all about anyway. I am debating a name for my new kayak now. I have come up with 'Change Maker', 'Trash-Yak', or 'Guardian of the Bay'. 'White Trash' and 'Ecoyak' were also possibilities.  Standby for the final decision.