TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — More than 60 volunteers hit the beach and water in Treasure Island last weekend, spending the day collecting trash and raising awareness about the impact litter can have on wildlife and the marine environment.
Near Sunset Vista Park, volunteers searched the shoreline for debris of all sizes. For those taking part, every piece of trash removed from the beach was considered a win.
“Imagine a kid steps on that,” said Patrick Collins, executive director of the Florida Divers Conservation Coalition. “Imagine someone throws that into the water and it breaks, and somebody walking the beach — that’s going to be a serious problem.”
Collins said volunteers regularly find cans, bottles and other items that should never make it into the water.
“Cans and bottles being thrown into the water — that’s just blatantly disrespectful to not only us that live here but the environment,” he said.
While volunteers worked along the shoreline, others took the cleanup underwater.
Jarrett Maryon, who runs Misting Monsoon Diving, an underwater marine services company, helped remove garbage from the water.
“I love seeing the community giving back to our waterways,” Maryon said. “It’s massive.”
Maryon said removing trash from the water is particularly important because marine animals can mistake plastic and other debris for food.
“As it gets into the ocean, we have sea turtles, fish, all the wildlife and sea life eating it,” he said. “The fish eat it, and we eat the fish. So we are eating the plastic that is going out into the ocean.”
Maryon regularly documents his cleanup dives in an effort to educate the public and encourage people to be more responsible with their trash.
“Leave no trace — it’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Pay attention to what you bring to the beach and what you bring to the beach, leave with it.”
The cleanup was organized by Treasure Island Adopt a Beach and brought together more than 60 people committed to keeping the area’s beaches and waterways clean.
Volunteers said much of the debris they encounter is plastic, including straws, cans and bottles.
Organizers hope the cleanup does more than simply remove trash. They also want the effort to encourage residents and visitors to think about how their actions affect the environment and the wildlife that depends on clean waterways.
For some volunteers, the motivation is deeply personal.
“I grew up here. I live here. My kids grew up here,” Collins said. “And I want it to be this way for generations.”
The volunteers say keeping Treasure Island’s beaches and water clean is more than a one-day effort — it’s an ongoing responsibility they hope the entire community will embrace.