Preserving the stunning beauty and vibrant wildlife of Biscayne Bay is crucial, especially with summer just around the corner, when many will bask in the seascape’s glory, all the while the city endures what is likely to be another year of record-breaking hot temperatures. Ultimately, the future of the bay depends on the waste practices of all Miami residents, regardless of how disconnected they may feel from the waters.
That is why many organizations in Miami host trash cleanup events, particularly around the bay. However, according to Caiti Waks, co-founder and president of Debris Free Oceans, the volunteers who routinely participate in typical clean-up events make up only a small fraction of the overall population.
PRESERVING THE BEAUTY OF THE BAY
(Courtesy of Debris Free Oceans)
Volunteers turn in picked-up trash during the Miami's Trashiest Singles event in Peacock Park.
Debris Free Oceans was created in 2014 to overcome Miami’s waste crisis that directly affects the bay. To successfully protect the bay, Waks recognized the need to involve more communities in cleanup efforts. Her organization fosters environmental responsibility by inspiring action through cleanups, and a fresh approach to engaging communities around Miami.
“We felt that a lot of environmental organizations were using fear-based messaging to try to educate the public, which we felt was disengaging a large body of people,” Waks said. “Instead, we wanted to create an entity that could engage people with action-oriented solutions, ultimately getting them more involved and motivated to join the environmental movement.”
(Courtesy Debris Free Oceans)
Caiti Waks (right), co-founder and president of Debris Free Oceans.
Debris Free Oceans hosts one or two cleanup events every month at various locations around Miami. It also offers programs such as Zero Waste Miami, where it partners with local government, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to create local, sustainable solutions for a zero-waste economy.
“Our main focus is on issues infecting the bay,” said Waks. “Trash pollution, particularly plastic, is a huge issue in the bay. It is smothering ecosystems, entangling wildlife, or causing wildlife to starve by ingesting those plastics.”
A study by Florida International’s Institute of Environment revealed how volunteers pull 50,000 pounds of trash out of Biscayne Bay each year. The study also discovered how in some parts of the bay, seagrass meadows have diminished by more than 90%, and more than 27,000 fish died in the 2020 Biscayne Bay fish kill tragedy.
TRASH MISCONCEPTIONS
The organization hosts cleanup events all around Miami, including Morningside Park, Downtown Miami, Little Havana, and Doral. Waks emphasized how targeting communities farther away from the bay is crucial.
(Courtesy Debris Free Oceans)
A volunteer pushes a shopping cart full of trash that was picked up during one of the Pub Crawl and Cocktails events in the Wynwood District.
“We love doing inland cleanups and helping educate people by meeting them where they are and helping them clean up their community. We also feel there isn’t enough technology or efforts to clean up inland areas that tend to be ridden with trash,” said Waks.
Much of the trash littering Miami’s streets ultimately ends up in the bay, Waks explained, noting the common misconception that local storm drain systems filter out debris before it reaches the water.
“Nothing like that occurs,” said Waks. “It’s a direct shoot from street to bay, so anything in the street might as well be in the bay.”
(Courtesy Debris Free Oceans)
Volunteers celebrate their trash pickup efforts with drinks provided by Debris Free Oceans during one of its Pub Crawl and Cocktails events in the Wynwood District.
She recalled a cleanup event in Hialeah where they partnered with Commissioner Bryan Calvo who provided his pickup truck to haul away the trash. In just 30 minutes, they collected over 500 pounds of waste and had to cut the event short when the truck reached full capacity.
Calvo also offered his party bus during the event, which picked up volunteers and drove them around the town and back to their meeting location. In the end, they gathered at the Kush by Stephen’s restaurant nearby and enjoyed complimentary food and drinks provided by the restaurant.
“Everyone had a great time. That was probably one of my favorite cleanup events we ever did,” said Waks.
UNCONVENTIONAL CLEANUPS
(Courtesy Debris Free Oceans)
Thirty-four volunteers gathered inside Commissioner Bryan Calvo's party bus after a trash cleanup event in Hialeah.
Debris Free Oceans strives to make its cleanups as much fun as possible in order to attract volunteers.
“A lot of our events are funkified,” Waks said, adding how the trash cleanup events follow themes such as Keg N’ Klean, where volunteers bring a reusable cup to get free beer and clean beach areas. Another event the organization hosts is called Pub Crawl Pick Ups, where volunteers walk around the city and visit multiple bars and restaurants that provide the group with free food and drinks, all the while producing zero waste and cleaning up neighborhoods along the way.
“Our events are meant to be a warm and welcoming space for anyone to learn about what they can do better and be congratulated for helping clean the environment,” said Waks.
By creating themed events tailored to different social groups, the organization continues to expand its reach. Yappy Hour, for example, invited dog owners to learn about responsible pet waste disposal while enjoying activities, treats, and live music. Miami’s Trashiest Singles, a cleanup at Peacock Park, was designed as an event for singles to meet while working together for the greater community. Other events involve companies, such as Apple employees who worked a cleanup at Haulover Beach.
On Saturday, April 19, Debris Free Oceans, in collaboration with EarthDay.org and Miami-Dade County’s District 5, will host a Wellness & Street Cleanup in the Little Havana neighborhood. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. in Domino Park with a group High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) class. After the workout, volunteers will walk through the streets of Little Havana, focusing on areas heavily impacted by illegal dumping.
(Courtesy Debris Free Oceans)
During the Miami's Trashiest Singles event, volunteers played an altered version of capture the flag game.
SURVEYING THE SITUATION
Recently, Debris Free Oceans started surveying its volunteers at events to track the number of newcomers and gauge their current knowledge of environmental issues.
“Through our cleanup events, we engage the public on these issues and input knowledge,” said Waks. “We conduct surveys after to see how much of the public already had that knowledge previously, and how much is this new exposure to them.”
During the Trashiest Singles event and The Corner’s 13th Anniversary Block Party downtown, they gathered the survey responses of 94 attendees that provided valuable insights.
Over a quarter of those surveyed said they do not feel connected to the bay, and almost half said they don’t know how to help the bay.
“We are inferring that we are beginning to reach a new segment of the population,” said Waks, referring to the survey’s results that reveal a clear disconnection from the bay.
The survey also supported efforts to engage more people, showing that 73% of the people who attended their Miami’s Trashiest Singles event were engaging with the organization for the first time. Waks emphasized how creating events that target specific groups of people has proven to be a successful tactic.
“This shows us how we were able to attract people outside the typical environmental, social groups that are routinely present by targeting singles in Miami,” said Waks.
To learn more about Debris Free Oceans, visit DebrisFreeOceans.org.
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(Courtesy Debris Free Oceans)
Volunteers picking up trash near train tracks in Hialeah.
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(Courtesy Instagram)
Caiti Waks, founder and director of Debris Free Oceans