Keep It Clean

My friends Abby, Carol, Hannah, and I spent this past Saturday evening walking around our local beach, picking up trash, and keeping it clean and beautiful. It is so easy to drop something or have a piece of trash be swept away by a gust of wind, but always take the time to pick up after yourself. I figured we would pick up some wrappers and bottle caps, but I was blown away by how many stranded belongings and trash we retrieved. We should strive to leave nothing on the beach except our footprints.

Our planet is so precious, and we must do everything we can to keep it clean and protected. Trash will continue to blow into the ocean and be consumed by the sea-life, which in turn can be harmful if we are not mindful. Caring where we dispose trash in turn translates to our care for the environment. A year ago, my teammates and I went and picked up trash around our town and collected multiple bags of trash. This weekend, my friends and I picked up close to two buckets of trash scattered across the sand, which is pictured below. I am hoping that those who saw us in action creates a domino effect and inspire others to do the same.

On Sunday morning, Carol, Abby, and I were walking to one of our new favorite local coffee shops, Deke’s in Delray, and as we were rounding the corner a couple of men were seen with similar buckets we used at the beach. They were picking up trash along the sidewalk. One of the men pointed out that he loved to see that we were smiling on a beautiful morning and introduced himself as the President and Founder of Beach Keepers Inc. He gave us a business card, which states that their mission is to keep Florida beaches, parks, city streets, and waterways pristine by removing the litter and debris negatively impacting our natural resources from public spaces in the Palm Beach County area in Florida. He mentioned that he is always looking for volunteers to help out on Sundays. We walked away feeling humbled and inspired to take him up on his offer in the weeks to come.

“The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved.” – Richard Rogers

Remember to stay humble and kind, always!

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xo –Jess