A Suncoast Super Bowl Sized Effort to Keep Our Beaches Clean
Ever wonder what Super Bowl 55, Hungry Howies, Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation, Pepsi, and the beaches at Anna Maria Island could have in common. Well, Monday, January 25th, they had a lot in common when the NFL Green, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Florida Aquarium, Force Blue, NAUI Green Diver, Pepsi, Hungry Howies, Compressed Adventures, Under Pressure Sports, and a crowd of 55 divers converged to clean up the water off that serene landscape.
Beaches Cleaned as Part of Larger Green Effort
Each year, in honor of the Super Bowl, NFL green and other agencies come together to clean up the waters near where the huge sporting event will be hosted. This year that means that since the Super Bowl will be played here on the Suncoast in beautiful Tampa Bay – it was Anna Maria that benefited. In a well-coordinated effort, divers went to work in the waters to remove derelict traps, cargo nets, and lines along with over 120 pounds of garbage removed by those along the shoreline. Those experienced divers in the water did an amazing job of working in trying conditions to remove dangerous items to marine animals and the ecosystem of these waters.
It is a well-known fact that our beaches draw thousands of visitors every year. Unfortunately, that means that the waste left in their wake can become an overwhelming problem if not continuously maintenance. This often falls to amazing organizations such as those involved in Monday’s dive to help ensure our waterways’ health and continue to make them places our children and their children will want to visit. Additionally, conserving this versatile ecosystem with all the vegetation, organisms, and animals that dwell under the waters is especially important for this landscape’s long-term health we love so much.
Tiny Steps Every Day
While this monumental task is a huge undertaking, remember each of us can do our part. Pick up your trash when visiting the beach, and don’t take things like plastic bottles from which caps can fall off and into the water. Additionally, if you see something lying on the sand that doesn’t belong there – pick it up. Each little well-meaning opportunity to help keep our beaches clean makes these efforts’ benefits extend even longer. Thank you to everyone involved in Monday’s event and all that do their part to maintain our beautiful Suncoast beaches.
Photos courtesy of Compressed Adventures