On September 17, 2021, Big Blue & You hosted the inaugural Plastic Free MVPs Efforts On the Shores Initiative celebration. The inspirational zero-waste event took place at Kimpton Angler’s Hotel on exciting Miami Beach and celebrated 15 students from Design and Architecture Senior High (D.A.S.H) Environmental Club for their significant role in the City of Miami Beach’s #PlasticFreeMB program this summer.
The Shores Forward initiative helps address the nearly 8 million tons of debris that end up in the ocean each year, killing more than 100 million marine animals yearly. The event recognized the Big Blue Crew for helping a grand total of 13 restaurants sign up for the #PlasticFreeMB program. When restaurants weren’t sure if they were ready to make the switch, the Big Blue Crew provided sample tool kits sponsored by Lean Orb, a sustainable solutions to single-use plastics company, to help persuade them.
Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber was able to attend and congratulate students on their hard work and dedication to creating a more sustainable Miami Beach. Students were able to share a final presentation of survey data and unveil an original sculpture titled “Plastipus”, made entirely out of plastic collected from various beach clean-ups. To top it all off, the students also received community service hours for their participation in the program. It’s a win-win situation!
We are incredibly proud to share that our celebratory event was completely zero waste! Starting off, the menu was completely vegan. Much of the food served were items that don't require utensils, like sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres. All food was served on reusables or biodegradable receptacles, and once everyone was finished, all food scraps were composted by an organization called Compost for Life. All of the waste was collected in a five gallon bucket and all of the drinks were served in stainless steel cups that each attendant was able to take home after the event. Even the paper napkins were composted!
Hosting a zero waste event is not as difficult as you might think. It can easily be done with just a little bit of planning ahead, some teamwork, and a whole lot of love for the ocean! At Big Blue and You, we are committed to protecting the environment and will do everything in our power to reduce our carbon footprint. This event was such a rewarding experience and we highly recommend hosting a zero waste event of your own!
“It is essential for young people who want to protect the ocean to think globally and act locally,” said Danni Washington, Co-Founder and Executive Director of BB&Y. “We are fortunate to take part in Ocean Conservancy’s Shores Forward program, which partnered with the #PlasticFreeMB program, and allowed us to help facilitate more youth leaders in ocean conservation and inspire our South Florida community to move toward a single-use, plastic-free future,” she said.
