SENDIT4THESEA

SENDIT4THESEA has been operating over the past 2 1/2 years; we initially noticed the issue of plastic pollution in our community and were deeply troubled by the lack of awareness on the harms posed by plastic pollution to human health and the environment. We formed SENDIT4THESEA with the goal of engaging South Florida communities in bi-monthly cleanup events that allow participants to engage with local environmental efforts that raise awareness on the issue of plastic pollution. There's a lack of formal education on the detriments of plastic consumerism on health and the environment which we feel is a public disservice; we've had the opportunity to engage with upwards of 2000 students (ranging from elementary to college) across Miami-Dade County through environmental workshops, mangrove restoration, and shoreline cleanups. We're currently collaborating with a local artist in the creation of an installation through the repurposing of materials found during cleanup events to create more public awareness regarding the severity of plastic pollution in our environment. In collaboration with dedicated community members, we've successfully picked up over 36,000 pounds of trash from public spaces in Miami. Our work has helped us gain new insights into the fragility of Biscayne Bay's natural ecosystem and how reciprocal the relationship between human behavior and the environment is. In terms of innovation, We are developing a virtual reality educational course geared around Biscayne Bay's various living shorelines: our goal is to provide rural & inner-city students with the opportunity to engage with an immersive experience that they otherwise would not have access to.