Page 7 - Hobe Sound Reflections - December '22

Hobe Sound, Page 7

CommuniTy Happenings

Keep Martin Beautiful KeepMartinBeautiful, follow KMB on Instagram at instagram.
Find KMB on Facebook at facebook.com/
Volunteers Remove More com/keepmartinbeautiful, visit KeepMartinBeautiful.org or
Than 40,000 Pieces Of Litter call (772) 781-1222.

And Marine Debris As Part Of
International Coastal Cleanup

Keep Martin Beautiful’s International Coastal Cleanup
inspired more than 1,000 Martin County residents to take
action to help improve the quality of our beaches and
waterways. Volunteers from a cross section of the community
joined forces on a rainy Saturday morning on Sept. 17 and
removed more than 40,000 pieces of litter and marine debris
from local rivers, beaches, parks and waterways throughout The LaBar Family participates in the International Coastal
Martin County. Cleanup efforts at Stuart Beach.
“Thanks to the data collection app our volunteers have been
using over the past few years, we are able to gather meaningful Keep Martin Beautiful appreciates the many sponsors
data each year about what our volunteers are picking up,” said who supported the 2022 International Coastal Cleanup,
Craig Ahal, Keep Martin Beautiful president. “As always, the including: Ashley Capital; the City of Stuart; Coastal Waste From left: Marilyn Gavitt, Mark Gavitt, Farah Daye, Kathy
biggest litter culprit is cigarette butts.” & Recycling; ColorLength; Cook Electric, Inc.; Ecological Kernan, Kris Kerr and Jack Daye (kneeling) take to the
More than 8,500 cigarette butts were found strewn about Associates, Inc.; Florida Inland Navigational District; The spoil islands as part of the International Coastal Cleanup
Martin County’s beaches and parks, representing about 21 Firefly Group; Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa; Jenkins in Martin County.
percent of all the trash collected by item. A typical cigarette Landscape; Live with Grace; Martin County Board of
butt can take up to 10 years to decompose. Other large County Commissioners; The MilCor Group; the Pulte Group;
contributors to litter and marine debris in Martin County Rocky’s Ace Hardware Stuart; Sailfish Point; Shearwater
included nearly 2,500 plastic bottle caps, more than 500 Marine; Stuart Corinthian Yacht Club; Surfing Evolution &
plastic bottles, and nearly 700 plastic bags. Preservation Foundation; Three Lakes; Trash Free Seas; van
This year, the most unusual items found included fake Vonno Consulting; VidaCann; and 4ocean.
plants, a mascara tube, clothing, and an umbrella. About Keep Martin Beautiful
“Some of our volunteer groups have been participating Keep Martin Beautiful (KMB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
in our annual Coastal Cleanup for more than a decade,” said community organization founded in 1994 as an affiliate
Tiffany Kincaid, executive director of Keep Martin Beautiful. of Keep America Beautiful. Its mission is to preserve and
“The troop leaders, school groups and families that take enhance the quality of life in Martin County through litter
younger kids out to be part of the cleanup are such a critical prevention, the promotion of recycling, improvement of
part of instilling environmental stewardship values on the solid waste management practices, and beautification and
next generation.” community revitalization activities. KMB signature events
Keep Martin Beautiful has been the local coordinator for and programs include the Environmental Stewardship
International Coastal Cleanup for 27 years. It’s part of a global Awards, the International Coastal Cleanup, the Great These volunteers from the Roberts family prove that even
initiative coordinated by the Ocean Conservancy involving 17 American Cleanup, the Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A-Street the tiniest of hands can make a difference in our community
million people in over 100 nations around the world. programs, and other educational and outreach activities. beach cleanup efforts.