World Ocean Month is here! Since I live and breathe all things Miami, every day is Ocean Day in my books! Without a doubt, Miami is famous for its beautiful beaches and its blue ocean water. The Atlantic Ocean merges with the Caribbean Sea in Miami. The part of the ocean that you can see in every movie or TV show in Miami is called Biscayne Bay. It is the heart and soul of Miami. Unfortunately, in recent years, this lagoon has become more and more polluted.
Background story:
In August 2020, the biggest fishkill ever recorded occurred as a result of years of massive pollution and dumping into Biscayne Bay. Thousands of fish were gasping for air and eventually suffocated. Many activists have already warned that the water is at a tipping point and worked to preserve the idyllic lagoon. At the end of 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis and Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine-Cava finally announced that $20 million would be invested in protecting Biscayne Bay.
It is not only fish that suffer but most of the marine life in Biscayne Bay. All too often plastic single-use utensils, plastic straws, or bags are being used at the beach and land in the ocean. Poor little sea turtles cannot differentiate between plastic bags and jellyfish, one of their favorite foods. Even tiny amounts of plastic can be fatal for baby sea turtles.
Here are a few ways how you can help save Biscayne Bay and its marine life:
- Ask your Senators and Representatives in Congress to support policies that reduce single-use plastic and drastically increase recycling in the United States: Take action
- Donate to Ocean Conservancy or Surfrider Foundation
- Report Pollution on Miami Waterkeeper
- Look up if there are any beach clean-ups in your area or get together with some friends and clean the beach up together
- Try to avoid using plastic when enjoying Miami’s beautiful beaches. Try to stick to reuseable bags, paper straws, and reusable water bottles.
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