What You Can Do to Protect Clearwater’s Marine Life
We live here because it’s one of the most
56 MyClearwater
beautiful places to live in the country. We
also share Clearwater with countless other
animals who, like us, call it home. In fact,
our Gulf Coast shores are some of the largest loggerhead
sea turtle nesting destinations in the entire world. This
endangered species, and many other species, need Clearwater
to remain pristine and healthy in order to survive.
“With much of the state and region already developed, we
have a responsibility to share this place that we love so much
with Clearwater’s animal residents,” said city of Clearwater
Sustainability Coordinator, Sheridan Boyle. “Keeping
our areas free of litter, respecting wildlife and adopting
environmentally-friendly practices are ethics that each and
every one of us can adopt.”
In our current post-COVID world, city administrators
and tourism partners have noticed a surge of increased
local and out-of-town visitors and day trippers, not only to
Clearwater Beach but also to destinations all over the state.
Sadly, a result of this increased activity is more litter—and
it’s everywhere.
Litter poses a danger to land and marine life. Animals such
as sea turtles, beach-nesting birds, fish, dolphins, manatees
and whales can ingest litter, which can cause them harm and
even death. It’s up to all of us to pick up after ourselves and
to work together to help protect our marine life.
What Residents Can Do
• Put everything in its place, whether that is in the trash or
recycling.
• When in doubt, throw it out. If you’re not sure if
something can be properly recycled, throw it into the trash.
• Refuse the use of single-use plastics, such as plastic bags,
straws, lids and Styrofoam, when dining out.
• Volunteer in neighborhood or community cleanups (see
“The Big Cleanup” on the next page).
• Carry a reusable water bottle with you, instead of
purchasing bottled water. Plastic water bottles are one of
the biggest polluting materials in our daily lives.
• When visiting Clearwater Beach, place trash and
recycling materials in newly-installed underground trash
vaults, which contain the litter underground, prevent
overflows, and protect it from scavenging by birds and
pests, and from the wind. These can be found in the
Frenchy’s Rockaway and Palm Pavilion parking lot and
Opal Sands area.
• Ensure your property has sea turtle-friendly lighting, if
you live along coastal areas.
• If you find a sea turtle nest, report it to Clearwater
Marine Aquarium at 441-1790.
What Business Owners Can Do
• Increase trash receptacles on private property, and empty
those cans more frequency than before to keep cans from
overflowing and materials getting taken away by the
wind.
• Train front-line staff to spread the message about litter
and trash impacting our beaches and marine life.
• Sponsor or help organize beach cleanups (see “The Big
Cleanup” on the next page).
• Add anti-litter messaging on business signage.
• Provide free parking in your business lot for cleanup
volunteers.
Help keep Clearwater bright and beautiful by protecting the
natural habitat and wildlife that calls Clearwater home.
My Clearwater