Florida’s southwest beaches face ongoing challenges with litter and debris, but there are also significant efforts to combat this issue, one of which is “Bettering Beaches,” a one-year old grassroots nonprofit aimed at raising awareness and finding solutions to the ever-growing problem of beach litter that has been fueled by the 2.2 million visitors who flock to Siesta Key each year.
Jarusha Pfannenschmidt migrated to Sarasota from Kentucky three years ago and was appalled by the beach litter left behind when she and her partner, Wesley, visited the beach on weekends. “We said to ourselves, we have to do something about this!”
And they did. They bought equipment….grabbers, reusable biodegradable bags, a small table with a poster and sign up sheet for volunteers, and a large beach cart called a Wada Buggy.
Then the idea spawned to start a nonprofit called “Bettering Beaches.”
What is their mission? “Collect trash and restore our sandy beaches to its pristine state.” How they do it is by picking up “thousands” of cigarette butts that they give to Terracycle – whose mission is Eliminating the Idea of Waste and to keep trash out of landfills or from incineration. They do so through recycling the likes of water single water bottle tops (“hands down the biggest item of litter on beaches,” says Jarusha.) . Other litter items include “anything that can be cleaned and donated” won’t be thrown away. Also, recyclable articles found is being shared with local artists to see if they can incorporate it into their art installations.”
The couple call Better Beaches “A conscious beach cleanup.” They don’t just collect and dump material at beach receptacles, they take away and sort.
Volunteers are solicited through their Facebook page and can be anywhere from 3 – 10 people who work 2 – 3 times a month.
Despite their passion for picking up beach litter, the couple have to make a living, too. Jarusha works as a photography specialist in her own business called Phantastic Photography. Wes is a functional movement specialist who operates “The Wellness Initiative.”
But their greatest pride is since August of last year, they have collected over 200 lbs. of trash at Siesta Beach, Turtle Beach and (coming up) Lido Beach.
“Think about this,” says Jarusha, “In one day we average about 28.6 pounds of litter on the beach. It’s not happening on holiday weekends only, but every day. We can come back the next day after a cleanup and we see the same amount of new trash.”
They hope to have a branded mesh bag to give to beachgoers so they can cart their trash away. They are planning a fundraiser.
Looking to volunteer for Bettering Beaches? Monitor Facebook for their schedule and volunteers can rsvp to the cleanup events. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094500849383
UPCOMING CLEAN UP EVENT: This Sunday 9/8 at Siesta Beach 9am – 11:30am where volleyball courts are meet and after that Sept. 18 at Lido beach from 6pm – 8 (look for the table and feather flyer)
Volunteer Cheryl Piceu said “it’s a definitely purposeful beach walk. I collected over 22 lbs. of trash with my group. I find the work very rewarding.” Nick Hollings also volunteers and shares, “what better way to take in the beauty Sarasota’s beaches have to offer other than walking them with wonderful, likeminded people who all share the goal of keeping them that way.”
Bettering Beaches not only facilitate beach cleanups but also aim to educate volunteers about environmental issues and promote long-term conservation efforts. These collective actions underscore the importance of community involvement in environmental conservation, especially in popular tourist destinations like Siesta Key.
See their video here.
~ Andrea Martone
