On Sunday, April 24, 2022,  more than 50 volunteers of the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation carried out cleanup efforts at Coral Cove Beach in Tequesta, FL. Junior Achievement, Hayward Flow Control, and Waste Management Inc. partnered with WeLoveU to help support the cleanup in honor of Earth Day. 

The WeLoveU Foundation volunteers removed 230 pounds of debris from the marine environment, 81.9% of which were made of plastic. The Loggerhead Marinelife Center analyzed the waste collected and generated a report.

Excited to Clean!

The enthused young adult volunteers gathered from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. with bright, smiling faces ready to take a stand in improving and preserving the environment harmed by litter and pollution. While the climate crisis continues to unfold, volunteers showed hope, positivity, and a readiness to act alongside their fellow volunteers. Their efforts are rooted in WeLoveU’s determination to build a clean world for present and future generations.

“In taking care of our environment every day, we can look forward to a green future,” expressed a WeLoveU volunteer. “Each day is an opportunity to contribute to this Earth in a meaningful way.”

Helping the Turtles

Coral Cove Beach sits right outside the City of Jupiter and is home to coral reefs, which house an abundance of marine life. The beach is a well-known attraction for fishing, swimming, and leisure time for the community. However, a recent rise in illegal dumping in the area is now causing a real threat to marine life and the ecosystem. As nesting season begins for leatherback turtles in Florida, removing debris and litter is paramount for the safety of hatchlings making their way to the sea. The volunteers worked hard collecting bottle caps, cans, and plastics from the beach area.

The Coral Cove Park staff shared the impact manufactured threats can have on sea turtles and other marine life. What humans may view as a small piece of plastic can be detrimental to the life of a sea turtle. A volunteer shared he was surprised to learn that 1 out of 1,000 sea turtles make it to adulthood. “A small piece of trash that I felt was insignificant was a matter of life or death for a sea turtle. It changed my mindset so that small pieces of plastic or any trash should be discarded correctly so that it doesn’t affect future life.”

EarthDay.org announced this year’s Earth Day theme as “Invest in our Planet. The volunteers at the Coral Cove cleanup certainly invested their time into maintaining an essential part of the Earth’s ecosystem. The cleanup was also part of WeLoveU’s larger environmental initiative — the Clean WORLD Movement. WeLoveU will continue to take on an active role in bettering our planet’s health. The hope is that others can contribute to a clean environment for all—a human right.