The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Have you heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? It is an area in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of the state of Texas where plastic pollution accumulates due to ocean currents. This is just one glaring example of the devastating impacts of plastic pollution. Plastic pollutants both on land and in the ocean endanger animals who get stuck in them or eat them. In the ocean, plastic pollution has been found from the surface all the way down to the deepest ocean trenches. Plastics can also break down into harmful “microplastics” which are ingested by the smallest creatures and move up the food chain all the way to people.

Every day around 8 million pieces of plastic end up in the ocean. The biggest sources of plastic pollutants are food packaging, plastic bags, bottles and bottle caps. Many of these plastics come from littering and other forms of improper waste disposal.

How to Properly Recycle Plastic

1. Which plastic can I recycle.
The State of Florida currently accepts all plastics labeled 1-7 for recycling

2. Is your plastic clean.
Before placing your item in the recycling bin, rid item of any of its remaining contents (it is okay if there is a little residue)

3. When in doubt...
When in doubt, throw item into TRASH bin so as not to potentially contaminate recycling bin

4. 1 in 4 items are improperly discarded
25% of items thrown in recycling bins are actually NOT recyclable

Common non-recyclable plastic items.

• Plastic Bags
• Clothes Hangers
• Bubble Wrap

Common recyclable plastic items.

• Soda/Water Bottles
• Laundry Detergent Bottles
• Milk Jugs

Did you know that on average one person uses 80 to 100 gallons of water a day? We all can make an effort to be more mindful of how much water we use.

Easy ways to conserve water:

• Turn water off while you are brushing your teeth
• Completely fill your dishwasher
• Use front loading washing machines if possible
• Be conscientious of how long you are showering

The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. – Psalm 24:1

EVENT
Hidden Wild

Come to the screening of Hidden Wild
Wednesday April 20, 6 p.m.
in Upper Weyenberg
Follow Alex Freeze as she leads three South Florida Students on an expedition through the wilderness hidden in their own backyards.

Free pizza and desserts.

Lake Worth Lagoon 

• Lake Worth Lagoon is a place where freshwater from rivers and control canals meet salty ocean water.
• Lake Worth started as a lake, but an inlet was opened from the Atlantic and over time has been dredged for ship transportation.
• In the 1900s canals were made to drain land in West Florida for development. The unfiltered water that was draining was released into Lake Worth and led to polluted brackish water.
• In an effort to improve poor water quality, more land and sediment was dredged to allow clean ocean water into the lagoon.
• As development progressed, this led to the loss of natural habitat including mangroves.

What has been done to improve the state of Lake Worth Lagoon?

Palm Beach County Environmental Resource Management (ERM) restores lost habitat with restoration projects including: 

• Restoring tidal flats
• Creating living shorelines, reefs, dunes, and maritime and mangrove hammocks
• Creating habitats from dredged sediment like Snook Islands Natural Area, and South Cove Natural Area
• Removing invasive species

Challenges

• Visit Lake Worth Lagoon at Peanut Island or Snook Islands Natural Area
• Attend the Lake Worth Science Symposium and LagoonFest later this year
• Visit Lake Worth Lagoon’s Water Quality Dashboard to observe current statistics on flow, salinity, and other factors.

“Look at the birds of the air: they neith sow nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:23 (ESV)

EVENT
Earth Day “Plogging”

Thursday April 21, 2022
5 – 6 p.m.
Fountain at Okeechobee and Flagler

In association with the PBA Running Club
Come join us as we pick up trash while running
Workship hours are offered
Cleaning materials will be provided (bags and gloves)

EVENT
Earth Week Fair

April 22, 10:30 a.m. –  1:15 p.m.
Rinker Green

• Snow Cones from Tropical Snow
• Live Demonstrations
• Giveaways

Guests Attending Include:

• MacArthur Beach State Park
• Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
• Clearwater Aquarium
• Sierra Club
• The Reef Institute

EVENT
Environmental Reporting

Friday, April 22 • 2-3 p.m.
MacArthur Building 1291

TCPalm environmental reporter Max Chesnes will give a presentation and Q&A on "Unchecked Pollution, Starving Manatees and How Florida Journalists are Using Data to Make Sense of it All."

Max Chesnes is the environment reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers and the USA Today network, where he covers issues facing Lake Okeechobee, the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon.
Learn about reporting, current environmental issues, handling politics, and more

Free Dessert Provided.

Reduce Your Footprint

What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases generated by our actions.

So what?
Our footprint contributes to climate change so living sustainably is important to help minimize the impact.