TAMPA, Fla. — A couple hundred community members throughout Tampa Bay came together on Saturday to clean local parks and beaches in honor of Earth Day. The cleanups were put on by Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, which removed more than 268,000 pounds of waste last year through its cleanups.

What You Need To Know

  • A couple hundred volunteers participated in Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful's multiple cleanups for Earth Day

  • Last year, the organization removed more than 268,000 pounds of waste through its cleanups

  • Plastic wrappers, cigarette butts and candy wrappers are the items volunteers find the most

At Cypress Point Park, volunteers scooped up plastic bags, Styrofoam containers and cigarette butts that otherwise would have found their way to the ocean. By 2050, plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish in the sea, according to a report by the Center for Biological Diversity.

“The thing for me is it’s our only spot right now," said volunteer Micheal Morris. T"he main goal, I guess, is to try to be multi-planetary but that’s not going to happen anywhere in our lifetime. So, we've got to take care of the one we need right now.”

Morris and his family usually pick up trash on their own, but Saturday was their first time being part of a larger, organized effort. A father to two young sons, Morris said it's important to set a good example.

“Everybody’s got to do their part," he said. "It only takes a little bit of time. You don’t really have to do a whole lot. Any little bit helps, obviously. But we have two little boys too so they’re really big into trying to clean up and making sure the earth stays happy.”

Some of the youngest volunteers already feel its important to reduce litter and pollution.

“It’s the world that we’re going to live in when we’re adults," said 14-year-old Moka. "And when we get older,  we have to set a good example and help the earth get better for our future kids and the animals.”

While the week leading up to Earth Day is usually one of the busiest for Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, their work is year-round. In addition to cleanups, the organization presents to schools and community groups to educate people about environmental issues.

Kristina Moreta, development director, said Earth Week events typically brings out volunteers that normally wouldn't participate in community cleanups.

"I think it stands for something that we’re all involved in," she said. "We’re all outside, we all love the outdoors so we should take care of it. We should be part of something that’s greater than us."

Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful is currently participating in the Great American Cleanup, a nationwide effort that runs from March through June, and will be hosting multiple events in that time. Moreta said you can also organize a cleanup on your own and the organization can give you free supplies.