CLEARWATER, Fla. — This week in October kicks off the annual Big Cleanup Clearwater, which encourages people to pick up litter.
"If everybody just does a little part...I mean there are trash cans all over the place, there's no excuse," said Rick Dalena, who visits Clearwater every year.
Dalena said he loves vacationing near the beach.
"It's beautiful down here and I know you guys want to keep it nice and clean and everything like that because the tourism is what keeps this place going," said Dalena.
He said sometimes he sees trash lying near the beaches.
"Unfortunately, some people are still very ignorant about that. You'll see people sitting eating something and when they are done it just falls out of their hands," he said.
To combat that problem, the City of Clearwater is partnering with local environmental organizations for a week-long series of clean-up events near parks, beaches, and along streets.
"Taking ownership for the place we call home...Really just trying to educate others about the effect that litter and debris have on our environment," said Megan Jackson who works with Keep Pinellas Beautiful.
"A lot of the litter we see in our neighborhoods and our roadways actually travels to our waterways into the Gulf of Mexico so it can have a huge impact on the animals out there," she said.
Organizations, like Keep Pinellas Beautiful and Ocean Allies, are hosting the cleanup events and are handing out cleanup materials to volunteers who want to participate.
Dalena said he hopes people learn from The Big Cleanup Clearwater.
"This is all we got. God only gave us one chance on this thing and if we blow it, that's it. I think it's very important and if everyone does their part," said Dalena.
