Number of Individuals Impacted
Activism
2017
February 2017
On February 28, 2017 our founders spoke to the City of Ft. Lauderdale Sustainable Commission Meeting about Plastic Pollution. They were helping Catherine Uden, from the SurfRider Foundation, get cities invlved with the SurfRider's pilot program about their resolution on banning plastic bags in the state of Florida.
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March 2017
On March 26, 2017 the Plastic Free Mermaids, Catherine Uden, and Warriors of the Rainbow from Beachside Montessori spoke to the City of Hollywood, FL Mayor about passing the resolution in banning plastic bags.
If you live in Florida, then it is essential to know that there is a ban on ban in the entire State that states that no city can ban any non-biodegradable single used plastic items. |
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On March 28, 2017 the Plastic Free Mermaids spoke to the City of Dania Beach Mayor about passing the S162 Resolution for banning plastic bags.
Our Founders are mentors to Lina, and have helped guide her through her activism journey. |
May 2017
From May 9-11, 2017 our Co-Founder Kimberly Correia was invited to the 2017 Blue Vision Summit in Washington, D.C.
There went to Capitol Hill on Healthy Oceans Hills Day and spoke to Marco Rubio's team and Senator Bill Nelson's team about Plastic Pollution, and Off Shore Drilling. She was also part of the Youth Panel ran by Sean Russell, |
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October 2017
On October 17, 2017 our co-founder, Kimberly Correia, spoke to the City of Hollywood Mayor to enforce ordinances 97.05 and 127.07. These ordinances state we phase out all the non-biodegradable plastic products from being used on east of the intercostal and introducing sturdier products that won't be blown away with the wind. Having non-disposable products would eliminate the issues of having plastic directly entering our Hollywood Beach. @surfriderbroward @flipflops365
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2018
January 2018
On January 21, 2018 Kimberly spoke to the Hollywood Green Team with @surfriderbroward and @warriorsoftherainbowbmv about the Ocean Friendly Restaurant Initiative to help make restaurants in Hollywood, FL plastic free and environmentally/ocean friendly!
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On January 22, 2017 our co-founder, Kimberly, attended the Fort Lauderdale Sustainability Committee Meeting and spoke about Ocean Friendly Restaurants in Fort Lauderdale with @surfriderbroward and @warriorsoftherainbowbmv. The Sustainability Board is going to discuss ways to have our beaches clean and healthy!
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June 2018
On June 9, 2018 PFM Founders participated and spoke in the FIRST ever March For Our Oceans in Hollywood, FL at Hollywood Beach.
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Community Pride
2015
February 20, 2015
The Plastic Free Mermaids very first waterway clean up was at the Nature Center in Jupiter, Florida. There we were able to hold a kayaking cleanup among the mangroves area on the water. We collected bucket fulls of just plastic trash within five minutes. Instead of using regular garbage bags, we used buckets and instead of using plastic hand gloves, we were able to use grabbing sticks provided by the Jupiter Nature Center. During the kayaking cleanup, the plastic free mermaids were able to collect sea urchins and conchs found in the water by using our foot as a sense to feel organisms at the bottom of the river. The urchins and conchs collected were immediately put back into the water, but we were able to learn about their skeleton structures and how they are able to move around.
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may 27,2015The Plastic Free Mermaids had an education/waterway cleanup at Anne Kolb Nature Center. There we educated the participants who came about the plastic in our environment and then we picked up plastic trash in the water. Also, the plastic free mermaids collected an invasive plant that surrounds the facility and threw away the plant and its seeds.
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2016
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March 2016In March PFM donated South Broward High School's very first refillable water fountain that keeps track of the amount of plastic water bottles eliminated while you refill up your water bottle. From March- August 2016, we have eliminated a total of 11,000 plastic water bottles from our oceans and water ways. The entire school has fallen in love with this fountain and enjoys refilling their water bottles, as well as looking at the numbers go up knowing that they are making a difference in the environment by not using plastic water bottles.
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April 2016On April 23, 2016, the Plastic Free Mermaids participated in the ArtSea Event hosted by Danni Washington with the Big Blue & You. PFM had a booth set up, and created flowers out of plastic water bottles. We passed out pamphlets to the parents about our organization, and about how the main three types of plastics (water bottles, straws, and bags) affects our oceans and animals. We had our jump ropes out, and the adults, as well as some of the kids, loved testing it out, and were amazed about how it worked. We had a total of about 50 students at our booth throughout the entire day. Also, the Bahamas Plastic Movement Organization was there, so we were able to partner up with them and do their fashion show, and keep up to date with one another on what we both have been doing since the POPS Summit.
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May 2016On May 13, 2016, the Plastic Free Mermaids participated in an event called Off the Canvas at Beachside Montessori Village (a school we taught at recently). We had a table where we created our famous flowers out of plastic water bottles, and had a blast showing the kids how to create them as well as educating the parents about living the Plastic Free Lifestyle.
On May 21, 2016, the Plastic Free Mermaids had their snorkeling cleanup with Debris Free Oceans at Biscayne National Park. We collected a total of 300 lbs of plastic trash, and were amazed by what floated into the island from different parts of the world. We found animals living in/on the plastic and using it as their habitat. We also found plastic items from Miami, and the Caribbean as well. Afterwards we went snorkeling at Anniversary reef, and were amazed by how close the reef was to the island that was full of plastic. One of the best parts of the day was knowing how half of the people that went on this cleanup have never snorkeled before, and were amazed to see reefs and the abundance of various marine animals, and being introduced to the underwater world that is loved by so many people. On May 26, 2016, the Plastic Free Mermaids attended the 5th Annual Hollywood Green Team Environmental Lecture. |
2017
April 2017On April 6, 2017 the PFM's Mermaids and Mermen at the 2017 Water Matter's Day Event doing. They talked to both adults and children about the Plastic Free Lifestyle, educated them about Florida's ban on banning all plastic and about the SurfRider's Resolution S162 to ban plastic bags in the State of Florida.
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On April 30, 2017 the Plastic Free Mermaids co-hosted a cleanup with Debris Free Oceans at Elliot Key in Biscayne National Park. This Key is a turtle nesting area, and we collected 189 lbs of plastic debris.
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June 2017On June 2, 2017 our mermaids and mermen participated in the 2017 Sierra Earth Day Event. Our Co-Founders, Keyla and Kimberly, were speakers during the event, and we held a booth. We were able to talk to our community about Plastic Pollution and have people sign our Plastic Free Pledge to live a Plastic Free Lifestyle. People created flowers from plastic bottles to keep as a reminder to eliminate plastic from their lives.
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October 2017
On October 7, 2017 our mermaids and mermen collected over 16 pounds of plastic debris at the International Coastal Cleanup Day in Broward with @surfriderbroward.
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December 2017
On December 2, 2017 our co-founder, Kimberly, participated in the Candy Cane Parade for Hollywood with @surfriderbroward The float was made entirely out of plastic debris found along Hollywood Beach! The marchers made tutus out of plastic bags and made signs about ocean conservation. We handed out reusable bags, t-shirts instead of plastic wrapped candy and collected trash while marching!
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2018
March 2018
On March 3, 2018 our Founders were mermaids at the 2018 ArtSea Event in Miami, FL giving inspiration to the youth about being caretakers of the ocean.
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On March 30, 2018 our co-founder, Kimberly, spoke to 150+ people at the Water Matter's Day Event in Broward County. She handed out paper straws to replace single use plastic straws, and as one participant said, “we (Plastic Free Mermaids) showed them how to limit their single use plastic habits and looked forward to seeing us to learn more about how we can make our environment healthier.”
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Education
2015
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October 2015
On October 15, 2015 our mermaids presented to Beachside Montessori Village about our mission and plastic pollution.
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November 2015On November 15, 2015 the Plastic Free Mermaids attended their first summit with the 2015 Youth Ocean Conservation Summit (YOCS).
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2016
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December 2016
In December 2016 the Plastic Free Mermaids attended the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit (YOCS) 2016.
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June 2016In June the Plastic Free Mermaids helped with the trash week of the OSTEM Freshman Summer camp at South Broward High School. We went on a beach cleanup at John U Lloyd and, with all of the plastic and other items we collected, the students created art work out of them. Our message to them is that trash can be turned into treasure and there are ways to reduce this from being in our oceans by eliminating it from their lives, and making sure that they preach what they learned to their families and friends.
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2017
February 2017In February 2017 our founders attended the Plastic Ocean Pollution Solution (POPS) Summit 2017.
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March 2017On March 28, 2017 our Founders presented at the CS3 (Climate and Sports Student Summit) in Miami, Florida at the American Airlines Arena.
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On March 30, 2017 the Plastic Free Mermaids Co-Founder, Keyla Correia, presented at the 2017 Breaking Down Plastic Summit in Charleston, South Carolina at the South Carolina Aquarium. She presented to more than 100 local high school students from South Carolina.
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May 2017
On May 9, 2017 our Co-Founder, Kimberly Correia, spoke at the 2017 Blue Vision Summit Youth Leadership Panel ran by Sean Russell.
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June 2020
From June 3-5, 2017 our Co-Founder, Keyla Correia, was apart of the Youth Delegation of the 2017 Sea Youth Rise Up in New York. Here she spoke during the World Ocean Festival and participated in a march for the oceans. Thank you to Sean Russell, Danni Washington, World Oceans Day, The Ocean Foundation, and WCS for making this happen!!
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June-August 2017
During the summer of 2017, our co-founder, Kimberly, was a presentation speaker at 3 different Camp Live Oak sites in South Florida to over 150 campers from the ages 5-13 years old! She spoke about plastic pollution and provided stainless steel straws from @kleankanteen & paper straws from @aardvarkstraws.
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December 2017
On December 9, 2017 our Plastic Free Mermaids traveled to Sarasota, Florida for the annual Youth Ocean Conservation Summit. Kimberly spoke on the Teen Panel to educate about youth activism in regards to plastic pollution and what the Plastic Free Mermaids is about!
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On December 13, 2017 our Founders, Keyla and Kimberly, hosted a workshop at the CSSS (Climate and Sports Student Summit) in Boulder, Colorado at the University of Colorado Boulder. They educated about plastic pollution and had the opportunity to talk to 100+ students. They combined sports and ocean conservation/climate change together, and showing participants how sports can help with environment/ocean conservation.
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2018
January 2018
On January 5, 2018 our Founders, Keyla and Kimberly, were speakers at Camp Live Oak's Winter Break Camp in Oleta State Park and Birch State Park! They spoke to 50 campers about plastic pollution and played interactive games about ways to reduce their consumption of it!
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February 2018
From February 26-28, 2018 our founders hosted their first workshop at POPS (Plastic Ocean Pollution Solutions Summit) educating about creating elevator pitches, and affecting legislation by helping the participants become familiar with their political policies regarding ocean/environmental conservation and plastic pollution. The 120+ international advocates we taught loved saying their new elevator pitches and identifying their missions.
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June 2018On June 26, 2018 our Founders hosted a workshop at the CS3 (Climate and Sports Student Summit) in Atlanta, Georgia at the Mercedes Benz Stadium. They educated about plastic pollution, bio-accumulation, and had the opportunity to talk to students from 3 middle schools.
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Global
We we have presented at
2017
may 2017On May 5, 2017 the Plastic Free Mermaids partnered with Green Contributors to have students from Botswana, Zambia, and Lebanon come to South Florida and South Broward High School! They learned how to operate ROVs, learned about sharks through South Broward's mini shark tagging activity, and everything the school has to offer as a Cambridge International School.
We also learned a lot about the different countries that were there, and how they recycle and deal with Plastic Pollution, which is completely different from how the USA deals with recycling. |
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June-July 2017
For about a month our C-Founder, Kimberly Correia, was invited to be a speaker and attend as a counselor for the 4th Annual Plastic Education and Ocean Conservation Camp at Eleuthera, Bahamas for the Bahamas Plastic Movement!! There she taught the local students about plastic pollution, her youth activism journey, and innovating solutions to plastic pollution. Throughout the camp, Kimberly and the Bahamas Plastic Movement had a Beach Blitz Cleanup where they collected over 2,000 pieces of macro-plastics and sifted for micro-plastics in the sand. One of the pillars of the Plastic Free Mermaids is creating artwork out of plastic. Kimberly showed the students how to make our famous plastic flower out of used plastic bottles to remind them to limit their single-use plastic consumption. In addition, Kimberly helped direct the youth to create a Call to Action video to the Prime Minister, Minister of Health, Minister of Education, and Minister of Environmental Health about banning plastic bags in the Bahamas.
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2018
October 2018
In October 2018 our founders, Keyla and Kimberly, partnered up with Green Contributors Organization who brought students from Assam, Indian to South Florida, and were ambassadors to them . They showed the students around South Broward High School, and educated about Green how plastic affects their community and how they are trying to help eliminate it.
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