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South Florida man picks up seven tons of trash from mangroves in 100 days

7 min read

Good Stuff
Source: CBS12

Miami resident Andrew Otazo has collected nearly 14,000 pounds of trash from the mangroves of Miami-Dade in 100 days because he refuses to stand by as pollution threatens the ecosystem he grew up loving.

One man’s mission to clean the mangroves he grew up loving

A South Florida man has travelled to some hard-to-reach areas to tackle pollution by picking up nearly 14,000 pounds of trash in 100 days. In the Miami heat, he dives to the depths of the ocean bottom and deep into the mangroves to collect tons of trash. From sun-up to sun-down, Otazo is hauling all kinds of trash because he refuses to sit by and watch as pollution worsens and threatens the environment and wildlife he grew up loving. — CBS12

“It used to be frustration and anger but now I am just like ok, what do I need to do to clean this area up,” Otazo told CBS12. “I would wake up at like 5:30 a.m. before the sunrise. I just go for hours and time flies by. The easy part was picking up the trash. The difficult part is getting the trash out of the mangroves because bags can weigh 40, 50, 60 pounds apiece.” Source: CBS12
South Florida man picks up seven tons of trash from mangroves in 100 days Miami resident Andrew Otazo has collected nearly 14,000 pounds of trash from the mangroves of Miami-Dade in 100 days because he refuses to stand by as pollution threatens the ecosystem he grew up loving. Source: BrightVibes

1 man, 14,000 pounds of trash, 100 days

What started as a trash cleanup day in Bear Cut Reserve over three years ago has turned into a massive passion project for a Miami native — and he plans to continue cleaning Miami’s mangroves single-handedly until his body literally cannot anymore.

His name is Andrew Otazo, and so far, he has picked up exactly 13,640 pounds of trash from the mangroves and shores of Virginia Key, Key Biscayne, and Biscayne Bay. He knows this because he lugs around a heavy luggage weight when he’s cleaning the mangroves in the Miami heat.

Thirty-three-year-old Otazo, like so many Miami natives, says he grew up by the water and has always loved seeing the mangroves. As he got older, he would go out to these reserves to seek solitude. However, his peace would be interrupted when he would stumble upon alarmingly massive amounts of trash, litter, and debris.

“I’ve been exploring these habitats since I was 13 years old and I absolutely love them,” Otazo told Local10. “Before I made major headway through Bear Cut Reserve, it was covered in literal trash. So, I’d go out to these areas to try to seek solace and peace, and every time I’d come out I’d be so upset — I’d be angry.”

“Three and a half years ago I was like, you know what – I’m just going to have to do something about this. And I’ve just been at it ever since.”

Over three years later, Otazo, who works in public policy and relations for an international agency, has now collaborated with groups to clean the mangroves ranging from Belen Jesuit School and the Frost Museum of Science to the Miami Marathon and the Surfrider Foundation.

Source: Local10

However, he says nothing compares to the debris he uncovers after a major South Florida storm. “Because a lot of this trash accumulates on the ocean floor, and then these big storm surges just sweep it all onto the shore. That’s when it gets really bad,”
Most recently, Otazo has gone out to pick up the litter left behind by spring break boaters and visitors, which includes red solo cups, masks, and other realted paraphernalia. However, he says nothing compares to the debris he uncovers after a major South Florida storm. “Because a lot of this trash accumulates on the ocean floor, and then these big storm surges just sweep it all onto the shore. That’s when it gets really bad,” Source: CBS12

5 reasons why Florida’s mangroves are so important

Florida’s mangroves provide protection from storms, nurseries for wildlife and recreation for people, according to The Nature Conservancy. Here are five of the reasons they list as why Mangroves are important:

1. Mangroves are important to humans Mangroves are important to people because they help stabilise Florida’s coastline ecosystem and prevent erosion. Mangroves provide natural infrastructure and protection to nearby populated areas by preventing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts during extreme weather events such as hurricanes.

2. Mangroves are important to the ecosystem. Mangroves are important to the ecosystem too, as their dense roots help bind and build soils, while their above-ground roots slow down water flows and encourage sediment deposits that reduce coastal erosion. The complex mangrove root systems filter nitrates, phosphates and other pollutants from the water, improving the water quality flowing from rivers and streams into the estuarine and ocean environment.

3. Mangrove forests are carbon sinks. Mangrove forests capture massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and then trap and store them in their carbon-rich flooded soils for millennia. This is an important ecosystem service as we face climate change. This buried carbon is known as “blue carbon” because it is stored underwater in coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, seagrass beds and salt marshes. 

4. Mangrove forests are good for wildlife. Mangrove forests also provides habitat and refuge to a wide array of wildlife such as birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals and plants. 

5. Mangrove forests are a great place to visit. Mangrove forests can provide a variety of nature experiences for people such as birding, fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, and the therapeutic calm and relaxation that comes from enjoying peaceful time in nature. They also provide economic benefits to communities as a nursery for commercial fish stocks.

To learn more about why Florida’s Mangroves are of such significance, and the threats they face, read ‘The Importance of Mangroves’ by The Nature Conservancy.

Source: Nature.org

“The vast majority of this trash comes from the streets,” he explains. “What happens is that trash will accumulate along the sidewalk, and whenever it rains it’ll go straight to the gutter, and that goes directly out into the ocean. So, there’s no filtering, no processing, no nothing.”
Where does most of the trash come from? From the streets of Miami. “The vast majority of this trash comes from the streets,” he explains. “What happens is that trash will accumulate along the sidewalk, and whenever it rains it’ll go straight to the gutter, and that goes directly out into the ocean. So, there’s no filtering, no processing, no nothing.” Source: CBS12
“There’s a lack of civic accountability in Miami, where people take care of their city,” he says. “However, that’s changing. There’s also a lack of coordinated policies to mitigate it,” he adds. “There isn’t a coordinated policy in this city at all, at any level, to address this problem. There’s just a whole bunch of groups trying to clean up the area.”
Otazo believes the local government’s lack of involvement and the lack of civic responsibility among South Florida residents to take action is partially to blame. “There’s a lack of civic accountability in Miami, where people take care of their city,” he says. “However, that’s changing. There’s also a lack of coordinated policies to mitigate it,” he adds. “There isn’t a coordinated policy in this city at all, at any level, to address this problem. There’s just a whole bunch of groups trying to clean up the area.” Source: Twitter/AndrewOtazo
Pictured here is a 200-pound plastic block. (Courtesy of Andrew Otazo on Instagram @andrewotazo)
Andrew Otazo has cleaned up nearly 14,000 pounds of trash from the mangroves of Miami-Dade in 100 days. Pictured here is a 200-pound plastic block. (Courtesy of Andrew Otazo on Instagram @andrewotazo) Source: local10
“You can do educational campaigns, you can install these things called ‘trash traps’ that are giant nets, or, you can partner with local businesses, as we saw with the plastic straw campaign. It’s much more difficult to find a plastic straw these days.’”
Otazo says there are direct ways the county and its residents can help the dire situation. “You can do educational campaigns, you can install these things called ‘trash traps’ that are giant nets, or, you can partner with local businesses, as we saw with the plastic straw campaign. It’s much more difficult to find a plastic straw these days.’” Source: Instagram/AndrewOtazo
But he kept moving, making multiple trips to get the job done.
It was so much trash that, at times, his industrial size bags were not enough. But he kept moving, making multiple trips to get the job done. Source: Instagram/AndrewOtazo
Those who were inspired by him grabbed their own buckets to join in on a mission to get rid of unwanted waste.
As his loads of trash grew, so did his reach. Those who were inspired by him grabbed their own buckets to join in on a mission to get rid of unwanted waste. Source: Instagram/AndrewOtazo
“I want them to think I’m crazy,” says Otazo. “I want them to take a look at my work and say to themselves OK this guy is very passionate about what he does clearly. I should listen to what he has to say and see what are the origins of this problem and what can I do.” Source: Instagram/AndrewOtazo
Andrew accesses hard to reach locations by kayak. Source: Instagram/AndrewOtazo

Follow Otazo’s mangrove mission on social media

To keep up to date with Otazo on his journey to clean the mangroves, follow him on Twitter or on Instagram.

Make an Impact

ORGANISE A NEIGHBOURHOOD CLEANUP

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