Apr 08 2024
- Port Tampa Bay and the Propeller Club of Tampa Bay are proud to be the presenting sponsors of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful’s fourth annual, Great Port Clean-up. This year’s event will take place the Friday after Earth Day, April 26, 2024, around the waters of Tampa Bay. In 2021, the first-ever Great Port Clean-up won the American Association of Port Authorities’ Lighthouse Award of Excellence for Environmental Enhancement and served as a model for seaports throughout the Western Hemisphere. Additionally in 2022, Port Tampa Bay was honored with the top environmental honor from Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful for making a significant impact to their mission and received the Outstanding Partnership Award from Keep Florida Beautiful.
During last year’s event, more than 851 volunteers collected 79,698 pounds of trash, preventing it from entering the waters of Tampa Bay. In addition, 30,000 pounds of invasive plant species were removed. While the majority of this debris originated from outside of the port, the Port Tampa Bay maritime community is dedicated to doing their part to eliminate marine debris and support trash-free waters in Tampa Bay.
“Port Tampa Bay is a proven leader on environmental sustainability and we are pleased to continue the success of the Great Port Clean Up, alongside our community. We believe that industry and nature can co-exists. This award-winning event is a call to action for the port community to support the ongoing efforts to keep Tampa Bay a beautiful place to live, work, and play for generations to come,” explained Paul Anderson, President and CEO of Port Tampa Bay.
"The Great Port Cleanup started as a vision to have Port Tampa Bay and its business partners show environmental stewardship by participating in a day of service to cleanup in and around the port. This vision came from Chris Cooley, Port Tampa Bay Director of Environmental Affairs and has grown into one of our largest single day cleanup events. Last year’s Great Port Cleanup event empowered 850 volunteers as they removed close to 80,000lbs of trash. I couldn’t be prouder of the example Port Tampa Bay and Chris Cooley have demonstrated to the community on what environmental stewardship means,” explained Debbie Evenson, Executive Director of Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
“The Propeller Club is excited to partner with Port Tampa Bay and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful to improve our coastal environment by participating in the Great Port Clean Up. Together, we can make a positive impact on the marine ecosystem by removing debris and promoting cleaner shores for future generations to enjoy,” explained Colt McCay, Propeller Club – Port of Tampa President.
The clean-up will take place at several waterside locations near Port Tampa Bay from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, April 26, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. To register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-port-cleanup-with-keep-tampa-bay-beautiful-tickets-856259474137?aff=ebdsoporgprofile