How often do you see plastic and foam littered along the sides of our roads and beaches? Single-use plastics affect our environment in numerous ways. Being located on both the coast and copious farmland means that wildlife is found all around us. Not only does plastic pollution make our county less appealing to the eye, it inhibits ecosystems, creates unsafe living conditions for these animals, damages marine environments, and physically harms wildlife. 

Living in a tourist hub means a lot of our economy relies on tourism. If we don’t take care of our environment or our county, tourism rates will drop and the quality of our county will follow after. Florida’s current plastic pollution deters an estimated $7 billion in tourism money from coming to the state.

Many of us try to do our part by not littering, being more mindful of our waste, or even participating in local clean ups. Another great way to support your community and maintain Pasco’s beautiful environment is by supporting a local ordinance to ban single-use plastics on Pasco county property. Sign my petition today to show our legislators how many people care and support the creation of a local ordinance against this issue!

This past July, I had the opportunity to attend a Hill Day in Washington D.C. for a week with EarthEcho International and advocated for marine plastic policy. That week taught me so much about policy and how much advocating can make a difference. This experience allowed me to connect with fellow peers all across the country doing the same thing as me. In D.C. I met with Florida representatives and senators and was able to advocate for single-use plastic policy and ways to reduce it in our communities. This campaign allows me to do the same in my community and teach others about what they can do to make a difference!