ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – The Florida Beverage Association (FBA), in partnership with the American Beverage Foundation for a Healthy America, celebrated the results of its grant to Clean Miami Beach, highlighting the successful completion of youth environmental education programs supported by the award.
The grant made possible Clean Miami Beach’s Classroom on the Sand and Microplastic Art programs, which connected local students with hands-on environmental learning. Through coastal cleanups, environmental science, and creative recycling, young people gained a deeper understanding of plastic pollution and how bottles and cans are made to be remade.
To mark the success of these initiatives, community members, volunteers, and beverage industry partners came together for a beach cleanup on Miami Beach. Teams from PepsiCo and Coca-Cola Beverages Florida joined local leaders, students, and Clean Miami Beach staff to remove litter and recyclables from the shoreline,
Miami Beach Commissioners Kristen Rosen Gonzalez and Laura Dominguez applauded the work of Clean Miami Beach and its supporters, noting how the programs empowered students to be environmental stewards while helping to keep the community’s natural habitats free of harmful pollutants.
“Florida’s beverage industry is committed to getting more of our 100% recyclable bottles back so they can be remade into new bottles,” said Liz DeWitt, President/CEO of FBA. “This grant was an investment in education and sustainability, and today we are celebrating the good work that came from it.”
Founded in 2019, Clean Miami Beach is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reducing single-use plastics, preventing litter from entering waterways, and fostering environmental awareness. In 2023 alone, the organization educated more than 450 students through Classroom on the Sand and repurposed over 400 pounds of marine debris into art.
The FBA’s partnership with Clean Miami Beach is part of its Every Bottle Back initiative, which supports recycling education and infrastructure programs across Florida. Together with its member companies, FBA is working to ensure bottles and cans are collected, remade into new products, and kept out of waterways and landfills.
Learn more and join the Every Bottle Back coalition at www.FlaBev.org.