DEP Encourages Floridians to Celebrate Earth Day

~Join a cleanup, enjoy a festival or pledge to reduce waste~

DEP educates the public through events and initiatives.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection encourages residents and visitors to reduce plastic waste and protect Florida's environment on Earth Day, April 22. DEP is celebrating Earth Day by hosting events and festivals across the state focused on volunteerism, outdoor recreation and natural resource protection.

"Whether it’s cleaning up coastlines, or committing to recycling and producing less waste, everyone can play a role in environmental protection," said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. "I encourage Floridians to spend Earth Day outside celebrating our state’s natural beauty and resources."

To coincide with Earth Day, DEP has launched a voluntary initiative to encourage Florida residents and visitors to reduce their plastic use and "skip the straw" for one week. Plastic straws are one of the many single-use plastics that litter beaches, pollute oceans and harm wildlife. Learn more about the Skip the Straw initiative, and take a pledge to reduce plastic pollution.

Earth Day is also an opportunity for everyone to rethink their recycling practices and reset their behavior. About 30 percent of all household materials recycled in Florida are incorrectly disposed. DEP has partnered with the Florida Recycling Partnership, Waste Management, MARPAN, Waste Connections, Single Stream Recyclers LLC and local recycling coordinators to decrease recycling contamination and encourage proper curbside recycling practices through the Rethink. Reset. Recycle. project. 

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