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In January of 2017, the National Trust for Historic Preservation designated Little Havana a “National Treasure.” Unfortunately, today trash lines the streets of this neighborhood, and that trash finds its way into the stormwater system and ultimately into Biscayne Bay.
In response to this problem, Dade Heritage Trust in collaboration with Healthy Little Havana, the City of Miami, and Miami-Dade County, will be conducting a neighborhood cleanup in Little Havana, 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Apr. 23, as part of Baynanza 2022.
Baynanza is an annual celebration through the months of March and April of Biscayne Bay and its significance as one of South Florida’s most important ecological systems. Baynanza wraps up with the Biscayne Bay Cleanup Day, featuring more than 20 cleanup sites across Miami-Dade County. Since Baynanza’s inception in 1982, volunteers have helped to remove more than two million pounds of trash from Biscayne Bay.
“This is the first time an inland neighborhood has been included in the Baynanza cleanup day,” said Christine Rupp, Dade Heritage Trust executive director. “Despite being a mile away, the trash from Little Havana’s streets makes its way to Biscayne Bay and negatively impacts the environment, polluting the water with plastics and cans and degrading the water quality.
“It’s essential that residents understand how the urban environment is directly connected to the natural environment. We can’t throw trash on the street in one place and still expect to enjoy pristine waterways and beaches — it’s all connected.”
The Little Havana Neighborhood Cleanup will take place on Saturday, Apr. 23, from 9 a.m. to noon, and include the 1200 block area from SW Sixth Street to SW Third Street and from SW 12th Avenue to SW 17th Avenue. Volunteers will check in at 1253 SW Fourth St., which will also serve as a refreshment station. Volunteers will bag the trash and leave it at corners throughout the neighborhood to be picked up by the City of Miami Solid Waste. Students can earn community services hours for participating.
To register for the Little Havana Clean Up in conjunction with Baynanza, visit bit.ly/littlehavanacleanup.
