Spring Breakdown

THE TRASH PROBLEM WITH SPRING BREAK
AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Spring breakers all around America: there’s a severe problem. No, it’s not that you’re out of cans of beer or handles of vodka for all of that fantastic beach party time.

In fact, it’s quite the opposite. What’s one of the most serious problems that come along with modern spring breaks to our beaches? The sheer amount of trash thoughtlessly left behind by all of the people looking to have a good time on the beaches — but not caring one bit about the health of these beaches.

We’re sorry — that does sound a bit scolding. However, it is a serious problem, and it’s something that we see every year like clockwork when spring breakers come down to party away. Every year, amid the music, the shotgunned brews, and the Jell-O shots,there’s a plethora of harmful trash left behind on the beaches ready to pollute the environment.

Just last year, for example, we arranged a clean-up on our local beach in Lauderdale by the Sea during spring break. (We’re hosting another one this year in Miami Beach on March 15th, FYI — click for details here). These are just a few of the shots showing the piled-up trash on the beaches — everything from beer cans to fast-food wrappers to Cheetos bags, Solo cup Party Fouls and much more. Take a look:

This sort of trash pileup has severe effects on our environment. There are over 100 million marine animals killed every year by plastic debris. So, every can of Bud, Solo cup or White Claw you leave on the beach could end up costing the life of a creature somewhere out there on the water.

BEYOND THE DAMAGE THAT TRASH
COULD DO TO THE PLANET?

There’s also a pretty good chance that leaving trash behind could so some serious damage to your wallet. Many towns and cities across America’s spring break hot spots have some hefty fines scheduled for those who leave their trash behind.

The bottom line? No one’s saying you can’t have fun on spring break. Not at all. However, just consider partying responsibly. By just following a few simple, sustainable rules when you’re out there on the beaches, you can have plenty of fun AND protect the environment all at once. Want to learn how to party hard AND Party Sustainably? We’ve come up with a set of handy, environmentally-friendly guidelines for spring break. Here are some things to remember when you head out this spring:

USE REUSABLE CUPS

Statistics say that there are over 500 billion (yes, billion with a “b”) single-use ups around the world each year.There’s no telling how many of those get used in spring break — but it’s a lot of them, and a large chunk of those are just left to waste on the beaches. Those cups get in the ocean and can have terrible, adverse effects on the sea life outside of the areas where the partying takes place. Avoid all of that waste with a reusable cup, like the Pirani party tumbler. This classic red-styled party cup keeps the spirit of the party alive and all of your drinks hot or cold — without any of the waste that comes with those endless single-use cups. Oh, and as another bonus? The Pirani party tumbler also helps keeps your drink colder (or hotter) for much longer than a single-use cup will. That’s important for those long days and nights out on the beaches. 

STAY HYDRATED

Keep your head in the game when you’re on the beaches. Don’t lose all of your wits about you. Keep your party tumbler full of water or something non-alcoholic so you can party — and clean up — completely responsibly.

SKIP THE PARTY FOUL

Skip the party foul. It’s easy to toss aside those single-use solo cups after a few quick sips. Also, they’re not the most durable vehicles for beverage delivery. The slightest breeze knocks them over, they get easily lost, etc. Rather than using a cup you’ll easily lose on the beach while out partying, skip the party foul, and opt for something more substantial and sustainable, like the Pirani party tumbler. They have the strength and durability to last through anything a beach party might throw at you.

BRING A GARBAGE BAG TO THE PARTY

Finally, one of the most straightforward steps you can take to cut down on the environmental impact of your party is to bring a garbage bag. Set it out in a place where it won’t get lost, and direct all of your fellow revelers to place their trash in there. This is especially helpful for those busy days when the beach’s trash bins may get filled up quickly.

Be sure to follow these guidelines, and you’ll have a spring break that isn’t only fun but sustainable and responsible too. Additionally, if you’re sticking around after the break and want to give the beaches a hand, Pirani Life is co-hosting a clean-up with Clean This Beach Up Miami on March 15. Click below for details and RSVP here: