Bay Area marine science program gets head start on Earth Day beach clean-up

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Katie Cooper and two teen volunteers are starting the Earth Day clean-up early.

They are part of the SCUBAnauts, a marine science education program. It introduces children and young adults to informal science education through underwater exploration.  

"I want to help our Earth, and I want to keep it safe for as long as we can for our animals, our marine life, our land life," Mackenzie Hall, SCUBAnauts member said.

"It's important because animals basically who live in the water or live near here could eat the trash or step on the trash if it's like glass and get hurt or die," stated Josiah Keup, SCUBAnauts member. "And also, just to preserve the beauty of nature."

"The program focuses on teaching them all kinds of leadership and communication skills," said Cooper. "So that's essential, no matter what they decide to do with their lives."

For the teens, picking up trash has become second nature.

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"I feel like it's my role to conserve nature and pick up trash and help plant corals," Keup said.

"It is important to help out and keep our earth safe," Hall explained.

The SCUBAnauts have been participating in the Earth Day cleanup for four years.

"This event shows our participants that they too can make a difference, even if they're 12 years old or even younger," said Cooper. "They can do something that matters, that matters to our planet, and that matters to their community."

Cooper says the things they find while cleaning up are shocking.

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"We've found a couch," Cooper shared. "We've found tires. We've found other furniture. So it's amazing the things that get left behind or get washed up on shore."

They have a message for beachgoers and boaters.

"Anything you check out with, you, bring it home with you. Make sure it's secured when you're out on a boat so that it doesn't fly away. And just try to reduce the amount of non-reusable items you choose to use," Cooper explained.

They hope everyone joins in, keeping our shorelines clean and beautiful.

Earth Day is Monday, April 22, and they have all six of our chapters going out to do cleanups in their local waterways. It's a competition to see who can raise the most money and who can collect the most trash.

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