Written by Blanca Morales for Rubenstein Law
As your Florida law firm, we love the Sunshine State and hope to support our communities as much as we can. Because April is Keep America Beautiful Month, it was fitting that we did our part to help the environment on a local level.
For this reason, a group from Rubenstein Law signed up for Baynanza 2019. Baynanza is the largest shoreline clean-up in South Florida. It honors the significant role Biscayne Bay plays in our ecological system.
"The reason I signed up to clean is because I want to help keep trash out of our oceans, so the creatures of the sea can live in peace," said Intake Specialist, Isaul Arias.
Out of the 20 locations across the county, Rubenstein Law participated at the Oleta River State Park clean-up in North Miami Beach. Oleta River is the largest urban park in the state of Florida and has added to the ecological health of Miami's metro area. It's the only untampered natural river in Miami-Dade, and one of the last remaining wilderness areas available to wildlife in the county. Needless to say, its significance is worth noting.
"I joined the cleanup because I care about the environment and the animals' habitat," said Amelie Lopez, a Referrals Assistant at the Miami office.
The river which once linked the Everglades to Biscayne Bay, also was a major life source for the native Tequesta tribe. They lived along its banks for hundreds of years. Later, in the mid-1800s, settlers named it Big Snake Creek, planting pineapples and vegetable farms nearby. Developers changed the name to Oleta in the 1920s as the population in Miami boomed.
Amelie added, "As Floridians we should be more aware of keeping our shores clean because we're known for the beautiful beaches that welcome thousands of tourists every year. I have always been aware of nature preservation, so this represented an opportunity to contribute to the environment. These types of events definitely inspire me to be involved in the community."
View our Beach Clean-Up recap video here, featuring original music by south Florida artist, Zander Waves.
Thank you to all those who took part at the 36th annual Baynanza bay cleanup at Oleta River on April 13! We appreciate you taking the time to meet up with us, along with your friends and family, for this event. Biscayne Bay is an important ecological system in South Florida and we encourage all of you to continue making efforts to protect it.
