Two UCF environmental clubs teamed up for the first time to tackle litter on the sandy shores of Daytona Beach.
The Knights for Wildlife Conservation and the SCUBA UCF Club joined forces on Saturday to volunteer for a beach clean-up event.
Jasmine Eder, junior environmental studies major and KWC representative officer, said the event was the first collaboration between the two clubs and aimed to bring together students with passions for wildlife conservation and diving.
Eder said the event aimed to bring together members from both clubs, uniting students’ passion for wildlife conservation and diving.
Emma Peipert, senior environmental studies major and UCF SCUBA volunteer coordinator, said both clubs have a common interest in environmental issues.
“This is the first time we collect trash on the beach, but we do collect trash underwater,” Peipert said.
Eder said KWC wants to continue to collaborate with UCF SCUBA to clean areas underwater.
“There is a lot of stuff we don’t see today that we would probably see if we were to collaborate more in the future with the SCUBA club into the ocean and do that as well,” Eder said.
Eder said she found most trash inside the seaweed that will last hundreds of years and cigarette buds that affect land and sea animals’ digestive systems.
“If the seaweed goes into the ocean it can be consumed by animals and it’s not good for their digestive system,” Eder said. “Cigarette buds as well, birds are going to try to eat that and that’s going to continue to hurt the animals”.
Ryan Miles, environmental science junior and a representative from UCF KWC, said it is important that everyone does their part in cleaning the planet.
“We all share it, we all have an equal responsibility to maintain it, but not only for ourselves, but for our children,” Miles said.
Jackie Pijuan, senior biology and clinical psychology double major, said tourists and locals need to clean up after themselves and she shares how she contributes to keeping the beaches clean.
“I always try to pick up three pieces of trash when I go even if it’s not my own just kinda you know do my part,” Pijuan said.
Charlotte Razzel, junior health science major, said she enjoyed collaborating on the beach with a different club with a common interest.
“It’s nice to meet people from different clubs,” Razzel said. “I have never talked to anyone from the SCUBA club before and they all seem very nice, so it has been really fun.”
Lindsay Dolen, freshman double major in molecular cellular biology and marine biology, said she enjoyed cleaning on land with the KWC team and wants to continue to collaborate with other clubs on environmental issues.
“It is nice to have connections to other clubs through our love of the ocean and love of keeping the Earth clean, and I definitely think we will try to do more collaborative events,” Dolen said.
Eder said they left with one vision to prepare for next semester’s beach underwater cleanup with the SCUBA UCF club.
“Hopefully in the future the Knights for Wildlife Conservation and the SCUBA club collaborate to do something in the water instead of on land to see how different it is and to still help out the environment,“ Eder said.