tamu-cc university Beach clean-ups
The Bahr Marine Ecology Lab has launched an environmental awareness initiative to educate our local community about plastic pollution. Every month, a group of concerned students and citizens of our community join us to clean up University Beach at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC). Following the clean-ups, we conduct a trash audit to assess the amount and type of each piece of plastic and rubbish collected. We share this data with numerous organizations within the University (e.g., Health and Safety Committee), the Texas General Land Office (Adopt a Beach Program), and non-profit groups, including Surfrider and Rookery Island Clean-up.
This initiative began with the intent to give back to our community, but now it has rapidly grown into many educational and outreach events that involve many Islanders and Corpus Christi community members. For example, trash collected from beach clean-ups in Oct 2021 will be used to educate students at Corpus Christi Independent School District about ways they can help reduce plastic pollution from ending up in our coastal waters.
Our environmental initiatives are supported by TAMU-CC Office of Research Engagement Impact Multiplier Grant. For more information about how to help support these initiatives, please contact Dr. Keisha Bahr (Keisha.Bahr[at]tamucc.edu).
