News & Media
ORLANDO, Fla. – Local Realtors® and Realtor associations across the state joined forces in July for a water cleanup effort, backed by Florida Realtors®, that removed over 32 tons of trash to protect this precious natural resource. That’s more than the weight of a fully loaded garbage truck.
The Florida Realtors Clean Up Florida Waters events – 141 in all – spanned 185 miles and included 3,040 participants who logged a collective 520 volunteer hours. Event participants collected 41% more debris than they did during last year’s events.
“Our beautiful beaches and outstanding waterways are one of the major reasons so many people love to live in – and visit – the Sunshine State,” said 2024 Florida Realtors President Gia Arvin, broker-owner with Matchmaker Realty in Gainesville. “Clean Up Florida Waters proves that we can all make a difference, at any time, to help preserve our waterways so that everyone can enjoy them now and for future generations.”
The statewide cleanup effort, now in its fourth year, encourages Realtors and residents to plan events in their communities to pick up trash and clean lakes, rivers, streams, retention ponds, bays, Intracoastal Waterway, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.
The program also encourages local groups to partner with existing environmental groups, such as the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), local CCA chapters, state Waterkeepers organizations, Captains for Clean Water and Keep Florida Beautiful.
Florida Realtors is a Keep Florida Beautiful Gold Sun Level partner, which means that local Keep Florida Beautiful affiliate organizations may join forces with Realtor groups to help with local waterway cleanup efforts.
Stellar MLS is the sponsor for Florida Realtors’ Clean Up Florida Waters.
