Beach Clean-Up: Restoring St. Maarten’s Natural Beauty

On March 9th, 2024, the beautiful shores of Mullet Bay in St. Maarten hosted an important environmental initiative – the McDonald’s Beach Clean-Up. Organized by Nature Foundation, partner of In-No-Plastic in cooperation with McDonald’s, this event marked a crucial step in preserving the island’s pristine coastline. 

At the break of dawn on a Saturday morning, approximately 30 eager participants were ready to undertake the task of revitalizing Mullet Bay beach. This is one of the most renowned beaches, considered an emblematic symbol of St. Maarten.  

However, Mullet Bay also hosts one of the biggest parties on the island: the “Mullet Bay Bonfire Party”. 

This monthly event left behind a trail of litter comprising beer bottles, caps, cigarette butts, and plastic cups. The accumulation of waste threatens the ecological integrity of the beach and poses a significant challenge to its preservation. 

Our volunteers, armed with gloves, bags, and a shared commitment to environmental stewardship,  embarked on their mission, collecting every piece of litter they encountered. 

Their efforts yielded tangible results, with a staggering 170 pounds of waste being removed from Mullet Bay. Each discarded item represented not only a potential hazard to marine life but also a legacy of human activity’s collective impact on our natural surroundings. 

In recognition of their hard work and dedication, the volunteers were rewarded with a voucher for a full meal from McDonald’s that was successfully interfaced with the Empower app rewarding scheme for clean up.  

The McDonald’s Beach Clean-Up was more than just a one-time event; it was a testament to the power of collective action in effecting positive change. By coming together to address the issue of marine litter, the participants not only restored Mullet Bay to its former glory but also inspired others to take up the mantle of environmental stewardship.