Picking Up After the Pirates

Annually since 1904, the pirates of the Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla have paraded down the streets of downtown Tampa, Florida. Its 2023 event—held this past Saturday, January 28—featured five marching bands, 103 floats, and more than 50 participating social organizations.

But in completing its voyage, the Gasparilla Pirate Fest, one of the biggest parades in the United States, left a mess in its wake, thanks in part to the beads, doubloons, and other treasures tossed to spectators.

As reported by Tampa’s WTSP news, more than 400 volunteers came out early Sunday morning to tidy up the 4.5-mile parade route.

“For the kids, it’s very impactful at the end of the day, when we talk about how much we cleaned up and what does that mean and how it helps the environment,” said volunteer Amy Cole, who brought her children to the cleanup event. “So, it’s great for our family.”

Children volunteers also had fun picking up some of the pirate treasures left behind, including the many strands of plastic beads, which could be harmful to marine wildlife, according to Edgar Castro Tello, a recycling specialist for the city of Tampa.

“If they end up in the water, along with the sun and with the salt, they start to break down into smaller microplastics, which are particles as small as 0.05 millimeters,” he said. “Fish, birds, and other sea mammals can ingest them. They can get sick.”

Tampa also holds an annual bead reuse program. Rather than ending up in the trash, any unwanted beads can instead be returned for use during the following year’s Gasparilla parade.