New Smyrna Beach, FL, Sustainability Initiatives Keep the Beaches Pristine
With its popular beaches, parks and nature preserves, New Smyrna Beach is abundant with natural beauty and attractions that draw visitors on vacations, honeymoons, business trips and beyond. To preserve these attractions, the New Smyrna Beach community has committed to sustainability practices that help educate locals and visitors alike on how to keep the area clean and fun for all.
Sustainable Tourism
Restaurants and hotels around New Smyrna Beach have partnered with the New Smyrna Beach (NSB) Area Visitors Bureau as part of a sustainable tourism initiative that helps cut costs while committing to eco-friendly practices that keep intact the area’s natural assets, like its 17 miles of beaches.
“It doesn’t take you very long to look at the beaches and look at the area and know that we have to protect these precious assets,” says Debbie Meihls, president and CEO of New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau.
The initiative is founded upon the One Planet Living framework, which draws from 17 sustainable development goals developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The NSB Visitors Bureau worked closely with One Planet Living, a UK-based organization, to host workshops for local businesses for them to become certified in the system.
The 10 certified community partners include hotels and restaurants like Third Wave Café, Norwood’s Restaurant and Hampton Inn, which implement sustainable practices in their businesses. Whether by sourcing local produce, providing paper straws, reusing water for plants or sending table scraps to local farms for their compost or animal feed, the businesses have found the practices both cost effective and beneficial for the environment.
“There’s all those little things that you can do to make a difference,” Meihls says.
To encourage tourists to do their part to keep New Smyrna Beach beautiful, the NSB Visitors Bureau also works with Leave No Trace to help spread the word about taking care of public spaces by disposing of their trash. In addition, the NSB Visitors Bureau adopted a mile of local beach and hosts a minimum of five beach cleanups each year to do its part.
“There’s a lot of pride here with sustainability,” Meihls says. “We all know we’re living in paradise, so we want to take care of it.”
Community Pride
Volusia County is committed to sustainability in a variety of innovative ways. From education and outreach programs to hands-on cleanup efforts, the county maintains a strong commitment to eco-friendly practices.
Volusia County’s expansive sustainability efforts focus on environmental stewardship, education, conservation and long-term resilience, supported by a blend of effective outreach programs, operational initiatives and policy-based practices, says Clayton Jackson, public information officer for the County Information Division.
The county works closely with partners across many sectors. On the community level, the county leads education and cleanup efforts through initiatives such as Keep Volusia Beautiful, as well as an annual native tree giveaway that provided 3,000 trees to residents to help support canopy restoration and encourage sustainable and locally focused landscaping.
On an educational level, the Marine Science Center and the Lyonia Environmental Center are hubs for learning about conservation and environmental stewardship. The Marine Science Center also operates as a rehabilitation center for seabirds and sea turtles.
Across the community, residents and visitors alike take pride in the natural assets the county has to offer. From water sports to hiking and relaxing on the beach, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the county, and residents hope to keep it that way.
“Across Volusia County, many people participate regularly in outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, surfing, kayaking, hiking and wildlife viewing,” Jackson says. “That day-to-day interaction with the environment fosters a shared appreciation for the beauty of these ecosystems and for their role in the local economy, recreation and community identity.”
Through its widespread sustainability initiatives, Volusia County has shown a commitment to keeping the county clean and enjoyable for the present and the future.
“Looking ahead, Volusia County’s goal is to continue advancing sustainability in ways that preserve and protect the region’s natural resources,” Jackson says.
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